🔍 Why are waters in granite quarries more dangerous than others?

A new study of the granitoids in the Ob-Zaisan fold zone (Novosibirsk Oblast) has revealed alarming findings:

💧 The radioactivity of water in granite quarries is 100–1000 times higher than in other rock types!

📊 Record-breaking concentrations:

❗️Uranium (²³⁸U) – up to 1.4 mg/dm³
❗️Thorium (²³²Th) – up to 2.16·10⁻³ mg/dm³
❗️Radon (²²²Rn) – up to 5000 Bq/dm³ (in areas with granitoid development)

❓What’s the Reason?
The high radioactivity is linked to mineral accumulators (monazite, xenotime, fluorite), which are particularly abundant in the Barlak granitoid complex.

🔬 Key Conclusion:
Granite massifs are natural sources of radiation, requiring:
✅ Regular water monitoring.
✅ Radiation risk assessments.
✅ Special protective measures for quarry workers.

Full study:

📖 Sukhorukov V.P., Sukhorukova A.F., Novikov D.A., Derkachev A.S. Сomposition and mineralogy of granitoids of the Ob-Zaisan folded region in the context of the prediction of groundwater radioactivity. Mining Science and Technology (Russia). 2024;9(2):105-115. https://doi.org/10.17073/2500-0632-2024-01-208

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