Extent of Environmental Contamination by Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) and Technological Options for Mitigation

Oil & Natural Gas / Conventional Oil & Gas Resources / Related Environmental Issues

Date posted: 03/16/10

IAEA TECHNICAL REPORTS SERIES No. 419 - 2003 Industrial processes potentially involving NORM are addressed in this report. The emphasis is on processes involving NORM that, depending on country, may or may not be regulated in respect of their radioactive properties. Products, by-products and residues associated with industrial processes involving NORM are of interest here in so far as they may become wastes eventually. Past and future practices are considered in the context of either remediation of previously disposed residues or management of newly generated residues. Some information on uranium mining and milling is included in order to provide some perspective on how NORM is managed in that industry.