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Radiation Protection Dosimetry 7:63-67 (1984)
© 1984 Oxford University Press

Mine Dumps as a Source of Radon Impact on Buildings

J. Schmitz and M. Urban

More than 100 old mine dumps, active mine tailing ponds and granite quarries were investigated in South-West Germany to evaluate their potential impact on the environment caused by natural radioactive materials and by toxic metals. Five mine sites were monitored for a longer period according to their radon impact on the environment. They showed seasonal variations greater than a factor of 5 at some places. The annual mean radon concentration over granitic soil was found to be in the order of 44 Bq.m-3 while in the direct neighbourhood of the dumps values of more than 370 Bq.m-3 were usual. According to the actual dose rate and the environmental situation of the dumps, soil and water samples have been analysed for 226Ra and toxic metals. Radium concentrations up to 185 Bq.kg-1 were found in certain types of abandoned mine dumps. Some of the waste rock piles investigated are in the immediate neighbourhood of buildings and some old mine establishments are now used as homes. In these dwellings passive time integrating radon dosemeters have been exposed for up to a three month period. The average radon concentrations in the buildings influenced by mining ranged from 100-660 Bq.m-3, apparently depending on the geological and lithologic ground. In one special case - a former mine building still inhabited and situated directly at the foot of the slope of an old cobalt/silver mine dump, the highest radon indoor concentration exceeded an average of 1850 Bq.m-3.


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