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@dmp.wa.gov.au or visit www.dmp.wa.gov.au/ResourcesSafety

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

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

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 Western Mining Western Titanium Westralian Sands Beenup Bunbury Capel Chandala Cooljarloo Eneabba Fremantle Geraldton Gingin Greenbushes Kalgoorlie Kintyre Kwinana Mt Weld Mt Walton Narngulu Picton Pinjarra Yeelirrie

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 Earth’s crust and within the tissues of all living species

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)

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

Types of ionizing radiation Alpha (α) radiation consists of a fast moving Helium-4 (4He) nuclei and is stopped by a sheet of paper. Beta (β) radiation, consisting of electrons, is halted by an aluminium plate. Gamma (γ) 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.

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

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) 10

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 Green stars: Typical radiation dose a worker could receive at a uranium mine (5 mSv/year) Blue stars: Maximum radiation exposure limit in one year (50 mSv/year) Orange stars: Amount of radiation that may cause you serious harm (1000 mSv) Person receiving normal background radiation dose would have two and a half stars.

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

Uranium 238 decay 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

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)

Radiation Worker's Handbook More information on radiation protection available in Radiation Workers’ Handbook Download from Australian Uranium Association http://aua.org.au/

Regulation of U mining in WA based on national and international standards United Nations is one of the main international organisations that promote radiation safety knowledge. They host several bodies for radiation protection including IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) International Commission for Radiation Protection – ICRP United Nations Science Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation – UNSCEAR In Australia we have the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Science Agency - ARPANSA ARPANSA publishes Code of practice for radiation protection and waste management in mining and mineral processing Code of practice for the safe transport of radioactive materials

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 MSIR Part 16 is much more prescriptive than the Radiation Safety (General) Regulations as it is specific for mining. Deals with a range of radiation safety requirements.

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 18

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. Uranium exploration and mining companies are now required to prepare a radiation management plan Regulations were changed in July 2009 to remove previous exemptions In general, public has a high expectation that exploration companies operate in sustainable, environmentally appropriate way

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 > Mining >> Exploration Keep “motherhood” statements to commitments and introduction. Include your “Standard Operating Procedures” – remember there is a lot of guidance material readily accessible. Plan does not have to be a single document, it can be made up of several documents. Plan can be prepared to be used on several sites. Basically, you need to do a risk assessment to work out where to put in the effort Usually, extra monitoring is undertaken to get an initial feel for the radiation exposures The amount of detail covered by the RMP should be proportional to the risk of radiation exposure and/or environmental contamination, and the size of the operation. In general, on exploration sites the radiation exposures are very low Sometimes monitoring is undertaken with badges to show that there is no exposure. Mining and processing require more detail because of the increased risk

NORM Guidelines - Preparation of RMP The department has radiation safety guidelines available for download in the occupational health area of Resources Safety webpage. Revised version is posted in legislation and policy section. We invite comments on the drafts by 30 November 2009.

System of radiation protection This table is from NORM 1- system for radiation protection Engineering must be used in the firsthand to reduce radiation exposure What radiation exposure can’t be engineered out, administrative controls must be put in place to take care of the rest

General principles of dose control Radiation Type (Dose pathway) Controls Monitoring Gamma Time, distance, shielding Personal TLD badges, survey meters Personal TLD badge

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 24

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 25

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 For all monitoring, it is important that all monitoring equipment is calibrated and working correctly 26

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 Overalls, safety glasses, P2 dust mask, safety boots, gloves Important – wash hands and face before eating and smoking Shower and change after work, wash clothes after use 27