Geosteering of solid mineral mining machines

1. An armored radiation detector for a solid mineral mining apparatus, comprising:

a scintillation element for detecting radiation emitted from a material to be mined;

a high strength armor assembly surrounding portions of said scintillation element;

a window in said armor assembly adapted to allow gamma rays to reach said scintillation element,

wherein said scintillation element has a length and a diameter such that said scintillation element has a ratio of said length over said diameter, and wherein said window in said armor assembly is along at least a portion of said length of said scintillation element.

2. The armored radiation detector of claim 1 , wherein said scintillation element comprises a sodium iodide crystal.

3. The armored radiation detector of claim 1 , wherein said ratio is approximately between 5 and 10.

4. The armored detector of claim 1 , wherein said length is approximately 10 inches and said diameter is approximately 1.4 inches.

5. The armored detector of claim 1 , wherein said length is approximately 10 inches and said diameter is approximately 2 inches.

6. The armored detector of claim 1 , wherein said window comprises poly-ether, ether, ketone (PEEK).

7. The armored detector of claim 1 , wherein said high strength armor assembly comprises case hardened steel that is adapted to attenuate gamma radiation.

8. The armored detector of claim 1 , wherein said high strength armor assembly comprises a high strength steel alloy that is adapted to attenuate gamma radiation.

9. The armored detector of claim 1 , wherein said high strength armor assembly is welded to said mining apparatus.