Radiological aspects of former mining activities in the Saxon Erzgebirge, Germany

Journal Article · Fri Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Environment International

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0160-4120(93)90270-R· OSTI ID:35685

Keller, G ^[1]

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1. Institut fuer Biophysik, Homburg/Saar (Germany)

In the Middle Ages, rich silver occurrences were exploited intensively in the Saxon Erzgebirge. The unprofitable ores, the socalled {open_quotes}pechblende,{close_quotes} were dumped as waste materials in the environment. The high uranium and radium contents of these rocks prompted later investigations by Henri Bequerel and Marie Curie. In the city of Schneeberg, most of the houses were built directly on these waste materials. Furthermore, the whole subsoil is crossed by a system of numerous pits and audits; therefore, radon gas from the soil can easily penetrate into the houses. The radon exhalation rates from the soil and also from ground floors in this region increase to values of about 1 Bq/m{sup 2}.s. In some houses in Schneeberg, {sup 222}Rn concentrations of about 50 kBq/m{sup 3} were found in the living rooms. Maximum values in the cellars were about 200 kBq/m{sup 3}. From the inhalation of its short-lived radon daughters, an effective dose of about 1.2 Sv/y may result. Mitigation methods like insulation and subsoil ventilation are proposed, and the efficiency of the different measures are discussed.

• OSTI ID: 35685
• Journal Information: Environment International, Journal Name: Environment International Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 19; ISSN ENVIDV; ISSN 0160-4120
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY
MINING
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
RADIUM
SOILS