RADIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION AND ASSESSMENT OF SITES CONTAMINATED DUE TO FORMER MINING ACTIVITIES IN GERMANY

摘要

Ore mining has a long tradition in certain parts of the East German Federal States Saxony, Thuringia, and Saxony-Anhalt. Since the Middle Ages ores of tin, silver, copper, cobalt, nickel and others were mined and smelted and countless waste rock or slag piles and other residues resulted thereby. The mined ores were frequently mineralized by uranium and problems of radiological hazard can be associated with the residues and impacted properties in particular if they have been used as building sites and for building purposes. After World War II intensive uranium mining has been started by the Soviet Union in the traditional mining districts of Saxony and Thuringia. Radioactive substances were released into the environment by waste waters and exhaust air from mines and mills. Low level radioactive wastes were deposited in waste rock piles and tailings ponds, dumped on grounds or used for land filling, road construction etc. thus leading to the possibility of a radiation exposure of the public, too. Buildings and grounds not needed any more for the uranium production were passed on to other enterprises or communities mostly without careful decontamination or restoration.