An Assessment of Radiological Hazards from Gold Mine Tailings in the Province of Gauteng in South Africa

Caspah Kamunda, Manny Mathuthu and Morgan Madhuku
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Caspah Kamunda: Center for Applied Radiation Science and Tehnology, North West University (Mafikeng), P.Bag X2046, Mmabatho 2735, South Africa
Manny Mathuthu: Center for Applied Radiation Science and Tehnology, North West University (Mafikeng), P.Bag X2046, Mmabatho 2735, South Africa
Morgan Madhuku: iThemba LABS, National Research Foundation, Private Bag X11, WITS 2050, South Africa

IJERPH, 2016, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Radiological hazards associated with exposure to Naturally Occurring Radionuclides Materials from gold mine tailings in the province of Gauteng in South Africa were evaluated. A comparison was made with soil samples from a control area. In this study, gamma spectroscopy was used to measure the activity concentrations of these radionuclides in 56 soil samples from the mine tailings and 10 soil samples from the control area. The average activity concentrations in Bq?kg ?1 for Uranium-238, Thorium-232, and Potassium-40 from the mine tailings were found to be 785.3 ± 13.7, 43.9 ± 1.0 and 427.0 ± 13.1, respectively. On the other hand, the average activity concentrations in Bq?kg ?1 for Uranium-238, Thorium-232, and Potassium-40 from the control area were found to be 17.0.1 ± 0.4, 22.2 ± 0.5 and 496.8 ± 15.2, respectively. Radiological hazard parameters calculated from these activity concentrations were higher than recommended safe limits. In particular, calculated average values for the external hazard ( H ex ) and the internal hazard ( H in ) from the mine tailings were found to be 2.4 and 4.5. Both these values were higher than unity, posing a significant health risk to the population in the area.

Keywords: radiological hazard; radionuclide; gold mine tailing; gamma spectroscopy; activity concentration (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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