Xenon extracted from old tellurium minerals were analyzed with a high-sensitivity mass spectrometer. Old tellurium minerals of different four localities were used in the experiments, that is, tetradymite(Bi
2 Te
2S)from the Oya mine, tellurobismuthite(Bi
2 Te
3)from the Suwa mine, tellurium mineral(AgAuTe+Te)from the Rendai-ji mine and native tellurium(Te)from the Teine mine. In heating the sample minerals, the temperature was raised stepwise typically by100°C and kept constant for a hour. Rare gases extracted at step of extraction temperature were purified and then sealed up in the respective ampoul. Large excesses in
129Xe,
130Xe and
131Xe extracted from the Oya tellurium mineral and in
130Xe from the Suwa tellurium mineral were found definitely. Their origins were discussed on the basis of the isotopic amonalies patterns as well as experimental and theoretical considerations on the nuclear reaction relating to the relevant isotopis of xenon. The
130Xe-excess was attributed to doubleβ-decay of
130Te. A mall excess in
128Xe was interested in relation to double β-decay of
128Te. Several nuclear processes which could contribute to
128Xe were discussed on the available data. Concerning the isotopic amonalies in
129Xe and
131Xe, the ratio
129Xe-excess/
130Xe-excess(m=129 and 131)seems to decrease and the ratio
129Xe-excess/
131Xe-excess seems to increase with the increasing tellurium concentration for the Oya tellurium minerals. We may be able to look for a solution of the amonalies in either the epithermal neutron captures on
128Te and on
130Te or both the(μ
-, n)reaction of
130Te and the themal neutron captures on
128Te and on
130Te, where the neutrons can be produced by the(μ
-, n)reactions and the(α, n)recations on the environmental rocks. In order to understand the above results on the ratio between Xe-excess, we may have to take into account the competition process between between the neutron captures on
128Te and on
130Te and the neutron adsorptions by the associated impurities, and the(a, n)reactions on
126Te and on
128Te respectively.
View full abstract