Levels of Radium (was: Fernald Leak)

[Bruce Busby <bbusby@umich.edu>]

Hi all,

Radium is about 1.3 pCi/g (48 Bq/kg) in soil, of course, depending on the
area. From Eisenbud, 3rd edition - 0.42 pCi/g (16 Bq/kg) in limestone and
1.3 pCi/g (48 Bq/kg) in igneous rock.  

Sea-story:

Some of the old uranium ores would have the radium (and other
useful nuclides) extracted, along with the uranium in the early days of
bomb building. The government would get the uranium, and the
seller of the ore, or maybe the processor would get the radium (or
thorium, or...). 
Sorta a trade off for getting the ore... 

So, you can find "used" ore at some of the FUSREP sites that have some
very odd mixures of nuclides.

Heard that, so don't hold me to it.

-Bruce Busby
bbusby@umich.edu