Re: A hunting we will go!

[GRAHNK <GRAHNK@aol.com>]

David, 
We hunt for thorium all the time here in West Chicago.  We typically grid
areas to 100m2 for record keeping purposes.  
We use Ludlum 44-10 probes coupled to 2221 rate meter/scalers.  All of this is
mounted in a backpack and is coupled to a  Trimbel GPS datalogging
system....the probe is suspended just above the ground with a rope handle
they've devised here which is connected to the probe with a radiator
clamp........we download the data into our GIS and make maps for cleanup
verification purposes.   

None of our stuff is of the pure metal variety, so we don't have a pyrophoric
problem.  If it's already buried and has been for a while, it's likely already
oxidized and should not be a problem when exposed, unless you slam into it
with a shovel or a backhoe and make some pretty significan sparks.  Have a
couple of class D fire extinguishers around and be ready to throw dirt back
onto it.

Kelly Grahn
Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety
West Chicago Field Office
grahnk@aol.com