TENORMs around a Red Mud Tailings Pond in

Hungary
P. Szerbin (1), L. Juhsz (1), I. Csige (2), A. Vrhegyi (3), B. Michalik (4)
(1) Paks Nuclear Power Plant, Paks, Hungary
(2) "Frdric Joliot-Curie" National Research Institute for Radiobiology and Radiohygiene,
Budapest, Hungary
(3) Institute of Nuclear Research of the Hungarian Academy of Science, Debrecen, Hungary
(4) Mecsek Ore Mining Company, Pcs, Hungary
(5) Central Mining Institute, Katowice, Poland
During the recent decades a very strong aluminium industry was developed in Hun-
gary, which has almost been totally collapsed after the transition. But the wastes of the
intensive industrial period still cause problems. Some settling ponds of red mud, which
is a fine particle size waste material of the alumina industry and containing elevated
levels of naturally occurring radioactive materials (TENORMs), remained untouched,
waiting for reuse or remediation. One of the red mud tailings ponds near Neszmly
village was investigated to reveal radioactive levels radionuclide distribution and mi-
gration and radiation doses.
The radioactivity of the Hungarian bauxite is in the range of the worldwide average.
In bauxite treatment the Bayer process was used. By this technology, from 1 ton of
aluminium ore approximately 1,2-1,45 tons of red mud was produced. About 4 million
tons of red mud was dumped out at Neszmly in a creek valley, separated from the
Danube river by a dam. External gamma dose-rate, radon exhalation measurements
were performed on the surface of the tailings pond. Soil radon gas measurements
were done in depths of 20, 40, and 80 cm from the surface. Samples of soil from the
close vicinity of the tailings pond, samples of red mud and deposited matter from the
pond were taken for gamma-spectroscopy measurements.
Mathematical modeling was done to predict radionuclide migration in the tailings
pond material to the cover layer and to the underground water to predict radon ex-
halation, to assess potential radon concentration in planned buildings, and to estimate
radiation risk of the staff, working on the tailings pond, and risk of the public from wa-
ter consumption. Concluding from the results, recommendations has been formulated
for short and long term utilization of the remediated tailings pond.
Acknowledgement work was supported by European Commission FP6 INTAIL-
RISK Project (Contract No : FP6-509214), by OAH-NI-ABA-03/02, and OAH-NI-
ABA-03/02 Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority projects.