1. Neutron Activation Analysis in Mongolia
FNCA Workshop on Neutron Activation Analysis November 2014, Philippine, Manila
Neutron Activation Analysis in Mongolia
Baljinnyam N, Damdinsuren G*
Central Geological Laboratory, Mongolia
*Nuclear Research Centre of National University of Mongolia.

2. Our neutron source
In Mongolia, at the Nuclear Research Center of National University of Mongolia, we have been using compact electron accelerator (MT-22) for the neutron activation analysis research.
We are developing methodic of activation analysis for mineral resources, construction materials, samples of environmental studies including air pollution, and import products such as foods, medicines are very essential in Mongolia.
Therefore sharing experiences with FNCA member countries is very important for the development of NAA in Mongolia.

3. Potential end-users for NAA in Mongolia
Mining companies
Environmental monitoring organizations
Inspection Agency

4. POTENTIAL END-USERS MINING COMPANIES
Erdenet Mining Corporation (EMC)
Oyu Tolgoi mine
Koje Gobi –AREVA
Mongolian mining companies

5. Mining companies interested in:
Elemental analysis in geological and ore samples
To assess the impact of the contamination from the industrial and mining processing activities.
Workplace monitoring and occupational health studies

6. Environmental monitoring organizations interested in:
To determine concentrations of heavy metals and other trace elements in environmental samples (water, soil, plants and sediment samples)
Biomonitoring air pollution in capital and industrial cities through trace-elements and radionuclides: temporal and spatial trends
To detect the source of contamination of the environment

7. Inspection Agency interested in:
Use of INAA in studying health impacts of toxic elements consumed through foodstuffs contaminated by industrial activities in Mongolia
Use of INAA in elemental analysis of some Mongolian medicinal plants
Use NAA for control of the import products such as foods and construction materials

8. Erdenet Mining Corporation (EMC)
The town Erdenet is the second largest industrial and mining city with 100 thousand population in Mongolia. An ore-processing plant was commissioned in 1981 and Erdenet began exporting copper (30%) and molybdenum (50%) concentrates. Today the Erdenet Mining Corporation (EMC) extracts 25.5 million tons of ores and produces 500 thousand tons of copper and 2 thousand tons of molybdenum concentrates per year

10. Oyu Tolgoi mining company
The Oyu Tolgoi is a combined open pit and undergound mining project in Khanbogd sum within the south Gobi Desert, approximately 235 kilometres (146 mi) east of the Omnogovi Province. The site was discovered in 2001 and is being developed as a joint venture between Turquoise Hill Resources (a majority owned subsidiary of Rio Tinto) with 66% ownership and the Government of Mongolia with 34%. The mine began construction as of 2010 and shipped its first batch of copper, all 5,800 tons of it, on July 9, 2013.

11. The Oyu Tolgoi mining project is the largest financial undertaking in Mongolia's history and is expected upon completion to account for more than 30% of the country's gross domestic product. Copper production is expected to reach 450,000 tonnes (500,000 short tons) annually. Financing for the project has come in part from the Rio Tinto Group and an investment agreement between Ivanhoe Mines and the government of Mongolia.

13. JINR- Joint Institute for Nuclear Research
JINR has:
18 Member States:
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Cuba, the Czech Republic, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Moldova, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, the Russian Federation, the Slovak Republic, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
Seven Research laboratories and University Centre
The JINR is an international intergovernmental scientific research center. It is situated in Dubna not far from Moscow in the Russian Federation.

14. FLNP- Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics
FLNP is one of the seven JINR Laboratories.
Main Scientific Directions:
- Neutron-nuclear investigations
- Condensed matter physics
- Investigations at electrostatic generators and transient
radiation
- Applied research
- Activation analysis and ecological studies – my research direction
FLNP has two large-scale neutron sources:
1. The IBR -2M pulsed fast reactor
2. Intense REsonance Neutron source (IREN)

15. Parameters of IBR-2 Average power, MW 2 Fuel PuO2
Number of fuel assemblies 69
Maximum burnup, % 9
Pulse repetition rate, Hz
5; 10
Pulse half-width, µs: fast neutrons thermal neutrons
Rotation rate, rev/min: main reflector auxiliary reflector
MMR and АМR material
nickel + steel
MR service life, hours
55000
Background, %
7.5
Thermal neutron flux density from the surface of the moderator*: - time average - burst maximum
~ 1013 n/cm²·s ~ 1016 n/cm²·s

18. Heavy metals in the ENVIRONMENTAL objects OF NON-FERROUS INDUSTRIAL region OF MONGOLIA, THE TOWN OF ERDENET
Baljinnyam N, Damdinsuren G*
Central Geological Laboratory, Mongolia
*Nuclear Research Centre of National University of Mongolia.

19. Overall Objective Specific Objectives
To develop a system of complex monitoring of heavy metals in the environment of Mongolia in the areas affected by hazardous industrial impact the biomonitoring techniques were applied in combination with nuclear and related analytical methods
For assessment pollution in industrial region Erdenet of Mongolia level of some heavy metals and trace elements in lichen, soil, river water and inner organs were study and results were compare to literature data in other industrialized and rural areas
Specific Objectives

20. Location of the study area

22. Study area
The town Erdenet is the second largest industrial and mining city with 100 thousand population in Mongolia. An ore-processing plant was commissioned in 1981 and Erdenet began exporting copper (30%) and molybdenum (50%) concentrates. Today the Erdenet Mining Corporation (EMC) extracts 25.5 million tons of ores and produces 500 thousand tons of copper and 2 thousand tons of molybdenum concentrates per year.

24. The experimental objects
Air
Water
Animal
Soil

25. A part of map “ERDENET MINING CORPORATION”
Jargalant
River Hangal
Govil 1 2 3 4
lichen samples 1 2 3
Water samples
Inner organs samples
Soil sample

26. The samples of this study
1. Air pollution:
Lichen (Paltegera)
2. Soil pollution:
samples of soil (Jargalant)
3. Water pollution:
samples river water (Hangal and Govil river)
4. Animal pollution:
samples inner organs (lung, spleen, liver,
kidney and heart) from goats and sheep

27. Experimental methods - lichen (Paltegera) (41elements)
1. Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) using epithermal neutrons at the IBR-2 reactor, FLNP, JINR, Dubna:
- lichen (Paltegera) (41elements)
- soil samples (39 elements)
- inner organs (35 elements)
2. Total reflection X-ray fluorescent analysis (TXRF) at Nuclear Research Centre of the National University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar:
- water samples from river Hangal
and Govil (16 elements)

28. Points for lichen samples
Clean area Ulaan taiga
Polluted area Erdenet

29. Results of the study air pollution
We determined 41 elements in lichen samples from polluted and clean areas by INAA.
We compared to samples with data of clean and other data from polluted area of Marrocco
Comparison results are shown the polluted level of Erdenet aerosols same as in some European countries and Marrocco (south-western Africa)

30. Ratio content of elements in samples clean and polluted areas
(mg/kg)
Mean contents in lichen from clean area
Mean contents in lichen from polluted area
(South eastern)
Ratio contents of elements in clean and polluted lichens
(Western –east)
(North) Mg
466,5
50400
108,04
28500
61,09
17900
38,371 Cl
1,69
308
182,25
307
181,66
152
89,941 Ca
78,2
7100
90,79
7010
89,64
5490
70,205 Ti 50
2020
40,4
741
14,82
508
10,16 Cr
1,34 15
11,19
6,4
4,78 3
2,239 Mn
25,7
927
36,07
407
15,84
141
5,486 Fe
519
9850
18,98
4510
8,69
2350
4,528 Co
0,28
6,45
23,04
2,5
8,93
1,09
3,893 Cu
6,3
712
113,02
142
22,54
53,2
8,444 As
0,35
7,62
21,77
3,46
9,89
2,06
5,886 Zr
172
101,78
98,7
58,4 36
21,302 Ba
8,45
398
47,1
216
25,56
131
15,503 Au
0,0025
0,044
17,6
0,087
34,8
0,084
33,6 Th
0,202
2,64
13,07
1,45
7,18
0,73
3,614

31. Diagram of the ratio content of elements in lichen samples from polluted and clean areas
Erdenet - polluted area
Marrocco – compared area
Ulaan taiga – clean area

32. Compared concentration of heavy metals in lichen samples around Erdenet

33. Results of the study soil and river silt
We determined 39 elements in soil and river silt samples from polluted area and river around Erdenet town
Heavy metals and toxic elements data of these samples compared to with the maximum permitted metal concentration limit (MPMCL) in Mongoila and world average
Results of this study show that contents of some heavy metals and toxic elements (Cr, Ti, V, Cu, As, Se, W and Se) in these samples are exceeded about 2-20 times than the Maximum permitted metal concentration limits (MPMCL) in Mongolia and world average content.

34. Mean content of heavy metals in soil samples around Erdenet
Elements
mg/kg
Soil
around Jargalant
MPMCL
in /Mongolia/
around Erdenet
(1974)
/Vinogradov/
Clark
/World/ Pb - 20 65 10 16 Cd
0.9
0.5
0.13 Zn
82.7 40
21.6 50 83 As
9.5 5
1.7 Cu
935 30
95.5 47 Mo 2 7
1.1 Cr
58.1 80
200 Co
13.0
13.3 8 18 Ni
20.1 41 58 Ba
579
500
650 V
120
100 90 Sn
2.5 Mn
839
850
1000 Fe
31500
38000 W
3.89
1.3 Sr
371
300
340
We have determined content of 39 elements soil and river silt samples in around Erdenet Mining Corporation by INAA techniques. Results of this study show that contents of heavy and toxic elements (Cr, Ti, V, Cu, As, Se, W and Se) in these samples are exceeded about 2-20 times than the Maximum permitted metal concentration limits (MPMCL) in Mongolia and world average content.

35. Results of study for inner organs samples from goats and sheep
We determined by INAA 35 elements in inner organs samples from goats and sheep around Storage of slag heap tail in Erdenet
Results of comparison of mean contents for some elements of liver and kidney with international reference material (Pig kidney CRM 186) and literature results from other industrial area in European and Asia
3.Contents of Cu, Zn, Fe and Mn in kidney and liver very well have been matched with other results from non-industrial regions.

36. Results of the study for water samples
We have determined contents of some heavy meatls and toxic elements in water samples around Erdenet by total reflection X-Ray Fluorescence techniques
Concentration of some heavy toxic metals in water of river such as Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Br, Sr и Pb are exceeded than MPMCL in Mongolia
Technological water (№1, 2) from Power plant had Mn level and in tap water Zn level higher than normality in Mongolia
Results of this study show that waters around Erdenet town was polluted by industrial liquid waste from Erdenet Mining Corporation
Hangal River has third level pollution in Mongolia

37. down from center Erdenet
Elements
(mg//kg)
River
Hangal,
down from center Erdenet
River Hangal
around
village Ulaan Tolgoi
Technological water, №1
Power plant
Erdenet
Drinking water
Shaft
№ 2
Tap water
Hotel Selenge
Technological water, № 2
MPMCL
/Mongolia/
P, (mg//kg)
5,45
4,51
6,45
3,34
1,25
0,97
0.05 S
45,45
34,25
69,25
29,25
7,58
3,52 - Cl
54,85
36,25
35,65
14,52
4,95
8,52 30 K
8,53
6,43
7,35
2,61
6,13
3,13
5.0 Ca
125
102
149 72
28,2
32,2
180
Ti, (g//kg)
115
332
172
405 65
211 Cr
159 96 85 61 66
50(g//kg) Mn 67 92
408 25 26 21
100 Fe
1239
3760
1516
779
439
491 Ni
121
324 69 86 91
200 Cu
249
134
161 56
187
141 Zn
169
144
181
101
379
375 As
189
1965 50 55 Br
302
213 76 Sr
1799
1520
1040
561
251
278 Pb
326
298
369
139
153
234

38. Conclusion
The Nuclear Analytical (INAA) Technique has sensitivity and accuracy method for the heavy metal and trace element studies of biological (such as lichen and inner organs) indicators.
Accumulation of heavy metal and trace elements in all samples from around Erdenet town polluted by white dust or tail and industrial wastes from Erdenet Mining Corporation
ISINN – 17, May , Dubna, 2009

39. Results of our study will be important to determine biogenic or essential macro, micro and non-biogenic or other elements in samples of human and animal body
Biomonitoring is an important tool for assessing pollution and in monitoring the dynamic behavior of environmental changes
These results give us a lot of information for future researches

40. THANK YOU FOR ATTENTION !