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http://dx.doi.org/10.9719/EEG.2011.44.1.037

Investigation on Natural Radioactivity of Environmental Samples Near the Phosphate Rock Processing Facility  

Lee, Gill-Jae (Mineral Resources Research Division, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources)
Koh, Sang-Mo (Mineral Resources Research Division, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources)
Chang, Byung-Uck (Radiation Research Department, Safety Research Division, Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety)
Kim, Tong-Kwon (Mineral Resources Research Division, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources)
Kim, Young-Ug (Mineral Resources Research Division, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources)
Publication Information
Economic and Environmental Geology / v.44, no.1, 2011 , pp. 37-48 More about this Journal
Abstract
Some industrial minerals used in domestic industries such as monazite, apatite, bauxite, and ilmenite belong to NORM (Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials) because they show a high radioactivity. Products, semi-products, wastes, and by-products which show higher radioactivity than NORM belong to TENORM (Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials). Apatite used for manufacturing phosphate fertilizer in Namhae Chemical company belongs to NORM, and its by-product, phospo-gypsum, belongs to TENORM. A geological investigation is needed for the future environmental impact assessment of the Namhae Chemical company's site. According to survey results of the Namhae Chemical company's site, soil mineral composition indicated the mixture of minerals derived from the country rock (quartz, feldspar, mica, $l4{\AA}$ mineral, kaolin and amphibole) and minerals from the gypsum open-air storage yard (gypsum and apatite). Soil samples showed average content of U 4.6 ppm and Th 10 ppm, which are similar to average crustal abundances. They also show average contents of $^{40}K$ 191-1,166 Bq/kg, $^{226}Ra$ 15.6-710 Bq/kg, and $^{232}Th$ 17.4-72.7 Bq/kg, which indicate moderate levels of radio nuclide. But $^{226}Ra$ anomaly in the gypsum open storage yard is clearly confirmed and $^{232}Th$ anomaly is also confirmed in the east road side of the factory and nearby mountain areas. Soil external hazard indices ranged 0.24-2.01 with the average 0.54. Although most external hazard indices were lower than 1, which means radiation hazard index to be negligible, 5 samples out of total 40 samples showed higher values than 1, and further detailed investigation is needed.
Keywords
NORM; apatite; environmental investigation; radiation hazard index;
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