Characteristics of Natural Background Radiation in the Lubin Mine, Poland

Agata Walencik-Łata, Katarzyna Szkliniarz, Jan Kisiel, Kinga Polaczek-Grelik, Karol Jędrzejczak, Marcin Kasztelan, Jacek Szabelski, Jerzy Orzechowski, Przemysław Tokarski, Włodzimierz Marszał, Marika Przybylak, Lech Stolecki, Tomasz Selerowicz and Krzysztof Fuławka
Additional contact information
Agata Walencik-Łata: August Chełkowski Institute of Physics, University of Silesia in Katowice, 75 Pułku Piechoty 1, 41-500 Chorzów, Poland
Katarzyna Szkliniarz: August Chełkowski Institute of Physics, University of Silesia in Katowice, 75 Pułku Piechoty 1, 41-500 Chorzów, Poland
Jan Kisiel: August Chełkowski Institute of Physics, University of Silesia in Katowice, 75 Pułku Piechoty 1, 41-500 Chorzów, Poland
Kinga Polaczek-Grelik: NU-Med Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Centre Katowice, Ceglana 35, 40-514 Katowice, Poland
Karol Jędrzejczak: National Centre for Nuclear Research, 28 Pułku Strzelców Kaniowskich 69, 90-558 Łódź, Poland
Marcin Kasztelan: National Centre for Nuclear Research, 28 Pułku Strzelców Kaniowskich 69, 90-558 Łódź, Poland
Jacek Szabelski: National Centre for Nuclear Research, 28 Pułku Strzelców Kaniowskich 69, 90-558 Łódź, Poland
Jerzy Orzechowski: National Centre for Nuclear Research, 28 Pułku Strzelców Kaniowskich 69, 90-558 Łódź, Poland
Przemysław Tokarski: National Centre for Nuclear Research, 28 Pułku Strzelców Kaniowskich 69, 90-558 Łódź, Poland
Włodzimierz Marszał: National Centre for Nuclear Research, 28 Pułku Strzelców Kaniowskich 69, 90-558 Łódź, Poland
Marika Przybylak: National Centre for Nuclear Research, 28 Pułku Strzelców Kaniowskich 69, 90-558 Łódź, Poland
Lech Stolecki: KGHM CUPRUM Research & Development Centre, Sikorskiego 2-8, 53-659 Wrocław, Poland
Tomasz Selerowicz: KGHM CUPRUM Research & Development Centre, Sikorskiego 2-8, 53-659 Wrocław, Poland
Krzysztof Fuławka: KGHM CUPRUM Research & Development Centre, Sikorskiego 2-8, 53-659 Wrocław, Poland

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 22, 1-19

Abstract: There has been growing interest in using underground locations for applications in various fields, including research. In Poland, for several years, attempts have been made to build an underground laboratory. For this purpose, selecting an appropriate location requires a detailed analysis of the level of natural radioactivity. The present study presents detailed characteristics of the natural background radiation in close vicinity to shaft L-VI of the Lubin mine, at the depth of 910 m (2275 m w.e.). The in situ measurement of the photon flux in the 7–3150 keV energy range was equal to 8.08 ± 0.90 cm ?2 s ?1 , and the gamma-ray dose rate of 0.070 ± 0.010 µSv/h with the highest contribution from 40 K and 214 B isotopes. The thermal neutron flux measured using helium counters was equal to 4.2 ± 0.9 × 10 ?6 cm ?2 s ?1 . The radon concentration in the air measured with the RAD7 monitor showed low values ranging from 0 to 15.3 Bq/m 3 . Laboratory measurements of rocks using alpha and gamma spectrometry techniques showed a significant variation in the concentration of 226 Ra and 234,238 U isotopes, and the highest concentration values were recorded for shales. The 40 K, 234,238 U and 226 Ra isotopes make the greatest contribution to the natural radioactivity of analyzed rocks.

Keywords: natural radiation; underground research laboratory; radioisotopes concentration (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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