Anticipated radiological impacts from the mining and milling of thorium for the nonproliferative fuels. [Dose commitments to individuals and populations from inhalation or ingestion of thorium-cycle-related radionuclides]

Conference · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1978

OSTI ID:6451136

Meyer, H. R.; Till, J. E.

Recent emphasis on proliferation-resistant fuel cycles utilizing thorium--uranium-233 fuels has necessitated evaluation of the potential radiological impact of mining and milling thorium ore. Therefore, an analysis has been completed of hypothetical mine-mill complexes using population and meteorological data representative of a thorium resource site in the Lemhi Pass area of Idaho/Montana, United States of America. Source terms for the site include thorium-232 decay chain radionuclides suspended as dusts and radon-220 and daughters initially released as gas. Fifty-year dose commitments to maximally exposed individuals of 2.4 mrem to total body, 9.5 mrem to bone, and 35 mrem to lungs are calculated to result from facility operation. Radium-228, thorium-228, thorium-232 and lead-212 (daughter of radon-220) are found to be the principal contributors to dose. General population doses for a 50-mile radius surrounding the facility are estimated to be 0.05 man-rem to total body, 0.1 man-rem to bone, and 0.7 man-rem to lungs. Generally speaking, the results of this study indicate that the radiological aspects of thorium mining and milling should pose no significant problems with regard to implementation of thorium fuel cycles.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Reactor Research and Technology Division
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 6451136
• Report Number(s): CONF-7810133--4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

053000 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Environmental Aspects
054000 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Health & Safety
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
560161 -- Radionuclide Effects
Kinetics
& Toxicology-- Man
560171* -- Radiation Effects-- Nuclide Kinetics & Toxicology-- Man-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
A CODES
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BODY
COMPUTER CODES
DATA
DATA FORMS
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DOSE COMMITMENTS
DOSES
DUSTS
ENDOCRINE GLANDS
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE PATHWAY
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLUIDS
FUEL CYCLE
GASES
GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT
GLANDS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HEAVY NUCLEI
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
HUMAN POPULATIONS
IDAHO
INFORMATION
INGESTION
INHALATION
INTAKE
ISOLATED VALUES
ISOTOPES
KIDNEYS
LEAD 212
LEAD ISOTOPES
LIVER
LUNGS
MACHINING
MILLING
MINING
MONTANA
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEI
NUMERICAL DATA
ORES
ORGANS
PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGION
POPULATIONS
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION HAZARDS
RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENTS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIUM 224
RADIUM 228
RADIUM ISOTOPES
RADON 220
RADON 222
RADON ISOTOPES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION
SECONDS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
SKELETON
THORIUM 228
THORIUM 232
THORIUM CYCLE
THORIUM ISOTOPES
THORIUM ORES
THYROID
USA
WASTES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES