Study on the Radioactivity Levels of Metal Tailings in the Lhasa Area of Tibet

Rengui Weng (), Feng Tian, Guohong Chen, Shuo Dong and Junjiang Bai
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Rengui Weng: College of Ecological Environment and Urban Construction, Fujian University of Technology, Fuzhou 350118, China
Feng Tian: College of Ecological Environment and Urban Construction, Fujian University of Technology, Fuzhou 350118, China
Guohong Chen: College of Ecological Environment and Urban Construction, Fujian University of Technology, Fuzhou 350118, China
Shuo Dong: College of Ecological Environment and Urban Construction, Fujian University of Technology, Fuzhou 350118, China
Junjiang Bai: College of Ecological Environment and Urban Construction, Fujian University of Technology, Fuzhou 350118, China

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 5, 1-12

Abstract: The main purpose of this study was to determine the natural radioactivity level of raw radionuclides in the metal tailings of a mine in Lhasa, Tibet, and to conduct sampling and detection in 17 typical metal tailing mines in Lhasa, Tibet. The specific activity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th, and 40 K in the samples were calculated. The total αβχγ radiation, radon concentration, and outdoor absorbed dose rate in the air 1.0 m above the ground were measured. The γ radiation levels affecting miners and their surrounding residents were assessed. The results show that the radiation dose ranges from 0.08 μSv/h to 0.26 μSv/h, and the radon concentration ranges from 10.8 Bq/m 3 to 29.6 Bq/m 3 , which does not exceed the national radiation-related standards, and the environmental hazard risk is low. The specific activity concentration of 226 Ra ranged from 8.91 Bq/kg to 94.61 Bq/kg, the specific activity concentration of 232 Th ranged from 2.90 Bq/kg to 89.62 Bq/kg, and the specific activity concentration of 40 K was less than MDA to 762.89 Bq/kg. The average absorbed dose rate (DO) of the 17 mining areas was 39.82 nGy/h, the average annual effective dose rate (EO) was 0.057 mSv/y. The average external risk index of the 17 mining areas was 0.24, the average internal risk index was 0.34, and the average γ index was 0.31, all of which were less than the maximum permissible limit. This means that the metal tailings from all 17 mining areas were within the limit for γ radiation and, therefore, can be used in bulk as major building materials without posing a significant radiation threat to the residents of the study area.

Keywords: concentration of active; absorbed dose rate; metallic tailings; radioactive level (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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