REMOTE DETECTION OF RARE-EARTH METAL DEPOSITS BY SECONDARY MICROWAVE RADIATION

Rare earth metals comprise 19 elements that have vital uses in modern technology. Their applications can be found from mobile phones, fuel cell electric vehicles to nuclear power, and aerospace components. The relevance of research is due to the need to improve methods for remote detection of rare-earth metal deposits in hard-to-reach places, as well as their placers, which are of interest for the processes of exploration and production of minerals. Remote sensing methods significantly reduce the ecological footprint of mining operations by saving resources, they can reduce the financial costs of geological exploration, and their development will increase the country's raw material potential. The use of remote sensing methods improves resource management, contributes to the study and restoration of the ecology of the region. The research results will make it possible to carry out mapping of local changes in the radiation background of the earth's surface based on the measurement of weak electromagnetic radiation in the frequency range 1.3 - 1.7 GHz. In this article, we show field measurements of the K, U, and Th content in the soils of the southeastern, most densely populated, part of the Tomsk region. The estimates obtained show the possibility of creating an onboard device for remote monitoring of radioactive contamination of the area.