Assessment of radioactivity levels and radiological hazard indices in phosphate and phosphate mine waste samples from Algeria.

This article focuses on assessing the natural radioactivity levels and associated radiological hazards in phosphate ore, merchant phosphate, and phosphate mine waste samples from the Djebel Onk mining basin in Algeria. Using gamma-ray spectrometry, the study measured specific activity concentrations of radionuclides ^226Ra (from the ^238U decay series), ^232Th, and ^40K, finding that levels of ^226Ra and ^232Th in all samples exceeded the safety limits recommended by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR). Although the annual effective doses were below the general public safety limit of 1 mSv/year, the excess lifetime cancer risk was calculated to be significantly higher than the global average, indicating potential health risks for workers and environmental concerns. The study concludes that phosphate mining and processing generate Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (TENORM) that require improved waste management and further research on uranium extraction or removal to mitigate environmental and health impacts.