Regulatory supervision of legacy sites in Republic of Serbia: Former uranium mines in eastern Serbia

Branko Brajić (Serbian Radiation protection and Nuclear Safety Agency) presented.

There are two main applicable laws in the Republic of Serbia: the Law on Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety; and the Law banning the construction of nuclear power plants in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. There are also two regulations: Regulation on determining the program of nuclear safety and security; and Regulation оn the security measures of nuclear facilities and nuclear materials. Regulations on determining the program of radioactive waste management and on determining the program of radiation and security are in the process of adoption and

preparation, respectively. Eighteen rulebooks were adopted in 2011 and 2012.

There are three main institutes in the institutional framework:

 The Ministry of Environmental Protection is responsible for radiation protection;

 The Serbian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (SRPNA) is responsible for rulebooks and programs (detailed below); and,

 The Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development is responsible for nuclear safety and radioactive waste management.

The SRPNA was established in December 2009 according to the Law on Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety and the Law on Public Agencies as a functionally separate organization performing authorizations in accordance with the law. Financial resources are provided from the State budget through the Ministry of Environmental Protection. Regulatory responsibilities of the SRPNA include:

 Passing bylaws for implementing the Law on Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety;

 Adopting the Program of Systematic Environmental Radioactivity Examination;

 Adopting the Program for Additional Training and Qualification of Occupationally Exposed Persons and Persons Responsible for Radiation Protection; and,

 Adopting the Program of Early Warning of Emergency.

Administrative responsibilities include:

 Issuing, extending and revoking licenses for performing a radiation practice or nuclear activity;

 Issuing and revoking permits for trade of radioactive and nuclear materials; and,

 Producing instructions and procedures required for implementing radiation and nuclear safety and security measures.

The agency is also responsible for the monitoring of radioactivity, cooperation with the IAEA and other international bodies, publishing an annual report on exposure levels of the population to ionizing radiation and keeping a registry of applications and issued licenses, permits, decisions and centralized records on nuclear facilities, nuclear materials and radioactive waste.

Uranium mining was undertaken in Serbia at three mines (Gabrovnica, Mezdreja and Srneći Do mines) during the 1960’s. All three mines were located around the Janja mineral field, located eastward from the village of Kalna. The mines closed at the end of the 1960’s.

There is no current information on the state of the Mezdreja and Srneći Do mines. The facilities at the Gabrovnica mine are in very bad condition. No decision has been made regarding future activities at the site, but regular environmental monitoring is performed in the vicinity of the mine, in accordance with the Rulebook on Radioactive Monitoring. The sampling program is summarized in Table 5-1. No activity outwith permitted levels has been monitored to date and there are no signs of contamination beyond the site perimeter. Access to the site by members of the public is prevented. There is, therefore, currently no danger to the environment or to public health.

TABLE 5-1.MONITORING PROGRAM AROUND THE GABROVNICA FORMER MINE SITE. Sampling media Description of the

sampling location

Sampling frequency Type and description of measurement

Surface water Gabrovnička river before the mine

Aggregate

monthly sample, Continuous daily collection.

Gamma spectrometry analysis of radionuclide content.

Analysis of H-3 contents.

Gabrovnička river after the mine

Soil Vicinity of the

mine

Two samples from each depth and measurements two times a year.

Three depths: 0-5cm; 5-10cm; 10-15cm

Gamma spectrometry analysis of radionuclide content.

Analysis of U-238 contents.

Level of external radiation

mine site once a month Ambient gamma dose equivalent in

the air – integral using TL dosimeters

Mining at Gabrovnica took place between 1963 and 1966, during which time around 900 kg of UO2

and 400 kg of metal uranium were produced. The ore was of poor quality, containing very low uranium content, which required higher-cost mining and refining methods to be employed.

Remediation of site is needed.

Exploitation of ores containing nuclear material is defined as a nuclear activity under Serbian Law and the Gabrovnica hydrometallurgical plant and uranium mine are considered nuclear facilities.

Such facilities must be operated under a license issued by SRPNA. Any activity related to the remediation of sites of former uranium mines is subject to following legal acts:

 Law on Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety;

 Regulation on determining the program of nuclear safety and security;

 Regulation on the security measures of nuclear facilities and nuclear;

 Rulebook on Performance of Nuclear Activities; and,

 Rulebook on Conditions for Obtaining License to Perform Nuclear.

There are four necessary activities for the remediation of former mine sites. Detailed

characterization of the site and facilities must be undertaken and a remediation plan prepared on the basis of the radiological characterization and selection of the optimal solution for site end use.

A public hearing for the remediation plan must then be organized prior to a request for a license to be issued for remediation activities being submitted to SRPNA.

There are two possibilities for future use of the site: use of the site without restrictions, or use of the site with restrictions. Such restrictions could include the prohibition of food production on the site or the consumption of water from the site.

The characterization of equipment and materials present on the site of the hydrometallurgical plant in Gabrovnica is planned. A site remediation plan will then be developed by a Public company established for the management of nuclear facilities in the Republic of Serbia, and approved by the SRPNA. Decisions on the further status of the plant will be made by the Government on the basis of the approved remediation plan.

6 Recommendations for future coordination of