[ RadSafe ] Radioactivity and Fracking

[Cowie, Michael I]

Depends what the material is Dan. If it is scale or sludge from oil production it is not normal to find associated uranium - this usually stays in the reservoir formation. Your observations would be correct if it was drill cuttings.

Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu [mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Dan McCarn
Sent: Monday, January 23, 2012 9:06 AM
To: The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing List
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Radioactivity and Fracking

Hi Group:

Since the material is most likely natural, I make the assumption that the radium is in secular equilibrium with uranium. In order to place these quantities in perspective, the equivalent amount of natural uranium was calculated in mg / kg (ppm).  For the regulatory limit of 5 pCi/g Ra ==
0.185 Bq/g this would be the equivalent of 7.32 mg/kg U-Nat.  This is slightly less than the typical granites in Wyoming which average about 10 mg/kg U-Nat.

For the sand that would correspond to 45 pCi/g == 1.665 Bq/g, it is equivalent to 66 mg/kg (ppm) U-Nat. (6.59 x 10^-5 g). This could be from a moderately enriched granite or perhaps a heavy-mineral enriched natural sand containing zircon.  Pure zircon sands contain from 150 - 300 mg/kg U-Nat == 100 - 200 pCi/kg almost always in secular equilibrium with
radium-226 progeny.

The anatectic granites mined for uranium in the Namib Desert in SE Africa
(Namibia) are about 100-125 mg/kg (ppm) U-Nat.

The Chattanooga (USA), Pierre (USA) & Kolm (Sweden) shales are about 100 mg/kg (ppm) U-Nat.

These are only observations.

Dan ii

Dan W McCarn, Geologist
108 Sherwood Blvd
Los Alamos, NM 87544-3425
+1-505-672-2014 (Home – New Mexico)
+1-505-670-8123 (Mobile - New Mexico)
HotGreenChile at gmail.com (Private email) HotGreenChile at gmail dot com


On Sat, Jan 21, 2012 at 8:24 PM, Lawrence Jacobi < rjacobi at jacobiconsulting.net> wrote:

> There has been an interesting series of articles in the Williston
> North Dakota newspaper regarding radioactivity from oilfield
> operations.  My impression is that the reporters have tried to write
> balanced articles, but the stories have been replete with mild
> hysteria and misinterpretation of the data.
>
> Here's the latest:
> http://www.willistonherald.com/news/radiation-what-does-it-mean/articl
> e_3721c300-4485-11e1-9e29-0019bb2963f4.html
>
> ***************************************
> Lawrence R. Jacobi, Jr., P.E., J.D.
> Jacobi Consulting
> 10807 Bonaparte Bend
> Austin, TX 78750-2801
> (512) 656-4765 cell
> (512) 335-4006 fax
>
>
>
>
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