Diurnal variation of ²²²Rn concentration around Tummalapalle uranium mining site

Radon gas emanates from the Earth's crusts and as a result, is present in the air in outdoor and indoor environment, including the work places. Further, around the U mining and milling site, the radioactive radon gas continuously releases to the surrounding environment from mine audits/exhausts, ore and waste heaps, crushing and grinding process in the mill and mill tailings disposed to tailing pond. The release of radon and it's progeny from the mining and milling of uranium-bearing ores has long been recognised as a potential radiological health hazard in its surrounding environment. Radon and its short-lived daughters contribute to more than 50% of the total exposure of the human population from natural sources of radiation. To meet the growing demand of U for electricity generation in the country, recently at Tummalapalle in the district of Kadapa Andhra Pradesh, U mining and processing plant have been developed and started operation for production of U. In a uranium mineralized region and in particular around an operating uranium mining site, marginal higher radon concentration may be expected in indoor and outdoor environment as compared to the general areas. So, a brief study has been conducted to understand the background radon level in the mining environment of the Tummalapalle site