Development of radioactive prospecting as tool for evaluating degree of granitic rocks weathering

To develop an easy, low-cost method for evaluating the degree of weathering by radioactive prospecting, radioactive prospecting and the investigation of the degree of weathering were carried out in the southern Kitakami massif of Iwate Prefecture, Japan, in which weathering granitic rocks was distributed. Fifty outcrops in the study area were selected, and strength of the gamma-rays emitted from the weathering bedrock of $^{40}K,\;^{214}Bi,\;and\;^{208}Tl$ was measured for 15 minutes at each point. At the same points, soil hardness was measured on the surface of the outcrop with a Yamanaka soil penetration tester. In addition, 100cc samples of each outcrop were taken with the sampler. The samples were analyzed by XRD, and the kind of the rock-forming minerals containing K was identified. We then compared the degree of weathering and the radioactive prospecting results by using K as an indicator. The relation between $^{40}K/^{208}Tl$ gamma rays counting rate by the radioactive prospecting and the hardness index showed a positive correlation as a result of the investigation, and the correlation coefficient ($R^2$) was 0.67.Moreover, when $^{40}K/^{208}Tl$ gamma rays counting rate emitted from the bedrock was low, the number of rock-forming mineral species containing K was also low. Thus, it was found that $^{40}K/^{208}Tl$ gamma rays counting rate measured by the radioactive prospecting could be used as an indicator of the degree of weathering.