Radiation Risks and Assessment Challenges in Industrial and Small-Scale Tin Mining: A Study from Bangka Rakotovao Lovanantenaina Omega (a), Zulfahami (a), Imam Ghazali Yasmint (b), Adi R.A. Abdullah (a), Ismail Humolungo (a), Sidik Permana (a)
(a) Graduate Program in Nuclear Science and Engineering, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences,
Bandung Institute of Technology, Bandung City 40132, Indonesia
(b) Joint Doctoral Program for Sustainability Research, Graduate School of Informatics and Engineering, The University of Electro-Communications Tokyo, Tokyo 182-8585, Japan
Abstract
The research conducted in Bangka, Indonesia examines the environmental and health consequences of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) and Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (TENORM) in the area where tin mining processing takes place. The study carried out in March 2023 specifically targets three main locations, which are Mentok, Pangkalpinang, and Sungaliat. Mentok faced enhanced surveillance as a result of its substantial tin mining operations. The quantitative results indicate that the level of ambient radiation exposure from industrial mining in Bangka is considerably greater than that from small-scale mining, with an average disparity of around 2.02 microsieverts per hour. The average annual exposure of workers in some areas was determined to be higher than the global average occupational exposure level of 5 millisievert per year, namely, in tailing. Public places, such as offices are recorded as low exposure. These findings suggest a risk of health hazards caused by radiation exposure, require rigorous safety measures and regulatory supervision for the concerned area. The study offers insights into the environmental radiation levels in the tin mining regions of Bangka, highlighting the necessity of implementing protective measures to ensure the safety of workers and the general public against potential radiation exposure.
