Radon-222 Emissions in Ventilation Air Exhausted from Underground Uranium Mines

摘要

The 222Rn concentration in exhaust air is being measured at underground uranium mines in the Grants, New Mexico area. The objective of the work is to determine relationships between U3O8 production and the mine characteristics and practices relative to 222Rn emission. The average diurnal emission patterns on weekends when no mining occurred were very similar to those on weekdays during active mining, indicating that the mining activities had little short-term effect on those radon emissions. The radon emission rate from each mine vent showed a correlation with the associated ventilated surface area and the cumulative tons of U3O8 extracted there and a higher correlation with cumulative tons of ore extracted.