Abstract: A method of collecting reduced gases from the soil, water and outdoor and indoor environments but primarily for purposes of mineral, geothermal and petroleum exploration. The method is practiced by isolating a quantity of oxidizing liquid in a container which is constructed to permit selective gaseous communication with an outside environment, then situating the container within a medium containing the gases to be collected and within an airspace contiguous to the medium, then selectively opening the container to gaseous communication with the environment and collecting in the container the reduced gases present in the environment, oxidizing the collected gases in the oxidizing liquid and storing the oxidized gases in aqueous form.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting and mapping volatile species emanating from an underground source. A mass spectrometer is used for species identification and multivariate statistics are employed to determine the character of the source. The character is quantitatively defined and the volatile species emanating from unknown areas is compared to a known source.

Abstract: A method and apparatus has been provided to locate a subterranian precious ore and/or sulfide body from which mercury gas is emanating. The apparatus includes an inverted plastic drinking cup from which a mercury-free silver wire is suspended from its end. This is accomplished by inserting the end of the wire into a foam insulation disk located in the bottom of the inverted cup. Alternatively, wire may be attached within a cap of a storage vial. The cap has an adhesive on the outer surface which adheres it to the bottom of the cup, whereupon the vial is removed from the cap to expose the wire. A foil disk is placed on the outside of the bottom of the cup. A plurality of cups are buried in the ground forming a dead air space around the wire, for a period of weeks wherein any mercury-vapor in the ground in the area of the cup is adsorbed by the wire. These cups are arranged in a predetermined array and are subsequently located by means of a metal detector which can detect the metal foil on the cups.