Browsing by Author "Bekele, Selemon"

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    Investigation of Natural Y-Radioactivity of Soil and Rock Samples from the Kenticha Tantalite Processing area of the Sidamo Region
    (Addis Ababa University, 1995-06) Bekele, Selemon; Tesch, Siegfried (PhD)
    Soil and rock samples from a mining region in southern Ethiopia have been analysed for natural gamma (y) radioactivity. A NaI(TI) scintillation spectrometer was used to select, out of 200 samples, those with a marked level of radioactivity above the background radiation. Then a high resolution p-type germanium detector, inside a passive lead shield lined internally with copper and aluminium, coupled to a Canberra S I 00 MCA card was employed to measure the y-radiation from each sample. The y-spectra obtained were then transferred to a Canberra MicroSampo software for further analysis. The radioactivity content of the samples has been determined and the results, which may serve as baseline data for future work in environmental radiation monitoring, are discussed. The uranium and thorium activities have also been estimated so as to provide preliminary information on which type of soil and rock one should concentrate for possible prospecting of uranium and thorium minirals