International Symposium on Uranium Raw Material for the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Exploration, Mining, Production, Supply and Demand, Economics and Environmental Issues - IAEA CN-216

Regulation of activities producing uranium as a by-product: South African perspective

24 Jun 2014, 12:30

30m

VIC, M3 (Vienna)

Oral Health, safety and environment Health, safety and environment

Speaker

Mr Ezekiel Mohajane (National Nuclear Regulator South Africa)

Description

In South Africa, enhanced levels of NORM are associated with many mining and industrial processes. Exploitation and mining of ores that contain NORM can result in radiation exposure to the workforce involved particularly through the underground pathway being regarded as the dominant pathway as a result of radon exposure. The regulatory processes under which non-uranium mines operates, determined by the National Nuclear Regulator, ensures that people and environment remain protected from the effects of non-uranium mining through a strict monitoring and reporting. This paper provides summarised analysis of radiation protection measures in employed for the monitoring of the workers and environment at the mine and mineral processing facilities. A further summary of available monitoring survey of selected area where the operations are taking place will be discussed and compared with the regulatory limits.