Please read this before using presentation

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Please read this before using presentation

• This presentation is based on content presented
  at the Mines Safety Roadshow held in October 2009
• It is made available for non-commercial use (e.g.
  toolbox meetings) subject to the condition that
  the PowerPoint is not altered without permission
  from Resources Safety
• Supporting resources, such as brochures and
  posters, are available from Resources Safety
• For resources, information or clarification,
  please contact
• RSDComms_at_dmp.wa.gov.au
• or visit
• www.dmp.wa.gov.au/ResourcesSafety

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Toolbox presentation

• Radiation safety
• Naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM)
  and managing the risks

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Radiation protection what is it?

• Science of protecting people and the environment
  from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation,
  which includes both particle radiation and high
  energy electromagnetic radiation

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Radiation protection in mining is more
commonplace than you may think

• 40 years of mining, processing and transporting
  radioactive minerals

AMC Bemax BHP Cable Sands Doral Hanwa Iluka Isk
Minerals Jennings Lynas Rio Tinto RGC Rhone
Poulenc Sons of Gwalia Talison Minerals Tiwest Wes
tern Mining Western Titanium Westralian Sands
Beenup Bunbury Capel Chandala Cooljarloo Eneabba F
remantle Geraldton Gingin Greenbushes Kalgoorlie K
intyre Kwinana Mt Weld Mt Walton Narngulu Picton P
injarra Yeelirrie
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NORM what is it?

• Naturally-occurring radioactive material (NORM)
  term describing materials containing
  radionuclides that exist in the natural
  environment
• Parent radionuclides have decay times
  (half-lives) comparable with or longer than the
  age of the Earth, so they have always been
  present in the Earths crust and within the
  tissues of all living species

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NORM radionuclides

• The radionuclides of interest include long-lived
  radionuclides such as
• uranium-238 (238U)
• uranium-235 (235U)
• thorium-232 (232Th)
• and their radioactive decay products such as
  isotopes of
• radium
• radon
• polonium
• bismuth
• lead
• and individual long-lived radionuclides such as
• potassium-40 (40K)
• rubidium-87 (87Rb)
• indium-115 (115In)

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Radiation what is it?

• Radiation energy travelling through space.
  Sunlight, radio waves and microwaves are forms of
  radiation at low-frequency end of energy spectrum
• Type of radiation created by uranium is ionizing
  radiation
• Background radiation everyone exposed to
  naturally occurring ionizing radiation from
  space, radioactive atoms in the air, the Earth
  and even our own bodies
• Most atoms stable and will never change, but
  certain atoms are always changing or decaying in
  a process by which they eventually become stable
  as completely different elements (e.g. uranium
  will naturally turn into lead after billions of
  years)
• As an unstable atom decays, its atomic structure
  changes, releasing radiation as gamma rays and
  alpha and beta particles

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Types of ionizing radiation

• Alpha (a) radiation consists of a fast moving
  Helium-4 (4He) nuclei and is stopped by a sheet
  of paper.
• Beta (ß) radiation, consisting of electrons, is
  halted by an aluminium plate.
• Gamma (?) radiation, consisting of energetic
  photons, is eventually absorbed as it penetrates
  a dense material.
• Neutron (n) radiation consists of free neutrons,
  which are blocked using light elements, like
  hydrogen, which slow or capture them.

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Mining radiation levels compared with other NORM
exposures

• Comparative values using 1 as typical gamma
  radiation level/hour in WA
• 1 natural background in Western Australia
• 3 typical for exploration site with 0.05-0.06
  wt U mineralisation (Lake Maitland)
• 4 natural background in some areas of Perth
  Hills
• some cement
• 5 typical for exploration site with 0.10 wt
  U mineralisation (Lake Way)
• certain phosphate fertilisers
• 6 some ceramic tiles
• 7 typical for exploration site with 0.14-0.15
  wt U mineralisation (Mulga Rock)
• coal burning slag
• 10 on board a local WA flight
• 14 phosphate mine
• 16 titanium minerals

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Mining radiation levels compared with other NORM
exposures (continued)
20 typical for exploration site with 0.40 wt
U mineralisation (Kintyre) 22 zirconium
minerals 25 geothermal energy generation
waste 40 heavy mineral sands concentrate 60
on board an international flight 80 tin
concentrate 120 uranium mine or processing
plant 250 rare earth mineral processing
plant 400 coal mine (underground water
discharge points on the surface) 500 some
areas of titanium dioxide pigment plant 1000
contaminated equipment from oil and gas
industry 2500 rare earth mineral (monazite)
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Mining radiation exposure levels in perspective
Typical radiation dose a worker could receive at
a uranium mine (5 mSv/year)




























Maximum radiation exposure limit in one year (50
mSv)
Amount of radiation (1000 mSv) that may cause you
serious harm
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What is special about ionizing radiation?

• Everyone exposed to radiation, often without
  knowing it
• Human senses cannot detect it
• Historical association with nuclear activities
• Impossible to determine if there is exposure
  level below which there is no effect

ARPANSA
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Uranium 238decay
Main difference between exploration phase and
mining phase is the chemical processing used in
mining to extract uranium Processing frees up
decay products that remain in waste and can cause
health or environmental issues if not managed
correctly
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What are the relative risks of radiation exposure?

• Relative risk of 1-in-a-million chances of dying
  from activities common to our society
• Smoking 1.4 cigarettes (lung cancer)
• Eating 40 tablespoons of peanut butter
• Spending 2 days in Sydney CBD (air pollution)
• Driving 65 kilometres in a car (accident)
• Flying 4000 kilometres in a jet (accident)
• Canoeing for 6 minutes
• Receiving 0.1 mSv of radiation (cancer)

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Radiation Worker's Handbook

• More information on radiation protection
  available in Radiation Workers Handbook
• Download from Australian Uranium Association
• http//aua.org.au/

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Regulation of U mining in WA based on national
and international standards
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MSIR Part 16 Radiation safety

• Exemptions
• Dose limits
• Monitoring requirements
• Radiation management plan
• Radiation Safety Officer
• Defects
• Notifications
• Supervised and controlled areas
• Young and pregnant persons
• Designated employees
• Dose reduction
• Exposure control

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MSIR Part 16 Radiation safety (continued)

• Respiratory protection
• Reporting
• Record keeping
• Approvals
• Import and removal of radioactive material
• Storage
• Stockpile control
• Waste disposal
• Using best technology
• Discharges
• Abandonment

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Radiation management plan (RMP)
16.7. Preparation of radiation management
plan (1) Each responsible person at a mine must
ensure that a plan for the safe management of
radiation at the mine that complies with
subregulation (2) is prepared (a) in the case
of an existing mine, as soon as is practicable
after the commencement day or (b) in any other
case, before mining operations commence at the
mine.
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RMP - minimum requirements

• Company and site details
• Employee workgroup details
• Type of activity (drilling, mining, processing)
• Work and hygiene practices
• Radiation monitoring equipment
• Activity and personnel monitoring
• Storage of radioactive material
• Disposal of radioactive material
• Decontamination of equipment
• Recording of monitoring data

• Reporting to regulators
• Environmental considerations and site
  radiological clean up
• Training
• Transport of radioactive material
• Pre- and post-activity background monitoring
  (including ground water sampling where practical)
• RMP complexity
• Processing gt Mining gtgt Exploration

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NORM Guidelines - Preparation of RMP
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System of radiation protection
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General principles of dose control
Radiation Type (Dose pathway) Controls Monitoring
Gamma Time, distance, shielding Personal TLD badges, survey meters
Personal TLD badge
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General principles of dose control
Radiation Type (Dose pathway) Controls Monitoring
Gamma Time, distance, shielding Personal TLD badges, survey meters
Alpha emitters in airborne dust Dust suppression, extraction systems, PPE Personal air samplers
Personal air sampler
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General principles of dose control
Radiation Type (Dose pathway) Controls Monitoring
Gamma Time, distance, shielding Personal TLD badges, survey meters
Alpha emitters in airborne dust Dust suppression, extraction systems, PPE Personal air samplers
Radon decay products Ventilation, PPE Workplace air sampling
Workplace air sampler
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General principles of dose control
Radiation Type (Dose pathway) Controls Monitoring
Gamma Time, distance, shielding Personal TLD badges, survey meters
Alpha emitters in airborne dust Dust suppression, extraction systems, PPE Personal air samplers
Radon decay products Ventilation, PPE Workplace air sampling
Ingestion of dust Personal and crib room cleanliness Surface alpha contamination surveys
Ensure monitoring instruments are accurately calibrated and working correctly Ensure monitoring instruments are accurately calibrated and working correctly Ensure monitoring instruments are accurately calibrated and working correctly
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Safe work practices

• Use hierarchy of controls
• What PPE is likely to be used?
• Overalls, safety glasses, P2 dust mask, safety
  boots, gloves
• Importance of good hygiene
• Personal and clothing

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