Characteristics of Natural Background Radiation in the GIG Experimental Mine ‘Barbara’, 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, Robert Hildebrandt 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
Robert Hildebrandt: Department of Underground Research and Surface Maintenance, Central Mining Institute, Podleska 72, 43-190 Mikołów, Poland
Krzysztof Fuławka: KGHM CUPRUM Research & Development Centre, Sikorskiego 2-8, 53-659 Wrocław, Poland

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 3, 1-12

Abstract: Underground locations can be used in various ways for scientific and economic purposes. One of the main factors influencing the safety level in the underground mine workings is natural radioactivity. The article presents research carried out on the natural radioactivity in shallow mine workings at the GIG Experimental Mine ‘Barbara’. The description of the natural radiation includes radon determination in the air, in situ gamma spectrometry, neutron flux measurements, and laboratory measurements of 226,228 Ra, 40 K, and 234,238 U isotopes using gamma and alpha spectrometry techniques. In the measurement chamber at the depth 46 m (122 m w.e.) in the sandstone layer, the photon flux registered at the 7–3150 keV energy range is equal to 17.6 ± 1.9 cm −2 s −1 , the gamma-ray dose rate is 0.200 ± 0.029 µSv/h, and the thermal neutron flux is equal to (8.6 ± 1.1) × 10 −6 cm −2 s −1 . After closing the measurement chamber and turning off ventilation, a significant ingrowth of 222 Rn content was observed, reaching the value of 4040 ± 150 Bq/m 3 . An increased gamma-ray flux and thermal neutron flux were observed in the investigated location.

Keywords: natural radiation; underground locations; 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
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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