Malaysian monazite and its processing residue: chemical composition and radioactivity

• Published in: Journal of radioanalytical and nuclear chemistry 2019-11, Vol.322 (2), p.1097-1105
• Main Authors: Md. Jaffary, Nurrul Assyikeen, Khoo, Kok Siong, Mohamed, Nor Hasimah, Yusof, Mohd Abd Wahab, Mohd Fadzil, Syazwani
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chemical composition; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Diagnostic Radiology; Gamma rays; Germanium; Hadrons; Heavy Ions; Hydroxides; Inorganic Chemistry; International economic relations; Monazite; Nuclear Chemistry; Nuclear energy; Nuclear engineering; Nuclear industry; Nuclear Physics; Nuclear safety; Organic chemistry; Phosphate minerals; Phosphate rock; Physical Chemistry; Radiation protection; Radioactivity; Radioisotopes; Radium 226
• ISSN: 0236-5731; 1588-2780
• DOI: 10.1007/s10967-019-06813-1

Malaysian monazite and its processing residue, the hydroxide cake has been studied focuses on establishing baseline evaluation in the viewpoint of radiation protection. The sample has chemically identified and characterized by using XRD, FTIR, and WDXRF analysis. The radioactivity of primordial radionuclides measured by gamma-ray hyper-pure germanium detector was found to be 28 ± 1, 213 ± 2, and 6 ± 2 Bq/g for 226 Ra, 232 Th, and 40 K, respectively, while for hydroxide cake, the values were 23 ± 1, 343 ± 2, and 20 ± 5 Bq/g respectively. The radiation indices of the samples were assessed with references to the average world values and had exceeded the international safety limits. Present results may help giving awareness in making a decision for the safety of living and working in rare earth industry and nuclear exploration in Malaysia.