Application of 232Th Daughter Radionuclides for Studying Exogenic Processes

The potential of application of 232Th daughter radionuclides as tracer in lithodinamic and geomorphic investigations was explored. It was analyzed geochemical particularities of this radionuclide, its occurrence in rocks and sediments and ways of migration. A series of samples of sediments and river waters was collected within the Hackman canyon in the Khibiny Massif (the Kola Peninsula) and analyzed by a semiconductor gamma spectrometer to recognize activity of 232Th daughter radionuclides: 228Ac and 212Pb. In the 1930-s there was a lovchorrite mining within Hackman canyon, which tailings were enriched in 232Th. Their material is moved by different natural processes: mudflows, snow-water flows, erosion and complex slope processes. The spatial heterogeneity of radionuclide composition of loose sediments is detected, the analysis of which allowed to identify promising areas of geological-geomorphological studies and environmental risk assessment in the areas of production of radioactive thorium-containing rocks in the mountain conditions of Subarctic and protection of the natural environment.

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