Botanical prospecting for uranium
Botanical prospecting for uranium is a method of finding uranium deposits either by observation of plant life growing on the surface, or by geochemical analysis of plant material in a process known as Geobotanical prospecting.[1][2]
The history of
United States
During the early efforts to locate uranium deposits in the United States, the
Each method begins with the identification of an area of interest. This area is then gridded off, which allows the prospector to map samples to specific locations on the ground.
Plant morphology variations
The first method, not widely used in the Colorado Plateau, looks for physiologic and morphologic changes in plants growing in or around ore bodies. A survey of plants in the gridded area is conducted. Comparison of normal growth habits and rates is done with known normal plants, and areas with high rates of change in either physiology or morphology indicate likely spots for further prospecting. This method is time consuming, and is not useful in all areas.
Deep-rooted plants
The second method uses a survey of deep-rooted plants in an area of interest. This works because the plant roots carry
Indicator plant species
The third method looks for concentrations of
Other regions
In areas outside the Colorado Plateau, such as in South Australia or Saskatchewan, Canada, other plants would naturally be used.
See also
- List of uranium mines
- phytoremediation
References
- Cannon, H. L., 1957, Description of Indicator Plants and Methods of Botanical Prospecting for Uranium Deposits on the Colorado Plateau, Geological Survey Bulletin 1030-M.
- McKelvey, V. E., 1955, Search for Uranium In the United States, Geological Survey Bulletin 1030-A.