Study on NORM Inventory and NORM Waste Management from Tin Industry in Bangka Island, Indonesia

Study on NORM inventory and NORM waste management from tin industry in Bangka Island. There are 4 activities in tin industry associated with NORM i.e. tin mining, washing processes, smelting, and tin tailing processes. In tin mining, tin ore is separated from the soil. Tin ore has elevated natural radionuclide concentration but the mine tailing is in normal level. In washing processes, tin ore is washed in order to increase the tin grade until more than 70% of tin. Tailing from this process will become the raw material for byproduct industry of tin. Tin ore and tin tailing have elevated radionuclide concentration. Tin ore is then processed in smelter to produce tin and slag. Tin is not radioactive material, but slag has elevated radionuclide concentration. Slag from smelter is in still problem in Indonesia because there has no decision about the disposal. Tin tailing from washing process is then processed to produce zircon, ilmenite, and monazite as byproduct of tin, and waste. Byproducts have elevated radionuclide concentrations. Tin tailing industries provide many benefits, besides the products could be sold, waste discharge to the environment is also reduced. The problems in this industry are the radiation protection for the worker and how to arrange the raw material and products in the factory. The paper would explain how to manage the radioactive problem of the slag and tin tailing industry. Some recommendations on the radiation protection at tin tailing industry would be explained. NORM inventory from tin industry in Bangka Island has been calculated to know the estimation of amount and radioactivity level of NORM. For slag, landfill method for disposal would be explained together with potential site and design of the landfill. The result of this study would be very useful for the stakeholders. (author)