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Research on radon exhalation characteristics of uranium tailings with cover materials under the coupling load of low-frequency vibration and seepage gradient

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Abstract

In this study, radon (222Rn) measurements were taken at compacted uranium tailings with cover materials by a self-developed coupling testing system under different low-frequency vibration loads and gas seepage rates. The maximum measured value appears at 0.723 Bq m−2 s−1, which is close to the upper limit value of national standard of China (0.74 Bq m−2 s−1). A vibration load significantly damages the compacted uranium tailings sample structure, resulting in a marked increase in the porosity of the porous media thus forming a channel for radon migration. The results presented here may provide a workable approach for simulating geological dynamic load conditions for radon exhalation studies on uranium tailings impoundment.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to the Hunan Province Engineering Technology Research Center of Uranium Tailings Treatment, China, for providing the experimental site and processed samples. And this study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 11475081).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nuclear Science and Technology, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049, China

    Ziqi Cai, Qingmin Zhang & Zhuang Shao

  2. Shanxi Key Laboratory of Advanced Nuclear Energy and Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049, China

    Qingmin Zhang

  3. Shanxi Engineering Research Center of Advanced Nuclear Energy, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049, China

    Qingmin Zhang

  4. School of Resource and Environment and Safety Engineering, University of South China, Hengyang, 421000, China

    Xiangyang Li, Bo Lei & Changshou Hong

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  1. Ziqi Cai
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  2. Qingmin Zhang
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Correspondence to Ziqi Cai or Qingmin Zhang.

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Cai, Z., Zhang, Q., Li, X. et al. Research on radon exhalation characteristics of uranium tailings with cover materials under the coupling load of low-frequency vibration and seepage gradient. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 327, 359–371 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07478-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07478-x

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