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Specific Activity of Uranium and Thorium in Marketable Rock Phosphate As A Function of Particle Size
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1980
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Nuclear Waste ManagementEngineeringNonmetallic Mineral DepositSpecific ActivitySize FractionsChemistryMineral ProcessingEnvironmental ChemistrySoil PollutionParticle Size FractionsTrace ElementAerodynamic DiameterMarketable Rock PhosphateBiogeochemistryRadioactive Waste DisposalEnvironmental EngineeringSoil ChemistryGeochemistryParticle SizeNutrient Management
Marketable rock phosphate fertilizer from Florida was classified into seven particle size fractions ranging from 149 microm to less than 0.5 microm using a Bahco Microparticle Classifier and air elutriation. The resulting size fractions were assayed for U and 230T by solvent extraction and liquid scintillation alfa-spectroscopy. Results indicated that the specific activity of U and 230Th increased with decreasing particle size. Maximum activities of 110 pCi/g U and 50 pCi/g 230Th were found in particles less than 1.0 microm in aerodynamic diameter. Qualitative emission spectrographic analysis of the fractions revealed that the concentrations of Al, Cu, Mg, Na, Ti and Zn also increased with decreasing particle size.