• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.547-555
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• 2023

Due to enhanced precision in uranium isotope measurements with MC-ICP-MS, there has been a surge in studies concerning the naturally occurring uranium isotope ratio (²³⁸U/²³⁵U) and its associated fractionation processes. Several researchers have highlighted that the ²³⁸U/²³⁵U ratio, previously assumed to be constant, can vary by several per mil depending on different natural fractionation processes. This review paper outlines the uranium isotope values (δ²³⁸U) for major terrestrial reservoirs and their variations. It discusses the range of δ238U values and uranium isotope fractionation seen in uranium ore deposits, based on deposit type and ore-forming conditions. In conclusion, this paper emphasizes the importance of studies on uranium ore deposits. Such deposits serve as natural simulation models vital for designing high-level radioactive waste repository sites.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.146-151
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• 2012

An analytical method was developed for the measurement of uranium isotope in ground water using the liquid scintillation counting technique. A LKB Wallac Quantulus 1220 liquid scintillation counter (LSC) equipped with pulse shape analyzer (PSA) and a solvent extraction method were used for the measurement of uranium isotope in ground water samples. The effect of solution volume on the extraction efficiency was evaluated for 100 to 1000 mL solutions using a NIST standard reference material (NIST SRM 4321C). The effect of groundwater pH on the extraction efficiency was also investigated for pH ranging from 0.5 to 10. It was found that the extraction efficiency had a strong dependence on pH showing a maximum at pH 2. In contrast, the effect of groundwater volume on the extraction efficiency was negligible in the range investigated. According to the method, the extraction efficiency of uranium isotopes was near 96% and the lower detection limit for uranium was 0.018 Bq/L with the counting time of 300 min. The result of this study was also verified by the conventional ICP-MS measurement. It is demonstrated that the suggested method is valuable to the determination of the optimum extraction and measurement conditions for uranium in ground water. The method was successfully applied to the ground water at four locations near the Daejeon province. It was found that the uranium content and the isotopic ratio of $^{234}U/^{238}U$ at the locations ranged 0.59~6.69 Bq/L and 0.72~1.40, respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.119-120
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• 2006

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.25-31
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• 1995

In Dongnam area, Cretaceous igneous rocks, such as diorite, porphyritic granite, and quartz porphyry intruded Paleozoic sedimentary rocks, such as Myobong slate and Pungchon limestone. The Dongnam Fe-Mo skarn deposits were imposed on the diorite(endoskarn) and the Myobong slate(exoskarn). The ore deposits consist mainly of magnetite and molybdenite with small amounts of sulfides, such as galena, sphalerite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, and pyrrhotite. The igneous rocks show nearly constant $^{206}Pb/^{204}Pb(18.80{\sim}19.06)$ and $^{207}Pb/^{204}Pb(15.71{\sim}15.72)$ ratios. Their $^{207}Pb/^{204}Pb$ ratios higher than the typical ratios of orogene suggest that the igeneous rocks were formed from lower crust(or mantle) - derived magma excessively contaminated by upper crustal materials such as high radiogenic Precambrian basement rocks. The lead isotopic compositions of the igneous rocks, the Pungchon limestone, and the ore minerals show a well defined linear in $^{206}Pb/^{204}Pb$ - $^{207}Pb/^{204}Pb$ plot. The lead isotopic compositions of the igneous rocks are similar to those of magnetite and galena, which were formed at early skarn stage and significantly lower than those of altered quartz porphyry, molybdenites, and pyrite, which were formed at late epithermal alteration stage. Considering the systematic variation of the lead isotopic compositions in the ore minerals according to hydrothermal stages, the variation may be due to a relative variation in surrounding rock(Pungchon limestone) involvement in hydrothermal ore solution leaching the surrounding rock. Therefore, the variation of the lead isotopic compositions in ore minerals can be modeled in terms of the mixing of the leads derived from the igneous rocks as low radiogenic source and the surrounding rock(Pungchon limestone) as high radiogenic source.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.440-445
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• 2000

The techniques for manipulation of various micro-tools were essential for particle isolation and chemical analysis of micro-size particles. This report described the detailed techniques for the preparation and handling of several micro-tools. Presence of uranium particles in smeared filter paper were identified by using the solid track detector. The uranium particles were isolated using the micro-tools under the stereomicroscope and then transferred to the filament of TIMS for the determination of isotope ratios.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.429-430
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• 2009

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.34-40
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• 1994

First observation of uranium using a diode laser was published recently. The experiment was performed by the optogalvanic spectroscopy using diode lasers. A laser source causes the current change in a hollow cathode discharge lamp when metal atoms in plasma absorb the diode laser light. The optogalvanic signal is collected by detecting the current change. This work is the extended investigation of our previous research, the uranium detection using a diode laser. New electronic transitions of uranium and thorium in 775∼850 nm were investigated using diode lasers. In addition, the Rb(Ⅰ) optogalvanic spectra at 780.02 nm and 794.76 nm were studied. The Rb(Ⅰ) spectrum at 780.02 nm showed the isotopic features and hyperfine splittings. This work provides a key idea that the diode lasers are useful in the specrochemical analysis of the radioactive actinides that have a rich spectrum with transitions which can be easily reached with AlGaAs diode lasers. Also, this study shows that the diode lasers can be an important tool to find the spectroscopic parameters of actinides and rare earth elements which have not known.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.659-669
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to elucidate the relationship between occurrence of natural radioactive materials such as ²³⁸U and ²²²Rn and original mixing ratio of helium isotope of groundwater from various geology, and to suggest the underground aquifer environment from helium original mixing data. 9 groundwater samples were collected from five study areas, and ²³⁸U, Rn-222 and helium isotope were analyzed. A high ²³⁸U content of the range of 218~477 ㎍ /L in the groundwater occurs in the twomica granite. ⁴He air-crust mixing ratio and the Rn-222 content show a rough relation, that is, Rn-222 content increases according to the increase of ⁴He crust mixing ratio. Because of helium and radon are an inert gas, their behavior in underground environment is assumed as an analogous. The ²³⁸U content and He isotope in groundwater does not show any distinct correlation. The groundwater can be classified as three groups (air, air-crust mixing, crust-mantle mixing origin) on the diagram of ³He/⁴He vs ⁴He/²⁰Ne, which is composed of original mixing line from air-crust-mantle end members. This original mixing of helium can provide the information of underground aquifer characteristic such as the connection with surface environment or isolation condition from air environment.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.187-193
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• 1999

The specific radioactivity concentrations in the coal fly ash obtained from heat producing stations in Korea were analyzed and its radiological hazard for reuse in construction purpose was evaluated. The concentrations of uranium isotopes in the real fly ash measured by TBP solvent extraction method and $\alpha$-spectrometer were found to be about 116.1 Bq $kg^{-1}$ for $^{238}U$, 5.01 Bq $kg^{-1}$ for $^{235}U$, and 121.2 Bq $kg^{-1}$ for $^{234}U$, respectively. The activity ratio of $^{234}U/^{238}U$, in the coal fly ash was in $1.04\;{\pm}\;0.03$, which is similar to that of uncontaminated Korean soil in natural conditions (1.14). The specific radioactivities of $^{226}Ra,\;^{232}Th,\;and\;^{40}K$ in the coal fly ash were also determined using $\gamma$-spectrometer with a HPGe detector The results showed that $^{226}Ra,\;^{232}Th,\;and\;^{40}K$ in the coal fly ash were in concentrations of $101.7{\sim}113.9$, $39.5{\sim}54.2\;and\;315.0{\sim}990.6$ Bq $kg^{-1}$, respectively. With the specific radioactivities obtained from $\gamma$-spectrometric measurements of the coal fly ash, its radiological hazard for reuse was evaluated. The result showed that the radioactivity of the coal fly ash was in permissible level.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society for Energy Engineering kosee Conference
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• 1999.11a
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• pp.131-136
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• 1999

토륨은 자연계에서 유일한 동위원소인 Th-232로 존재하며 반감기는 1.4$\times$$10^{10}$년으로 U-238의 4.5$\times$$10^{9}$년에 비하여 약 3배 길고 매장량도 약 3배 많은 것으로 알려져 있다. 토륨은 원자력 초기 개발단계인 1950년대부터 우라늄에 관한 연구와 함께 시작되었지만, 70년대 중반 이후로는 토륨 핵연료 재처리의 어려움과 여러 정치적 이유로 이에 관한 연구가 거의 중단되었다.(중략)