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Radioactive Mineral Sample Prospecting Equipment - Advice Sought

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Proud Mary

Sun Mar 28 2010, 10:30PM

Registered Member #543 Joined: Tue Feb 20 2007, 04:26PM
Location: UK
Posts: 4992

I know that Les has had some very good results prospecting with his rig, but if I was starting from scratch, I think I would construct a minimalist set-up, with a geiger head mounted on an arm, - as with mine and metal detectors - to sweep the ground at a few inches.

This would be the ideal set-up for searching out uraniferous pebbles, as at Littleham Cove, and the beaches around St. Austell. The gamma signal from even weak emitters would show up with great clarity with this sweeping method.

One of the longer Russian metal-skinned tubes would give the detecting head a degree of robustness necessary to the task.

The circuit modules would consist of nothing more than an HT supply for the tube, and an audio amplifier of good headphone strength - two or three transistors.

I wouldn't bother with a meter, or any battery-hogging extras, since the specimens, once located, can be taken away and studied in more detail on the bench.

The mixed silicates of uranium and vanadium at the Cove sound very intesting to me, and very worthwhile to find them, though I don't imagine they will have the same weight-for-weight activity as the best Cornish pitchblende.

IntraWinding

Sun Mar 28 2010, 11:39PM

Registered Member #2261 Joined: Mon Aug 03 2009, 01:19AM
Location: London, UK
Posts: 581

This seems to be the one to go for:
SMB-20

Proud Mary

Mon Mar 29 2010, 11:13AM

Registered Member #543 Joined: Tue Feb 20 2007, 04:26PM
Location: UK
Posts: 4992

IntraWinding wrote ...

This seems to be the one to go for:
SMB-20

Give me a few days to make some comparisons for you.

IntraWinding

Mon Mar 29 2010, 11:15AM

Registered Member #2261 Joined: Mon Aug 03 2009, 01:19AM
Location: London, UK
Posts: 581

Thanks for that. There's only good data on that model that I can find, or at least, read!

There are also two distinct SMB-20 models.
One has dull, and one bright red insulators.
I'm guessing the bright red's are newer.

plazmatron

Mon Mar 29 2010, 01:42PM

Registered Member #1134 Joined: Tue Nov 20 2007, 04:39PM
Location: Bonnie Scotland
Posts: 351

Proud Mary wrote ...

I know that Les has had some very good results prospecting with his rig, but if I was starting from scratch, I think I would construct a minimalist set-up, with a geiger head mounted on an arm, - as with mine and metal detectors - to sweep the ground at a few inches.

This is very true. One of the problems I had, especially with a geiger tube, was maintaining a reasonably short distance between the tube and the area under survey.
It is easy to miss good samples out in the field.

An old metal detector, would make an ideal mount for a geiger counter in an application such as this.

Les

Proud Mary

Mon Mar 29 2010, 06:37PM

Registered Member #543 Joined: Tue Feb 20 2007, 04:26PM
Location: UK
Posts: 4992

Have a look at this one:

I've bought a number of items from Denys over the last year or so, and not had any problems with him.

IntraWinding

Mon Mar 29 2010, 10:15PM

Registered Member #2261 Joined: Mon Aug 03 2009, 01:19AM
Location: London, UK
Posts: 581

plazmatron wrote ...

This is very true. One of the problems I had, especially with a geiger tube, was maintaining a reasonably short distance between the tube and the area under survey.
It is easy to miss good samples out in the field.

An old metal detector, would make an ideal mount for a Geiger counter in an application such as this.

Les

Thanks. I've been thinking of copying a metal detector, but using an old one's a good idea. I imagine it will frighten the locals/tourists less too

Whilst searching for any details about your rig, Plazmatron/Les, I've put together a handy set of links to related articles in this forum. Handy for me, anyway

Plazmatron/Les: is it just a cd-v700 that you use?. It's all I spotted searching your site + this forum.:

Things to do with "hot rocks"

Making a Geiger-MÃ¼ller Counter

Pitchblende Uranium Ore

(Sale and Trade)
Pitchblende Uranium ore samples for sale! Get em while they`re hot !

(Sale and Trade)
Anyone else collect Fiestaware??

Russian Geiger-Mueller Detector

Making a Geiger-MÃ¼ller Counter

Geiger counter circuits

Americium 241 fluorescence

Radiation counter (Geiger) tubes

(Sale and Trade)
Geiger tube supply?

Geiger counter

SBM 21 geiger tube datasheet

Leaching uranium ore

Alan

IntraWinding

Mon Mar 29 2010, 10:46PM

Registered Member #2261 Joined: Mon Aug 03 2009, 01:19AM
Location: London, UK
Posts: 581

Proud Mary wrote ...

Have a look at this one:

I've bought a number of items from Denys over the last year or so, and not had any problems with him.

Thanks! I somehow missed the ruler in that shot.

CI-21G / SI-21G : With the help of Photoshop it looks to be about 250mm x 19mm.

I see Denys has one slightly more expensive tube:
STS-6 / CTC-6

No ruler, but it looks slightly smaller.

I've asked if he can send me data on both...

I'd just been looking at the CI-22 but that's only 215 x 18

Alan

Proud Mary

Mon Mar 29 2010, 11:16PM

Registered Member #543 Joined: Tue Feb 20 2007, 04:26PM
Location: UK
Posts: 4992

Don't worry about Cyrillic data sheets - nine times out of ten it's easy enough to work out what they're on about from the values of the parameters.

plazmatron

Tue Mar 30 2010, 01:08AM

Registered Member #1134 Joined: Tue Nov 20 2007, 04:39PM
Location: Bonnie Scotland
Posts: 351

IntraWinding wrote ...

Plazmatron/Les: is it just a cd-v700 that you use?. It's all I spotted searching your site + this forum.:

Yes it is. However, it is modified to accept different probes, (specifically Scintillator probes). The original tubes for these have only a small detector area, as they were designed for post nuclear war surveys!

The only reason I picked the CD-V700 for the field, was its ruggedness, and the fact that many hobbyists have sites detailing modifications for it.

Obviously, in the lab, I use more sensitive/better suited instruments.

Les

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