Effect of the physical properties of the overburden on helium emanometry. National Uranium Resource Evaluation

During the period of 1977 to 1978, a detailed soil helium study (40 samples per square kilometer) was carried out over three known mineralized areas, each being approximately 2.5 square kilometers in extent. These areas were: the Red Desert and Copper Mountain research sites in Wyoming, and the Spokane Mountain research site in Washington State. The result of the detailed study indicated that there was an association between the soil helium anomalies and the known uranium orebodies. This study was carried out in order to determine whether the technique could be used on a semi-reconnaissance basis (10 samples per square kilometer) and to determine if the helium anomalies truly indicate the presence of uranium deposits or reflect the variations in the physical properties of the overburden. The physical properties studied were the porosity and permeability of the rocks. This study was carried out at the Red Desert research site and at the Copper Mountain research site