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Prof. Dr. Manuel Jesús Gázquez

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Guest Editor

Department of Applied Physics, Marine Research Institute (INMAR), University of Cadiz, 11510 Cádiz, Spain
Interests: NORM (Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials) waste; waste recovery; radiological impact of NORM industries; radiometric measurement techniques; natural radioactivity applications; occupational radiological evaluation

Prof. Dr. Juan Pedro Bolívar Raya

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Guest Editor

Department of Integrated Sciences, Center for Natural Resources, Health and Environment (RENSMA), University of Huelva, 21007 Huelva, Spain
Interests: environmental radioactivity and applications; recycling and valorization of waste; radiological evaluation of NORM waste recycling; radiation safety and environmental radiological risk assessment; uses of radionuclides as tracers of the environmental processes; measurement, behavior, and modeling of radon

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) industries are characterized by their use of raw materials that contain high concentrations of natural radionuclides coming from ²³⁸U and ²³²Th decay series, and ⁴⁰K, or by the fact that, during their processes, high radionuclide concentrations are produced. Note that both the mining and industrial processes may become unevenly distributed between the various materials involved, including the end products, intermediate products, by-products or process waste. Some of the main processes associated with NORM industries are mining/processing ores, as well as the production of metals such as tin, copper, aluminum, zinc, lead, iron and steel.

Thus, this Special Issue aims to show a collection of research papers and critical reviews where the behavior and fractionation of natural radionuclides in the mineral processing and metallurgical industries are studied and analyzed, attending to the special characteristics of these industries. Additionally, it will be relevant to check the impact of these industries on the environment, workers and general public from the radiological point of view. Finally, it is necessary to point out that many countries have developed specific regulations related to the protection criteria against ionizing radiation to assure that the radiological impact of the NORM industries is not relevant.

Prof. Dr. Manuel Jesús Gázquez
Prof. Dr. Juan Pedro Bolívar Raya
Guest Editors

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Keywords

environmental radioactivity
Natural radionuclides
radiological impact
NORM industries
metallurgy
mining

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 2869 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Radiological Risk Parameters of the Phosphorite Deposits, Gebel Qulu El Sabaya: Natural Radioactivity and Geochemical Characteristics

by El Saeed R. Lasheen, Hesham M. H. Zakaly, B. M. Alotaibi, Diaa A. Saadawi, Antoaneta Ene, Douaa Fathy, Hamdy A. Awad and Raafat M. El Attar

Minerals 2022, 12(11), 1385; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/min12111385 - 30 Oct 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 1699

Abstract

This study investigates the distribution of natural radioactivity and geological, geochemical, and environmental risk assessments of phosphorite deposits to determine their suitability for international applications (such as phosphoric acid and phosphatic fertilizers). The examined Late Cretaceous phosphorite deposits belong to the Duwi Formation, which is well exposed on the southern scarp boundary at the central part of Abu Tartur Plateau, Gebel Qulu El Sabaya, East Dakhla Oasis. This formation is classified into lower phosphorite, middle shale, and upper phosphorite members. The lower phosphorite ranges in thickness from 2 to 3.5 m and mainly comprises apatite (possibly francolite), dolomite, calcite, quartz, hematite, anhydrite, and kaolinite. They contain an average concentration of CaO (38.35 wt.%), P₂O₅ (24.92 wt.%), SiO₂ (7.19 wt.%), Fe₂O₃ (4.18 wt.%), MgO (3.99 wt.%), F (1.59 wt.%), Al₂O₃ (1.84 wt.%), Na₂O (1.33 wt.%), and K₂O (0.22 wt.%). Natural radioactivity and radiological parameters were investigated for fifteen samples of phosphorites using a NaI (Tl) scintillation detector. Absorbed dose rates, outdoor and indoor annual effective dose, radium equivalent activity, external and internal hazard, and excess cancer risk values are higher than the recommended levels, reflecting that exposure to these deposits for a long time may lead to health risks to human organs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Radionuclides in the Mineral Processing and Metallurgy)

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13 pages, 1321 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Practical Procedure to Determine Natural Radionuclides in Solid Materials from Mining

by Alejandro Barba-Lobo, Manuel Jesús Gázquez and Juan Pedro Bolívar

Minerals 2022, 12(5), 611; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/min12050611 - 12 May 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1636

Abstract

There are many regulations related to the radiological control of NORMs (Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials) in activities such as mining, industry, etc. Consequently, it is necessary to apply fast and accurate methods to measure the activity concentrations of long-lived natural radionuclides (e.g., ²³⁸U, ^{234,232,230,228}Th, ^228,226Ra, ²¹⁰Pb, ²¹⁰Po, and ⁴⁰K) in samples characterized by a wide variety of compositions and densities, such as mining samples (wastes, minerals, and scales). Thus, it is relevant to calculate the radioactive index (RI), which summarizes for all radionuclides the ratio between the activity concentration and its respective threshold activity concentration as established by regulations, in order to classify a material as a NORM. To proceed with the determinations of these radionuclides, two spectrometric techniques based on both alpha-particle and gamma-ray detections should be employed. In the case of gamma-ray spectrometry, it is necessary to correct the full-energy peak efficiency (FEPE) obtained for the calibration sample,

ε_{c}

, due to self-attenuation and true coincidence summing (TCS) effects. The correction is especially significant at low gamma emission energies, that is,

E_{γ}

< 150 keV, such as 46 keV (²¹⁰Pb) and 63 keV (²³⁴Th). On the other hand, in samples which contain radionuclides that are in secular disequilibrium with others belonging to the same series (²³⁸U or ²³²Th series), like wastes or intermediate products, it is necessary to measure some pure-alpha emitters (²³²Th, ²³⁰Th, ²¹⁰Po) by employing alpha-particle spectrometry. A practical and general validated procedure based on both alpha and gamma spectrometric techniques and using semiconductor detectors is presented in this study. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Radionuclides in the Mineral Processing and Metallurgy)

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