Radiological characterization of a uranium mine with no mining activity

We report a radiological study of a uranium mine located in Extremadura, in the south-west of Spain, in which mining work had ceased. One interest in the work is that the results can be used as a reference for the future eval uation of the effects produced by the restoration program. The radiological parameters selected to estimate the impact of the inactive mine were: Rn-2 22 in, air and water, Rn-222 exhalation, effective Ra-226 in soils and sedi ments, and natural uranium and Ra-226 in water. Chemical analyses of water samples and measurements of meteorological variables were also made. Averag e values of these radiological parameters are presented, We characterize th e zone radiologically and estimate the influence of the mine on the basis o f some of these parameters, while others are used to reflect the status of the installation, information which could be very useful in the near future when restoration is complete. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights re served.