Assessment of NORM in Mining Residues and Environmental Materials from Sefwi Awaso Bauxite Mine, Ghana

A surge in illegitimate mining is threatening the legitimacy of mining industries such as bauxite mining in Awaso. An awareness of radioactivity problems is essential when evaluating any application. Public perceptions and apprehensions regarding risks associated with mining activities must be acknowledged.

The primary aim is to evaluate the radioactivity in water and soil from the Sefwi Awaso bauxite mine and its surroundings, as well as to determine the health risks to mine workers and the local population.

Mining residues from the bauxite mine and surrounding area were analyzed for radioactive concentrations using direct gamma-ray spectrometry with a high purity germanium detector. Genie-2000 program was used for qualitative analysis of radionuclide.

Soil, bauxite ore, and red mud all had different concentrations of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K based on their respective activities, thus: (29 ± 3.2) Bq kg^-1, (32 ± 4) Bq kg^-1, and (179 ± 18) Bq kg^-1; (39 ± 4) Bq kg^-1, (97 ± 11) Bq kg^-1, and (15 ± 2) Bq kg^-1; (45 ± 5) Bq kg^-1, (64 ± 7) Bq kg^-1, and (125 ± 19) Bq kg^-1. In the community water samples, the average activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K were (1.0 ± 0.9) Bq l^-1, (3.2 ± 0.6) Bq l^-1, and (16 ± 5) Bq l^-1, respectively, which are all well within the global average activity concentrations. The committed effective dose was 0.63 ± 0.08 mSv, and annual effective dose estimates for the mine and community were (75 ± 5) µSv and (26 ± 3) µSv, respectively.

The bauxite mining operation does not significantly increase activity concentrations, suggesting an annual dose increase well below the 1 mSv y^-1 limit for public exposure.