ASSESSMENT OF NATURAL RADIOACTIVITY AND RADON EMANATION RATE AT JOS TIN MINE TAILING SITES, JOS, PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The tin mining activities in Jos result in a byproduct conventionally known as tailing(s). The release of this Radon gas into the atmosphere and the naturally occurring Radionuclide Materials associated with these tailings have radiological implications. In this research, assessment of Naturally occurring Radionuclide Materials, radon emanation rate and relevant radiological hazard indices have been carried out in three tailing sites in Jos, Nigeria using Gamma ray spectroscopy and RAD7 detector. The activity concentration of K-40 exceeds that of Th-232 and Ra-226 in all the three tailing sites. The absorbed dose for Barakinladi and Jos North tailing site exceeds the acceptable limit of 80 nGyhr-1. The equivalent dose however does not exceed the acceptable limit in any of the sampling area. Both the internal and external hazard index suggests that the radiological risk associated with the tailing site for Jos North and Barikinladi is too close to the acceptable limit of 1 mGyyr-1. This implies that the radiological hazard potential in the areas is quite significant and thus radiation exposure mitigation steps need to be taken accordingly. Jos South tailing site is generally safe from radiation hazard point of view since there is no significant value recorded in all the radiological hazard indices.