Preliminary Radiological Assessment of Radon Exhalation from Phosphate Gypsum Piles and Inactive Uranium Mill Tailings Piles

摘要

The EPA Office of Radiation Programs has conducted a series of studies to determine the radiological impact of the phosphate mining and milling industry. This report describes the efforts to estimate cumulative working level months (CWLM) from radon-222 daughters produced from radium-226 in phosphate gypsum piles and how these estimates compare with CWLM from inactive uranium mill tailings piles. Two Florida phosphate gypsum piles were selected for radon exhalation rate measurements. Indoor radon concentration, indoor working level, and individual and population CWLM were computed from the exhalation rate and source size for each source category. The calculated results for each source category are tabulated and compared.