Question 1
Ernest Rutherford
One of the contributions of Ernest Rutherford includes the discovery that the Becquerel rays consisted of two different rays (Sears, 2015). The discovery of the two rays came about after Ernest Rutherford focused his attention on actual radiations that are emitted by radioactive substances. The experiment consisted of evaluations of radiations that were emitted from successively layered sheets of aluminum placed over a uranium compound. A distinction made in the two forms of rays was their penetrating power. According to Sears (2015), to be able to distinguish between the two forms of rays, Rutherford named the easily absorbed ray to be alpha radiation and the more penetrative one to be beta radiation. Rutherford interest grew in the study of the alpha particles. As such, Rutherford also studied the deflection of alpha particles when directed to an aluminum foil and discovered that there was some deflection that occurred as the alpha particles collided with one another. According to L'Annunziata (2007), such deflection ability indicated that the nucleus of atoms in materials was the cause of the defection of the alpha particles. Additionally, from the discovery of deflection of atoms, Rutherford was able to develop the structure of the atom with a nucleus, and such a structure still is used as the basis for the study of radioactivity. Rutherford also contributed to the discovery of man-made nuclear reaction where a high-speed alpha particle was used to strike the nucleus of an atom resulting to splitting the atom into two atoms. Consequently, this led to the discovery of proton as a third elementary particle in matter (L'Annunziata, 2007).
Collaborations
Rutherford worked with Has Geiger and developed the first electronic means for detecting and counting individual alpha particle emissions from radioactive atoms. Other collaborators included Fredrick Soddy, Henry G.J. Moseley, Niels Bohr, George de Hevesy, Otto Mahn, James Chadwick, John Cockcroft, George Thompson, Ernest Walton, Cecil Powell, Patrick Blackett and Edward Appleton (L'Annunziata, 2007).
Role as a Mentor
Ernest Rutherford was a mentor to Niels Bohr, Robert Oppenheimer, and James Chadwick, who are great in the field of Physics. Rutherford was able to guide these researchers in his discoveries and was able to develop their great minds to become great physicists.
Question 2
Weathering as a possible contributor to mobilization of uranium
Uranium as an element is in large quantities and can be found naturally occurring. As such, most of the mobilized uranium is as a result of chemical weathering involving washing of strata and material into controlled valleys. Material accumulated with time to form sandstones that act as a source of uranium (Wauschkuhn, Kluth, and Zimmermann, 1984).
Uranium Unconformity Deposits
Uranium unconformity deposit may be located in zones with major unconformities in areas such as between the lower and middle Proterozoic formations (Gupta and Singh, 2003). There may also be some deposits that are linked to the Phanerozoic unconformity. The unconformity deposits mostly occur close to the erosion zones of land areas that are above the unconformity (Gupta and Singh, 2003). There exist two classes of Proterozoic unconformity based on host rock, unconformity, paragenesis and ore grade (Dahlkamp, 1993). One of these classes is the fracture-bound deposits that exist immediately below the unconformity. The mineralization is monometallic in fracture-bound deposits. The fracture-bound deposits can have a maximum resource of between 400000 and 500000 tons of U3O8 (Gupta and Singh, 2003). Medium grade is achieved and ranges between 0.3 and 1% of U3O8 (Dahlkamp, 1993). Another class is the clay-bound deposits occurring at the bottom of the sedimentary cover above the unconformity (Dahlkamp, 1993). Mineralization in clay-bound deposits is polymetallic and can achieve high grade ranging between 1-14% U3O8. Weathering in the unconformity deposits may be linked to the lateritic weathering that occurred in the development of the Athabasca palaeosol, which enhances the disintegration and pre-concentration of uranium before the formation of the unconformity uranium deposits (Thiry and Coincon, 2009).
Figure 1: Uranium Unconformity deposit (Dahlkamp, 1993)
Uranium Roll Front Deposits
Roll front deposits occur in sandstone formations and areas that are deltaic centers of deposition (Vivo, Ippolito, Capaldi, and Simpson, 1984). According to Lake, Bryant and Araque Martinez (2002), the deposits are formed when an oxidized solution with uranium components that are soluble flows into an area that has reduced sandstone. The reaction resulting from this forms a precipitate called uraninite (Lake, Bryant and Araque Martinez, 2002). The incoming oxidized solution normally develops from the weathering process of uranium-bearing rocks that are on the surface. The uranium content basically controls the weathering process. Availability of uranium-bearing minerals increases the likelihood of weathering even in the case of unconformity uranium deposits.
Question 3
The nature of the uranium occurrences in the South Mountain Batholith
The numerous uranium deposits in the South Mountain Batholith can be described based on a report by Ryan in 2009. According to Ryan (2009), there is the presence of granitoid rocks that developed from the fluid flow during the final stages of the granitoid rock formation. The fluid flows in the fracture and shear zones within the rocks. The largest deposit in South Mountain Batholith is the Millet Brook Deposit that has about 450,000kg of U3O8. It is documented that the occurrence of uranium is in the form of U-phosphate minerals such as Pb-meta-autunite and torbernite. The occurrence of these minerals is attributed to the surface weathering process (Ryan, 2009). Consequently, there are other associated minerals such as chalcocite and hematite (Ryan, 2009).
Procedure to use to find an area with least potential for radon and radioactivity
The first step will involve locating regional scale map of the area on radioactivity. These maps are essential in that they can provide information about the rocks and soils radioactivity potential in the area. If the maps are not available, new maps can be developed using a scintillometer that is mounted on an aircraft. The soil-radon and the air-radon test can also be done to assess the level of radon in the selected area.
Safety Steps to minimize risk in an area with presence of radon and radioactivity
An initial step involves ensuring that ventilation in the hotel is improved as putting a radon barrier may not be possible. The ventilation can significantly reduce the levels of barriers. Secondly, a safety education effort or exercise to educate the hotel patrons will be necessary to ensure that the activities conducted in the hotel do not lead to increased exposure. For instance, smoking may be required to be prohibited as radon can significantly affect smokers to a greater extent than non-smokers.
References
Dahlkamp, F. J. (1993). Uranium Ore Deposits. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg.
Gupta, C. K., & Singh, H. (2003). Uranium resource processing: Secondary resources. Berlin: Springer.
L'Annunziata, M. F. (2007). Radioactivity: INTRODUCTION AND HISTORY. Amsterdam: Elsevier
Lake, L. W., Bryant, S. L., & Araque-Martinez, A. N. (2002). Geochemistry and fluid flow. Amsterdam: Elsevier Science Ltd.
Ryan, R. (2009). Uranium occurrences in the Horton Group of the Windsor area, Nova Scotia and the environmental implications for the Maritimes Basin. Retrieved from https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/ag/article/view/12419/13440
Sears, W. M. B. (2015). Helium: The disappearing element.
Thiry, M., & Simon, C. R. (2009). Palaeoweathering, Palaeosurfaces, and Related Continental Deposits: Special Publication 27 of the IAS. Oxford: Wiley.
Vivo, B., Ippolito, F., Capaldi, G., & Simpson, P. R. (1984). Uranium geochemistry, mineralogy, geology, exploration, and resources. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands.
Wauschkuhn, A., Kluth, C., & Zimmermann, R. A. (1984). Syngenesis and Epigenesis in the Formation of Mineral Deposits: A Volume in Honour of Professor G. Christian Amstutz on the Occasion of His 60th Birthday with Special Reference to One of His Main Scientific Interests. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg.
