DAVID KOLKOMA AND FELIX PEREIRA B.
Abstract
The specific activity of natural radionuclides were measured by gamma ray spectrometry withNaI(Tl) detector in the mining waste soil samples collected from Simberi gold mine in NewIreland province of Papua New Guinea. The isotope concentrations of 238U and 232Th in Simberi soilsamples are 10.7 and 41.3 ppm respectively whereas the world average values are 2.64 and 11.1 ppmrespectively. The average Radium equivalent activity in Simberi samples is 372.2±81.4 Bq/kgwhich is observed to be higher than the threshold safe value of 370 Bq/kg. The average internalhazard index for Simberi samples is found to be 1.4 which is higher than the maximumpermissible value of 1.0. The Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk (ELCR) is calculated to be0.00553±0.00122 in Simberi whereas the world average value is 0.00145. Radiation in Simberi isfound to be higher which may be because Simberi is situated in the volcanic region of Papua New Guinea.