Abstract
An overview of the NORM issue in the Belgium industry is given, mainly based on a study on behalf of ONDRAF/NIRAS, the Belgian agency for radioactive waste. The phosphate industry was identified as the main source of enhanced natural radioactivity. In the non-ferro industry high activity-concentrations of the thorium decay series were identified with cassiterite (tin ore). Zircon sands with high uranium concentrations are applied for the production of precision casting molds. Almost every industry with a large turnover of materials has some problems with NORM. Examples of a blast furnace and a coal-fired power plant are given. In these cases the natural radioactivity is concentrated in blast furnace slag or fly ash, both of which are used as input material in the cement industry. The extraction and purification of ground water was also identified as a potential source for generating NORM sludges. Finally, ample remains from past NORM practices exist. A number of historical sites, including a former mining area of alum shale in the valley of the Meuse, several coal mining sites, a coltan processing site in Ghent and a radium facility in Olen were contaminated before present standards of radiological protection were developed.
| Original language | English |
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| Title of host publication | CD rom, IRPA 12 proceedings |
| Place of Publication | Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Pages | 1-10 |
| State | Published - 24 Oct 2008 |
| Event | IRPA 2008 - 12th International Radiation Protection Association Congress - International Radiation Protection Association, Buenos Aires Duration: 19 Oct 2008 → 24 Oct 2008 |
Conference
| Conference | IRPA 2008 - 12th International Radiation Protection Association Congress |
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| Country/Territory | Argentina |
| City | Buenos Aires |
| Period | 2008-10-19 → 2008-10-24 |