Mining and Minerals

Uranium Processing and Radiation Protection

Uranium is processed under a regulatory regime that governs the material from the pit to the drum, and an operation that treats radiation protection as a safety add on rather than a licence condition will eventually lose the licence. This course integrates the two. Delegates work through uranium mineralogy and the ore types found in the region, then through acid and alkaline leaching and the oxidant control each requires. Solid liquid separation and clarification follow. Ion exchange and solvent extraction are covered as the concentration and purification routes. Precipitation, drying and drumming of the final product are addressed, including specification. Radiation protection is treated properly: the sources present, dose pathways, external gamma, radon progeny and dust inhalation. Monitoring, dosimetry and dose limits follow. Contamination control, transport and security of nuclear material are addressed. The course closes on tailings and radon management, on decommissioning and on regulatory reporting.