A CSIRO study has recommended a new technology for elemental distributions in downhole environments.
The Australian Coal Industry’s Research Program (ACARP) report recommends using Prompt Gamma Neutron Activation Analysis (PGNAA), which uses a neutron generator to detect trace elements in coal and interburden materials.
According to the report, the use of a switchable neutron generator delivers occupational health and environmental safety improvements compared to previously used chemical isotope neutron sources.
The PGNAA was found to be more suitable than X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) technologies, as it does not have issues with representative estimates.
The report found that while both the XRF and LIBS may provide higher sensitivities than the neutron approach, implementing them in the boreholes would prove far more difficult.
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