Re: Radionuclides in "Green Sand"-Are there any?

[daleboyce@charter.net]

Dale,



I haven't found anything on the identity of natural radionuclides in

glauconite, but I did find a little info on it that may be useful.  The

Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Unit is used in oil well logging to

differentiate between shales and sandstone.  Shale is usually significantly

more radioactive than sand stone as it is composed of metamorphic clays etc.

which in turn are formed from decomposed granites which because of their

crystal structure tend to be high in Uranium and sometimes Thorium.



Typical midwestern shale has a Gapi or sometimes GRapi of 100 units.

Loggers typical use a value of 60 as division between sand stone and shale

with sandstones being below 60 and shales above 60 units.  I found a

reference that places Glauconite at 78 units.  High for a sandstone, but

still not terribly radioactive.  Probably due to the potassium content as a

lot of sandstone is primarily silica with relatively little potassium

content.



What natural radioisotopes are being found in the water?



Dale

daleboyce@charter.net







----- Original Message ----- 

From: "Dale Dusenbury" <dale.dusenbury@ncmail.net>

To: <radsafe@list.Vanderbilt.Edu>

Cc: <alan.hardy@ncmail.net>; "Dale Dusenbury" <Dale.Dusenbury@ncmail.net>

Sent: Thursday, June 03, 2004 4:08 PM

Subject: Radionuclides in "Green Sand"-Are there any?





> My name is Dale Dusenbury and I am an environmental radiation specialist

> with the North Carolina Radiation Protection Section. Does anyone have

> any information on the presence of  radionuclides( particularly natural

> ones),  found in "green sand", a filtering media used in water

> purification plants? This is the definition I found on the web for green

> sand:"/Greensand is a mineral mined from natural deposits of glauconite.

> These deposits are composed primarily of iron-potassium silicate. ... A

> great source of potassium and other trace elements."  /Is this natural

> greensand used primarily or is there a synthetic substitute for water

> purification purposes?

> There is a question at a ground water supply in our area due to levels

> of natural nuclides in water that appear to increase following treatment

> by "green sand". If such nuclides are present in this material, what ph

> or other conditions(water hardness from manganese or iron from example)

> could move these nuclides into solution where they could enter the

> treated water? Radsafers are welcome to reply to the list or to my

> e-mail if you like.

> Dale Dusenbury, CHP, MSPH

> NC Radiation Protection Section

> 3825 Barrett Drive

> Raleigh, NC 27609-7221

> e-mail:dale.dusenbury@ncmail.net

>

>

>

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