Handling NORM : Examples of work from
uranium mining and other operations
Riaz Akber
contact
r.akber@qut.edu.au
Handling NORM : Examples of work from
uranium mining and other operations
Riaz Akber
Uranium mines and mills
Bauxite mines
Mineral sands
Natural
contact
r.akber@qut.edu.au
Handling NORM : Examples of work from
uranium mining and other operations
Riaz Akber
NORM in Water
NORM in Air
External gamma
Measurement of NORM
contact
r.akber@qut.edu.au
238U
234U
4.47x109 y
2.5x105 y
NORM –
238U
series
234mPa
234Th
24.1 d
1.18 m
230Th
7.5x104 y
226Ra
1600 y
222Rn
3.82 d
218Po
214Po
210Po
3.1 m
164 µs
138 d
214Pb
26.8 m
214Bi
19.7 m
210Pb
22.3 y
210Bi
5.01 d
206Pb
Stable
238U
234U
4.47x109 y
2.5x105 y
NORM –
238U
series
234mPa
234Th
24.1 d
1.18 m
230Th
7.5x104 y
226Ra
1600 y
222Rn
3.82 d
218Po
214Po
210Po
3.1 m
164 µs
138 d
214Pb
26.8 m
214Bi
19.7 m
210Pb
22.3 y
210Bi
5.01 d
206Pb
Stable
238U
234U
4.47x109 y
2.5x105 y
NORM –
238U
series
234mPa
234Th
24.1 d
1.18 m
230Th
7.5x104 y
226Ra
1600 y
222Rn
3.82 d
218Po
214Po
210Po
3.1 m
164 µs
138 d
214Pb
26.8 m
214Bi
19.7 m
210Pb
22.3 y
210Bi
5.01 d
206Pb
Stable
238U
234U
4.47x109 y
2.5x105 y
NORM –
238U
series
234mPa
1.18 m
234Th
230Th
7.5x104 y
24.1 d
228Ra
5.75 y
232Th
series
226Ra
1600 y
222Rn
3.82 d
218Po
214Po
210Po
3.1 m
164 µs
138 d
214Pb
26.8 m
214Bi
19.7 m
210Pb
22.3 y
210Bi
5.01 d
206Pb
Stable
238U
234U
4.47x109 y
2.5x105 y
NORM –
238U
series
234mPa
1.18 m
234Th
230Th
7.5x104 y
24.1 d
228Ra
5.75 y
232Th
series
226Ra
1600 y
222Rn
3.82 d
218Po
214Po
210Po
3.1 m
164 µs
138 d
214Pb
214Bi
19.7 m
26.8 m
210Pb
22.3 y
1 Bq (becquerel) = 1 Nuclear disintegration per second
Sv (sievert) , Gy (gray) : Units of radiation dose
210Bi
5.01 d
206Pb
Stable
NORM in Water
NORM in Air
External gamma
Measurement of NORM
NORM
Aqueous – Solid phase
ActivityWater
Strong
ActivitySoil
Absorption
ActivityWater
Weak
Desorption
ActivitySoil
NORM
Typical 226Ra
activity concentration
Water:  10 -100 m Bq.kg-1
Soil:  10 - 100 Bq.kg-1
ActivityWater
Strong
ActivitySoil
Absorption
ActivityWater
Weak
Desorption
ActivitySoil
Aqueous – Solid phase
NORM
Typical 226Ra
activity concentration
Aqueous – Solid phase
Water:  10 -100 m Bq.kg-1
Soil:  10 - 100 Bq.kg-1
ActivityWater
Strong
ActivitySoil
Absorption
ActivityWater
Weak
Desorption
ActivitySoil
Overland flow and
ponding of water
improves its quality –
by removing
radioactivity from
aqueous to solid phase.
Wetland Filtration
Natural , Engineered
Spa waters Helidon
226Ra
activity concentration (Bq.L-1)
1.27, 1.22, 1.1, 0.62, 0.50
Spa waters Helidon
226Ra
activity concentration (Bq.L-1)
1.27, 1.22, 1.1, 0.62, 0.50
WATER
0.069 ± 0.004
NORM
Bq.L-1
Aqueous – Solid phase
Overland flow and
ponding of water
improves its quality –
by removing
radioactivity from
aqueous to solid phase.
Wetland Filtration
Natural , Engineered
1.13 ± 0.02 Bq.L-1
SEDIMENT / SOIL
527 ± 10
NORM
Bq.kg-1
17 ± 2 Bq.L-1
Aqueous – Solid phase
Overland flow and
ponding of water
improves its quality –
by removing
radioactivity from
aqueous to solid phase.
Wetland Filtration
Natural , Engineered
911 ± 14 Bq.L-1
Koulouris, Dharmasiri, Akber 1996
NORM
Aqueous – Solid phase
Overland flow and
ponding of water
improves its quality –
by removing
radioactivity from
aqueous to solid phase.
Wetland Filtration
Natural , Engineered
NORM
Aqueous – Solid phase
12
Wetland absorption parameter
10
U
Ra
Mg
8
6
4
2
0
0
500
1000
1500
Distance from spillw ay
Wetland Filtration
Akber, Johnston, Hancock 1992
Natural , Engineered
NORM
Aqueous – Solid phase
Application
+ H2O
Soil surface
Sub surface
H2O
Land Application
NORM
Aqueous – Solid phase
Application
+ H 2O
Soil surface
Sub surface
H 2O
Land Application
NORM
Aqueous – Solid phase
Ra activity (Bq.kg-1)
0
100
200
300
Soil depth (cm)
0-2
Outside
Irrigated Land
2-4
4-6
6-8
8-10
-1
Ra activity (Bq.kg )
0
100
200
300
Soil depth (cm)
0-2
226Ra
2-4
4-6
Irrigated Land
228Ra
6-8
8-10
Akber, Marten 1992
Land Application
NORM in Water
NORM in Air
External gamma
Measurement of NORM
NORM
Radon –
Soil surface
222Rn
3: Rn exhalation
2: Rn
migration
Soil grain
1: Rn
emanation
Interstitial space
NORM
Radon –
214
222Rn
Bi
Po
218
Pb
214
Ra
226
1600 y
Ra
Pb
226
210
21620
. 30 yy
Rna
2
6
22α
Pb
210
22. 3 y
214
Po
NORM
Radon –
222Rn
How much radon comes out of the U rocks?
Holdsworth, Akber 2004
NORM
Radon –
222Rn
222
-1
Rn atomic emission rate (#.s )
How much radon comes out of the U rocks?
10000.00
1000.00
100.00
10.00
1.00
0.10
100
1000
10000
222
Rn atomic production rate (#.s-1)
Akber, Jeffries, Dharmasiri 2002
NORM
Radon –
222
-1
Rn atomic emission rate (#.s )
How much radon exhales from ground?
10000.00
1000.00
INSERT AFKAR HERE
100.00
10.00
1.00
0.10
100
1000
222
10000
Rn atomic production rate (#.s-1)
222Rn
NORM
Radon –
222Rn
100000
222
Rn Exhalation Rate (mBqm
-2
s-1 )
How much radon exhales from ground?
F Rn-222 = (0.45 + 0.38)CRa-226
R2 = 0.18
10000
1000
100
10
10
100
226
1000
10000
Ra Activity Concentration (Bqkg-1)
100000
7
O R
SP i m
7
O
SP Pile
7
Pi Pa
M t3 d
ud ro
g c
Pi inb k
t3 e
r
Ex Ru ri
pp bb
lo le
tN
Pi on
t3
pa
d
E x JW
p
T
La pl o
te t I
Pi rite r r
t1 p
g ad
L A W en e
A
R ra
Irr D l
W Se Pa
d
R
D aso
Se n
a a
L a so l
te na
rit l
LA
e
A
ri
N
L
on A m
Se A I
W as rr
R on
D
Re al
ha
b
Ja Mi
r
bi ra
LA ru y
A E as
N
IR t
LA R
A III
O NIR
SP
I
2 I
O
R
S
i
La O P 2 m
v
te
P
rit erb ad
e
u
pu rd
sh en
zo
M ne
ag
el
a
O
SP
(Bqkg-1)
Rn Flux (mBqm-2s-1)/226Ra Concentration
222
NORM
Radon –
How much radon exhales from ground?
Location
222Rn
10.00
1.00
0.10
0.01
7
O R
SP i m
O 7P
SP ile
7
P i P ad
M t3
ud ro
g c
Pi in k
t 3 be
r
Ex Ru ri
b
pp b
lo le
tN
Pi on
t3
pa
d
E x JW
p
T
La pl o
te t I
Pi rite r r
t1 p
g ad
L A W en e
A
R ra
Irr D l
W Se Pad
R
D aso
Se n
a a
L a so l
te na
LA
rit l
e
A
ri
N
L
on A m
Se A I
W as rr
R on
D
Re al
ha
b
Ja Mir
bi ra
LA ru y
A E as
N
IR t
LA R
A III
O NIR
SP
2 II
O
S Ri
La O P 2 m
te ve P
rit rb ad
e
pu urd
sh en
zo
M ne
ag
el
a
O
SP
222
Ra Concentration
(Bqkg )
-1
-2 -1 226
Rn Flux (mBqm s )/
NORM
Radon –
How much radon exhales from ground?
Location
222Rn
10.00
Vegetated or rehabilitated woodland
1.00
0.10
0.01
7
O R
SP i m
7
O
SP Pile
7
Pi Pa
M t3 d
ud ro
g c
Pi in k
t 3 be
r
Ex Ru ri
pp bb
lo le
tN
Pi on
t3
pa
d
E x JW
p
T
La pl o
te t I
Pi rite r r
t1 p
g ad
L A W en e
A
R ra
Irr D l
W Se Pad
R
D aso
Se n
a a
L a so l
te na
LA
rit l
e
A
ri
N
L
on A m
Se A I
W as rr
R on
D
Re al
ha
b
M
Ja
i
r
bi ra
LA ru y
A E as
N
IR t
LA R
A III
O NIR
SP
2 II
O
S Ri
La O P 2 m
te ve P
rit rb ad
e
u
pu rd
sh en
zo
M ne
ag
el
a
O
SP
222
Ra Concentration
(Bqkg )
-1
-2 -1 226
Rn Flux (mBqm s )/
NORM
Radon –
How much radon exhales from ground?
Location
222Rn
10.00
Vegetated or rehabilitated woodland
Compacted with no vegetation
1.00
0.10
0.01
SP
7
O
R
SP im
7
O
P
SP il e
7
Pi Pa d
M t3
ud ro
ck
g
Pi inb
t 3 er
r
Ex Ru i
b
pp b
lo le
tN
Pi on
t3
pa
d
Ex JW
p
T
La plo
t
te
Ir
Pi rite r
t1
p
ge ad
LA W n er
R al
A
Irr D P
W Se ad
RD a
s
Se on
a a
La so l
te na
rit
l
LA
e
rim
A
No LA
n
A
Se
Ir
W as r
RD o n
Re al
ha
b
Ja Mir
bi ra y
LA ru E
A
a
NI st
RR
LA
AN III
O
SP IR I
2 I
Ri
O
S
m
La O P2
v
P
te
rit erb ad
u
e
p u rd
sh en
zo
n
M e
ag
el
a
O
-2 -1
-1
Ra Concentration
226
(Bqkg )
Rn Flux (mBqm s )/
222
NORM
Radon –
How much radon exhales from ground?
Location
222Rn
10.00
Vegetated or rehabilitated woodland
Compacted with no vegetation
Non compacted fine grains
1.00
0.10
0.01
SP
7
O
R
SP im
7
P
O
SP il e
7
Pi Pad
M t3
ud ro
c
g
Pi inb k
t 3 er
r
Ex Ru i
p p bb
lo le
tN
Pi on
t3
pa
d
Ex JW
p
T
La plo
te t I
Pi rite rr
t1
p
ge ad
LA W n er
R al
A
Irr D P
W Se ad
RD a
s
Se on
a
La a so l
te na
rit
l
LA
e
r
A
i
No L m
A
n
Se A Ir
W as r
RD o
n
Re al
ha
b
M
Ja
irr
bi
ay
LA ru E
a
A
NI st
R
LA R
A III
O NIR
SP
2 II
O
Ri
S
m
La O P2
v
P
te
rit erb ad
ur
e
pu de
sh n
zo
M ne
ag
el
a
O
-2 -1
-1
Ra Concentration
226
(Bqkg )
Rn Flux (mBqm s )/
222
NORM
Radon –
How much radon exhales from ground?
Location
222Rn
10.00
Vegetated or rehabilitated woodland
Compacted with no vegetation
Non compacted fine grains
Non compacted boulders
1.00
0.10
0.01
Lawrence, Akber (to be finalised 2005)
NORM
Radon –
How much radon is in air ?
Total flow rate = 4000 m-3.s-1
222Rn
NORM
Radon –
222Rn
How much radon is in air ?
5000
222
3000
2000
-3
(Bq.m , Charcoal)
Rn activity concentration
4000
1000
0
0
222
1000
2000
3000
Rn activity concentration
(Bq.m-3, Tracks)
Akber, Jeffries, Dharmasiri (2002)
NORM
Dust
AMAD
Next to the operating station
12 m away
Akber,
Dharmasiri (1996)
8.4 m
5.9 m
NORM in Water
NORM in Air
External gamma
Measurement of NORM
Mineral sand
derivatives
NORM
External gamma
radiation
Sand Dune
Abandoned tailings
NORM
External gamma
radiation
HTotal = a CU + b CTh + c CK + HCosmic
Cosmic radiation dose (nGy.h-1)
Potassium concentration (%)
Thorium concentration (ppm)
Uranium concentration (ppm)
External gamma dose (nGy.h-1)
HTotal = a CU + b CTh + c CK + HCosmic
CU = (A1 HTotal – A2)
NORM
External gamma
radiation
CU  0.16 (HTotal – 66)
HTotal = a CU + b CTh + c CK + HCosmic
CU = (A1 HTotal – A2)
NORM
External gamma
radiation
CU  0.16 (HTotal – 66)
NORM
HTotal = a CU + b CTh + c CK + HCosmic
External gamma
radiation
CU = (A1 HTotal – A2)
1500
CU  0.16 (HTotal – 66)
Measured U (ppm)
1200
900
600
300
Akber, Lawrence, Bollhoefer, Martin 2004
0
0
300
600
900
Expected U (ppm)
1200
1500
NORM
HTotal = a CU + b CTh + c CK + HCosmic
External gamma
radiation
CU = (A1 HTotal – A2)
1500
CU  0.16 (HTotal – 66)
Measured U (ppm)
1200
900
600
300
Akber, Lawrence, Bollhoefer, Martin 2004
0
0
300
600
900
Expected U (ppm)
1200
1500
NORM in Water
NORM in Air
External gamma
Measurement of NORM
Measurement
NORM
Measurement
NORM
Measurement
NORM
Riaz Akber
r.akber@qut.edu.au