Patent ID: 7390934

Claim:
A method for aiding in the removal of uranium from soil, comprising: assaying a volume of soil using an in-situ energy analyzer; determining a presence and position of uranium enrichment in the volume of soil; determining a concentration of uranium and a uranium enrichment of the volume of soil; comparing the concentration of uranium and the uranium enrichment in the volume of soil to a threshold value; and processing the volume of soil when at least one selected from the group consisting of the concentration of uranium of and the uranium enrichment of the volume of soil exceeds the threshold value; wherein the processing comprises: establishing a target cleanup level; transporting the volume of soil to a coarse screen; screening the volume of soil through the coarse screen, wherein the volume of soil is screened into a volume of soil passing through the coarse screen and a volume of soil not passing through the coarse screen; assaying the volume of soil not passing through the coarse screen to determine if the radioactivity exceeds the target cleanup level; segregating a section of the volume of soil not passing through the coarse screen and exceeding the target cleanup level; transporting the volume of soil passing through the coarse screen to a deck screen; adding a volume of water to the volume of soil passing through the coarse screen; screening the volume of water and the volume of soil passing through the coarse screen through the deck screen to obtain a volume of soil passing through the deck screen and at least a first volume and a second volume of soil not passing through the deck screen, the first volume of soil not passing through the deck screen having diameters greater than the second volume of soil not passing through the deck screen; assaying the volume of soil not passing through the deck screen to determine if the radioactivity exceeds the target cleanup level; segregating a section of the volume of soil not passing through the deck screen and exceeding the target cleanup level; transporting the volume of soil passing through the deck screen to a classifier; classifying the volume of soil passing through the deck screen in the classifier into a washed fraction and a fines fraction; assaying the washed fraction and the fines fraction with an energy analyzer; and transporting the fines fraction to a uranium recovery facility.