Quantitative autoradiography of alpha particle emission in geo-materials using the Beaver™ system

In rocks or artificial geo-materials, radioactive isotopes emitting alpha particles are dispersed according to the mineralogy. At hand specimen scale, the achievement of quantitative chemical mapping of these isotopes takes on a specific importance. Knowledge of the distribution of the uranium and thorium series radionuclides is of prime interest to several disciplines, from the geochemistry of uranium deposits, to the dispersion of uranium mill tailings in the biosphere. The disequilibrium of these disintegration chains is also commonly used for dating. However, some prime importance isotopes, such as 226Ra, are complicated to localize in geo-materials. Because of its high specific activity, 226Ra is found in very low concentrations (~ppq), preventing its accurate localization in rock forming minerals.