
Neutron
Activation Analysis
Instrumental
neutron activation analysis (INAA) laboratory is located at AMD
Headquarter, Hyderabad. It is a nond estructive
nuclear technique, employed to find the elemental concentrations
of Na, K, Ca, Sc, Cr, Fe, Co, Zn, Ga, As, Br, Rb, Ag, Sb, Cs,
Ba, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Tm, Ho, Yb, Lu, Hf, Ta, W,
Au, Th and U. Measurements from percentage level to ultra trace
are possible by this technique. High purity germanium co-axial/planar
solid-state detector coupled to Bk PC based multichannel analyser
is employed for spectrum analysis after irradiating the sample
in CIRUS reactor of BARC.
This
facility exists not only at AMD Headquarter but also at all
the regional centers. This laboratory extends support to the
exploration programme by carrying out physical assay of geological
samples for uranium, thorium and potassium by non-destructive
radiometric techniques where gamma and beta emissions
from radioactive minerals are measured. Total gamma activity
of the samples is measured for their content. The uranium,
thorium or potassium content of rock samples are determined
by measuring the characteristic gammas of these elements using
gamma-ray spectrometry. The equipment is developed and fabricated
in-house and consists of NaI (T1) crystal (solid or well type)
with four single channel analysers and other counting set up
or multi-channel analysers with predefined regions of interest. In
case the samples are in disequilibrium state due to weathering
and various geological reasons, low energy gamma-ray spectrometry
is resorted to for determination of uranium along with radium,
thorium and potassium, enabling disequilibrium studies. This
laboratory also provides the facility for natural gamma ray
logging of bore hole. The concentration of eU3O8 is
determined in the range from ppm to percent level using either
GM detector or scintillation detector.
In addition, the laboratory at Hyderabad is also responsible for the preparation
and calibration of radiometric standards required for borehole
logging, shielded probe logging, sample and core assay work.

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