Coal mining applications of CdTe gamma ray sensors

Abstract Cadmium telluride (CdTe) solid-state radiation detectors have been used in the development of instrumentation that improves the efficiency of coal-mining operations by helping to locate coal seams and preventing the mining of high-sulfur coal near the edges of the seam. CdTe detectors were selected for these applications because while they are small and durable, they offer good stopping power, deliver adequate spectral response and operate at low voltage. These CdTe-based instruments have passed the mine-safety standards and are now in operation in the mine.