Assessment of inhalation exposure potential of broken uranium ore piles in low-grade uranium mine.

This paper presents the assessment of inhalation exposure potential of broken uranium ore piles in different stopes of Jaduguda uranium mines of India. Rn emanation coefficient of broken uranium ore was measured in laboratory by collecting air sample from airtight glass jar containing ore sample. An attempt was also made to correlate the emanation coefficient with Ra content of the ore. The Rn progeny doses estimated based on radon activity concentration of broken ore, occupancy period and equilibrium ratio in different stopes were well below the prescribed limit of International Commission on Radiological Protection. The maximum Rn progeny dose contribution from broken ore piles was worked out to be 0.22 mSv year. This suggests that the broken ore piles are not the significant contributor of inhalation exposure under the existing ventilation condition of Jaduguda uranium mine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]