Re: radiation in non-uranium mines

["andries" <andriesl@gengold.co.za>]

Jan Skowronek required information regarding non-uranium mines.

South African gold and other non-uranium mines are regulated by the South
African Council for Nuclear Safety (CNS).  The CNS establish the
requirements and they exercise regulatory control in terms of the Nuclear
Energy Act. The cut off below which the act does not apply is determined by
activity concentrations and exposures. Once a mine is licenced all exposure
routes are monitored (for workers and public). Exposures vary over a wide
range and radon daughters contribute the major portion of the dose.  

Please contact me if you require more details.

Andries Leuschner
Radiation Protection and Technical Consultant
Gengold
South Africa

e-mail: andriesl@gengold.co.za




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| From: Jan Skowronek <brxjs@gig.katowice.pl>
| To: Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
| Subject: radiation in non-uranium mines
| Date: 08 January 1998 01:09
| 
| Dear Radsafers,
| 
| 	I'm searching for the informations concerning monitoring and control of
| natural radioactivity in non-uranium minings in different countries.
| Could you answer, please, the following questions:
| 
| 1. Do you have the specific radioprotection regulations for non-uranium
| mining? How high are limits applied for non-uranium workers (miners)?
| 
| 2. Who established in your country the requirements for monitoring and
| control of natural radiation risk in non-uranium mines, if any?
| 
| 3. What type of sources of radiation hazard are monitored in non-uranium
| mines (f.ex. radon or radon daughter products, gamma radiation,
| radioctivity of sediments or waters, long-lived alpha emitters in air,
| etc)?
| 
| 4. How high are doses doses from natural radiation in these mines?
| 
| 5. "Radon risk" in mines: In our case, the equilibrium factor between
| radon and progeny could change from 0,1 to 0,9 depending of ventilation
| conditions, system of exploitation etc. Under such conditions,
| evaluation of "radon dose" - if only Rn concentration is measured - is
| not proper. Do you have any experience or opinion concerning this
| problem?
| 
| 
| 	Could you answer, please, directly to me through e-mail or would you
| able to send me a copy of legal acts or reports concerning this problem?
| 
| 	I will be grateful for any information.
| 	Thanks in advance, with best regards,
| 
| 				Jan Skowronek
| 
| 
| 
| ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
| +         Jan Skowronek, PhD           +
| +      Laboratory of Radiometry        +
| +      Central Mining Institute        +
| +         Plac Gwarków 1               +
| +        PL 40-166 Katowice            +
| +         Poland                       +
| + e-mail: brxjs@boruta.gig.katowice.pl +
| +        tel. +48-32-592382            +
| +        fax: +48-32-596533            +
| ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++