A Review of Radon Exposure in Non-uranium Mines-Estimation of Potential Radon Exposure in Canadian Mines

• Published in: Health physics (1958) Vol. 124; no. 4; p. 244
• Main Author: Chen, Jing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.04.2023
• Subjects: Air Pollutants, Radioactive - analysis; Canada; Humans; Occupational Exposure - analysis; Radiation Monitoring - methods; Radon - analysis; Canada
• ISSN: 1538-5159
• DOI: 10.1097/HP.0000000000001661

A worldwide review of radon exposure in non-uranium mines was conducted. Based on the reported radon measurements in a total of 474 underground non-uranium mines, the average radon concentration in underground non-uranium mines was calculated to be 570 Bq m -3 (varied from below detection limit to above 10,000 Bq m -3 ), and the average equilibrium factor between radon and its short-lived progeny was 0.34 (varied from 0.02 to 0.9). Using the average values from the review, annual effective radon doses to workers in Canadian non-uranium mines were estimated. For underground workers, the estimated annual effective radon dose to non-uranium miners was 3.8 mSv with the possibility of varying from 0.22 to 10 mSv depending on ventilation and other operation conditions. In Canada, the majority of mines are open-pit surface mines; only a small portion of the workforce in non-uranium mines physically work underground where radon concentration can be elevated. Averaged over the entire mining workforce, occupational exposure to radon in non-uranium mines is estimated to be 0.9 mSv. The results of this study indicate that there is potential for workers in non-uranium mines to reach or exceed Canadian thresholds for mandatory monitoring and reporting radiation doses, at least for underground operations.