With the development of nuclear physics and the improvement of nuclear particle measurement technology, the application of nuclear technology in field geological exploration has become a reality. 1904, devices and methods for collecting and detecting radon in soil and river water began to appear in Canada. During this period, a group of outstanding Russian scientists, such as sokolov, Bogman and Velaski, engaged in geochemical research of radioactive elements. Starting from 19 13, Russia began to conduct a uranium survey. In 1923, W. vogt of Canada used the field radiometer with Geiger counter for the first time to carry out geology 1949, and R.W. pringle and K.I. Rouloton of the United States successfully trial-produced the scintillation counter field radiometer. 1944, the experimental flight of airborne radioactive gamma measurement began. 1962, the United States developed a high-sensitivity airborne gamma spectrometer and used it in geological exploration. 1962, Filipoff of the Soviet Union wrote Practical Nuclear Geophysics. In the late 1960s, the United States, Britain, Canada, Japan, the Soviet Union and other countries began to use automotive gamma-ray spectrometer. 1977 American J.G. Morse wrote the Nuclear Law in Mineral Exploration and Mining, and systematically discussed various methods of radioactive exploration.
With the development of petroleum industry, artificial radioactive exploration such as neutron-γ method has appeared to evaluate the porosity of rocks and divide the oil-water interface. It announced the birth of artificial radioactivity method, followed by γ-γ method, X-ray fluorescence method and various neutron methods.
Since 1950s, γ -ray spectrum measurement has been greatly developed and widely used. The contents of uranium, thorium and potassium in rocks are determined in the laboratory, which is used for the general survey of uranium mines in the field, and aerial gamma-ray spectrometry is also used for the general survey and detailed investigation of uranium mines. Since 1960s, gamma-ray spectrum measurement has been widely used, and aviation gamma-ray spectrum measurement has also developed rapidly. Since 1970s, various comprehensive radon measurement methods have appeared and been widely used in uranium exploration. Radon method was not paid attention to by European and American countries in the past, but it was also widely used during this period and achieved good results. Since 1980s, regional geophysical and geochemical exploration has been carried out, especially the aerial survey and remote sensing technologies such as mineral prediction and environmental research, and aerial gamma-ray spectrometry have been paid attention to during this period.
The development of radioactive exploration in China began in the mid-1950s and was mainly used for uranium exploration. Since then, the application field of radioactive exploration has been expanding, not only for uranium deposits, but also for non-radioactive deposits, logging, rock and mineral composition analysis and so on. At the same time, relevant academic works were published. Professor Qin Xinling, an academician of China Academy of Sciences, first offered the course of radioactive measurement to the former undergraduate students of Beijing Institute of Geology on 1955. Gefunovikov, a professor at Leningrad Institute of Mining in the former Soviet Union, opened a radioactive exploration course for the former graduate students of Beijing Institute of Geology at 1956. 1957, China developed the first gamma-ray radiometer. 1963 began mass production of various types of gamma-ray radiometers, which entered a new stage of localization of ground nuclear geophysical instruments. In the early 1970s, China developed and produced a single-channel gamma spectrometer, and began to produce various models of four-channel gamma spectrometer at 1975. In 1990s, China developed and produced 256 channels and 1024 channels γ spectrometer. In 1960s, the development of artificial radioactivity method and the research of X-ray fluorescence measurement just started. In the 1970s, with the petroleum industry and coal exploration, various underground artificial radioactivity methods developed rapidly, such as neutron method, and a series of blind research on uranium deposits were carried out. In 1970s and 1980s, various ground and underground gamma-ray measuring instruments, radon measuring instruments and X-ray fluorescence instruments were developed. From 65438 to 0975, the α track method (also known as "track etching method"), which was successfully developed and rapidly popularized in China, was not only used in uranium exploration, but also widely used in oil and gas, groundwater and other exploration fields. In 1980s, China initiated a simple and low-cost electrostatic alpha card method, which is practical, effective and easy to popularize, and has been widely used in different exploration fields in China. Since 1980s, great progress has been made in airborne gamma spectrometry, layered interpretation method of uranium gamma logging and neutron capture logging (C/O ratio), and people have got a systematic understanding and summary of radioactive exploration, which has been widely used not only in uranium exploration, but also in oil and gas exploration, gold exploration, groundwater resource exploration, foundation stability monitoring, environmental monitoring and evaluation, earthquake prediction and so on. At present, the application fields of radioactive exploration methods are more and more extensive and play its role in the national economy.