Uses of californium-252 in industrial process control

Neutron-gamma methods of elemental analysis have considerable potential in industrial process control, particularly for continuous analysis of process streams and bulk materials. As a neutron source, californium-252 has significant advantages over both machine sources and other isotopes, and its availability will help to realize the potential of the methods. Two analysis techniques are under active study and their progress and prospects are reviewed in this paper. They are neutron activation and neutron capture gamma-ray spectrometry. The following determinations have been investigated recently, using one or both methods: vanadium, cobalt and fluorine in process solutions; aluminum, silicon, fluorine, barium, calcium, iron, nickel, copper and silver in minerals and ores; sulphur and ash in coal; and Mn in process samples of steel. (U.S.)