Application of gamma ray transmission technique for rapid determination of ash content in coals

Low energy photon scatter or gamma ray transmission technique using scintillation and proportional detectors has been developed and is being utilised for a rapid laboratory determination of ash content in coals. The experimentally measured attentuation co-efficients are correlated with the ash values determined by conventional method, and a stochastic relationship between the two is developed using the least square fit. The choice of source, detector and samole thickness is described and the effects of variations in density, moisture and iron content on the accuracy of results are discussed. (author)