Calculation Guide for the Determination of Radiation Exposure due to Mining-caused Environmental Radioactivity (Calculation Guide Mining)

The publication "Calculation Guide Mining" is intended to determine mining-caused radiation exposure of members of the public and of workers. It is applicable for the use, decommissioning, remediation, and reuse of mining facilities and installations as well as for the use, remediation, and reuse of land contaminated as a result of mining activities.

The "Calculation Guide Mining" describes procedures and parameters to determine effective dose indoors, at underground workplaces, and outdoors, as well as exposures caused by consumption of breast milk and locally produced foodstuff.

The following exposure pathways are considered:

• external exposure due to gamma radiation from the soil,
• exposure due to inhalation of dust,
• exposure due to inhalation of radon and its short-lived decay products,
• exposure from ingestion of breast milk and locally produced foodstuff (drinking water, fish, milk and milk products, meat and meat products, leafy vegetables, other vegetable products), and
• exposure due to direct ingestion of soil.

In order to account for the natural background levels of environmental radionuclides, the "Calculation Guide Mining" includes data of natural background levels for all relevant environmental media. In addition, a simple procedure about the radiological evaluation of atmospheric radon, emitted from legacy sites, is described.