Background: This study evaluated the radiological risks associated with mining and living in buildings constructed with tailings. Materials and Methods: A NaI detector was used to determine the specific activity of 238U, 232Th, and 40K in tailings, and radiological hazard indices were estimated. Results: The mean specific activities of 238U, 232Th, and 40K were 84.27 ± 13.62 Bq/kg, 11.65 ± 0.69 Bq/kg, and 193.26 ± 9.98 Bq/kg, respectively. The mean values for 232Th and 40K were about 74% and 54% lower than their corresponding average world values, while that of 238U was 155% higher than its average world value. The hazards indices: radium equivalent (Raeq), absorbed dose rate (Dout and Din), annual effective dose equivalent (ADEout and ADEin), annual gonadal dose equivalent (AGDE), external hazard index (Hex), internal hazard index (Hin), and excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCRout and ELCRin) were estimated from the specific activity of the radionuclides. Their mean values were 249.74 Bq/kg, 54.03 nGy/h, 106.00 nGy/h, 66.31 µSv/y, 520.35 µSv/y, 369.78 µSv/y, 0.31, 0.54, 0.232 × 10-3 and 1.821 × 10-3 respectively. Raeq, Dout, ADEout, Hex and Hin were about 32%, 5%, 17.11%, 69%, and 46% lower, while Din, ADEin, and AGDE were about 26.19%, 24%, and 24.09% higher than their respective reference values. ELCRout is about 80%, while ELCRin is almost six times higher than the reference ELCR from all carcinogens. Conclusion: The high specific activity of 238U, Din, ADEin, AGDE, and ELCRin indicates that tailings are unsuitable for building and that there are potential radiological risks associated with artisanal mining activities in Kuru district.
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