Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) in the environment - geochemical and biological behaviour, tools for risk assessment

From ERAC Edu

	ENVIRONMENTAL RISK ASSESSMENT WORKSHOP
Time:	14.-15.9.2011
Place:	Kuopion Musiikkikeskus, Jousisto, Kuopionlahdenkatu 23, 70100 Kuopio
Organizers:	Environmental Risk Assessment Centre, ERACedu
Language:	English

Scope

Workshop is designed to familiarize participants with the research topics on naturally occurring radioactive materials. Course consists of presentations which are divided in five sessions. After each presentation there is 5-10 minutes reserved for discussions. The first session involves geochemical background of NORM in Finland. The second session focuses on transportation of radionuclides in the environment. The third and the fourth sessions will focus on NORM in mining environments and their use in mineral exploration. The fifth session brings examples from upcoming research and presents some field measurement equipments.

Target audience

The course is intended for graduate students, researchers and professionals willing to expand their knowledge on radionuclides in the environment; transport, environmental risks, geochemistry and potential use in mining and exploration sectors. Participation on the course has no advance requirements, but basic knowledge of geology and geochemistry is for advantage.

Registration

Participants are requested to register for the workshop prior to August 31st by email: liisa.ahonen(at)uef.fi.

For additional information please contact:

Research Scientist MSc. Anna Tornivaara, Geological Survey of Finland
Tel. +358 50 347 1158 / e-mail: anna.tornivaara@gtk.fi

or

Senior Scientist Dr. Päivi Kauppila, Geological Survey of Finland
Tel. +358 205 50 3715 / e-mail: paivi.kauppila@gtk.fi

The Workshop is part of EU funded project and participation is free. Due to the funding, lunch will be at own expense. If you have registered to the workshop and are for some reason unable to take part in, please contact the Aducate office (liisa.ahonen(at)uef.fi) at least one day in advance, so a possible replacement can be made.

PROGRAMME (PDF)

Abstracts

Wednesday 14.9.2011

8.30 - 9.00	Registration and complimentary welcoming coffee
9.00 - 9.05	Foreword
	Saila Vaittinen, Aducate, University of Eastern Finland
9.05 - 9.10	Opening of the workshop
	Chairman of the day: Geologist Olli Äikäs, Geological Survey of Finland

GEOCHEMICAL BACKGROUND OF NORM IN FINNISH ENVIRONMENT

9.10 - 9.55	Origin and concentrations of uranium in Finnish bedrock [1]
	Laura Lauri, Geological Survey of Finland
9.55 - 10.40	Natural Radioactivity in Finnish Groundwater [2]
	Kaisa Vaaramaa, Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority in Finland

TRANSPORTATION OF RADIONUCLIDES IN ENVIRONMENT

10.40 - 11.25	Palmottu natural analogue study: behaviour of uranium in and around a uranium deposit[3]
	Lasse Ahonen, Geological Survey of Finland
11.25 - 12.10	Soil-to-plant transfer of uranium [4]
	Päivi Roivainen, University of Eastern Finland
12.10 - 13.15	Lunch (at own expense)
13.00 - 13.45	Uptake of radionuclides by mushrooms and berries [5]
	Eila Kostiainen, Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority in Finland
13.45 - 14.15	Coffee (at own expense)
14.15 - 15.00	Radionuclide transport studies and modelling in geosphere related to spent nuclear fuel disposal [6]
	Lasse Koskinen, Posiva Oy
15.00 - 16.30	Use of reactive transport modelling to determine influences on groundwater at a proposed uranium in-situ recovery mine – geochemistry and radionuclide distribution before mining
	Ray Johnson, U.S. Geological Survey
16.30 - 17.00	Opportunity for an additional discussion

Thursday 15.9.2011

9.15 - 9.20	Foreword
	Chairman of the first session: Senior Scientist Päivi Kauppila, Geological Survey of Finland

NORM IN MINING ENVIRONMENTS

9.20 - 10.15	Use of reactive transport modelling to determine influences on groundwater at a proposed in-situ recovery mine – geochemistry and radionuclide movement during and after mining
	Ray Johnson, U.S. Geological Survey
10.15 - 11.00	Sokli case – radionuclides and their transportation from mining waste [7]
	Hanna Tuovinen, University of Helsinki
11.00 - 12.00	Uranium mining – legacy groundwater quality impacts in the United States – a few case studies
	Ray Johnson, U.S. Geological Survey
12.00 - 12.45	Lunch (at own expense)

NORM GEOCHEMISTRY AND GEOPHYSICS (RADIATION) - USE IN ORE EXPLORATION

12.45 - 12.50	Chairman of the next two sessions: Professor Jukka Juutilainen, University of Eastern Finland
12.50 - 13.35	Case Matari – example of recent formation of surficial uranium concentrations [8]
	Olli Äikäs, Geological Survey of Finland
13.35 - 14.20	Use of radiometric methods in exploration for gold – case Rompas [9]
	Erkki Vanhanen, Mawson Energi AB
14.20 - 14.45	Coffee
14.45 - 15.45	Case studies of naturally occurring leachable uranium using uranium isotopes
	Ray Johnson, U.S. Geological Survey

FUTURE RESEARCH

15.45 - 16.15	Way forward with uranium research at the USGS
	Ray Johnson, U.S. Geological Survey
16.15 - 16.45	Uranium series gamma radiation and portable gamma counters – demonstration [10]
	Olli Äikäs, Geological Survey of Finland
16.45 - 17.00	Discussion and workshop closing