Evaluation of Radioactivity in Tailings From Niobium Mining
Keywords:
radioactivity of niobium tailings, exploration of niobium in Araxa city (MG), Brazil, Araxa niobium exploitation, Radioactive contamination study, Radioactive waste management, Niobium tailings characterization, Federal University of Minas GeraisAbstract
This study evaluates the radioactivity of niobium tailings, based on barite and magnetite concentrates, collected from the exploration of niobium in Araxa city (MG), Brazil. The research is part of a study aimed at using mineral wastes as raw materials for production of cementitious mortars in construction industry. Initially, the samples were monitored using a GM type detector, Gamma spectrometry analysis using a NaI(Tl) detector registered the presence of 214Bi and 208Tl above the background radiation in both, samples. Using a HPGe detector, it was possible to calculate the concentrations of 226Ra and 228Ra in the barite and magnetite samples, the results were 0.24 ± 0.004 and 0.80 ± 0.003 Bq/g and 0.17 ± 0.01 and 0.87 ± 0.01 Bq/g respectively. The analyses of the results obtained from NAA techniques showed uranium concentration of 5 ± 1μg/g and 12 ± 2μg/g and thorium concentration of 70 ± 1 and 137 ± 2μg/g for barite and magnetite, respectively. The results show that the niobium tailings collected from the mining in Araxá does not represent a radioactivity risk of exposure dose to the public in accordance to the reference values of National Agency CNEN NN 3.01, 2014. Nevertheless, the presence of 226Ra should be investigated, as it is a source of radon gas exhalation, which can be a risk factor in using these mineral tailing as construction materials.
Keywords: Radioactivity of niobium tailings, Araxa niobium exploitation, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Radioactive waste management
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Copyright (c) 2023 Elydio Soares; Fernando Almeida, Bruno Mendes, Ricardo Passos, Telma Fonseca (Author)
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