On Tuesday, March 5, 2024, at 7:00 p.m., we’ll be having our monthly meeting featuring…
Uranium/Thorium Deposits of the Northeastern United States
with Erik Hunter, PhD
About the presenter…
Per his LinkedIn profile… Erik Hunter is the founder of Northeast Atomic Minerals. He received his PhD and master’s degrees in Mining and Earth Systems Engineering in 2013 from the Colorado School of Mines. Prior to founding Northeast Atomic Minerals, he conducted exploration operations for Shawnee Mission Mining.
The details…
Nearly all rocks contain radioactive elements such as Potassium-40, Uranium-238, Thorium-232, and decay products of these isotopes. Under certain geologic conditions, these radionuclides may be concentrated and enriched, which makes them interesting from an economic and scientific standpoint.
Misconceptions about the dangers of radioactive minerals have led to fears among the general public that may be unfounded. Information regarding the types of radiation associated with these minerals will be presented, as well as safe handling techniques and occupational dose limits.
The northeastern region of the United States offers unique opportunities for collecting radioactive minerals. The most notable occurrences of radioactive minerals in the Northeast are found in pegmatites, although sandstone-hosted and metamorphic deposits do exist. A general overview of these types of deposits will be discussed, as well as field reports from the localities where radioactive minerals have been found.
The meeting will start with a greeting and brief business meeting, which will be followed by the presentation. Afterwards, stick around for the traditional mineral raffle!
Hope to see you there!