Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) has told the government that there is no indication of radiological risk to the public, residing in surrounding areas of Karak (NWFP), due to uranium extraction activities of Shanawa Uranium Mining Project, MPB2, official sources told Business Recorder on Wednesday. The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) of the Planning and Development Division, in its meeting on May 11, directed the sponsors of the project to conduct a detailed survey on the effects of uranium extraction on the inhabitants of the area, especially in D.I.Khan. The PAEC is of the view that thousands of its employees have been involved in the handling of uranium for the last 35 years, but no deformities have been noticed in them and in their family members, residing in official colonies near these facilities. This practice has built unique safety culture and confidence at all levels in all nuclear/ radiation facilities of the PAEC, including uranium mining operations. The PAEC is involved in uranium exploration in D.G Khan since 1965. However, uranium mining had been/ being carried out at the following sites: -- Baghalchur: Open pit mining (1976 to 1985) under ground mining (1976 to 1999). -- Taunsa: In Situ Leach (ISL) Mining (2001 till date). -- Nanger Nai: In Situ Leach (ISL) Mining (1996 till date) Baghalchur. During active mining (1976-1999), detailed personal dosimetry, environmental monitoring and medical examination of employees were carried out regularly as per international Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) standards. It is obvious from monitoring data that contamination/ radiation levels at Baghalchur remained well within acceptable limits as established/ recommended by international organisation and no undue spread of contamination was observed throughout uranium mining operation. To maintain active control over Baghalchur area and to utilise the technical and administrative infrastructure available and keeping in view the storage of U-contaminated radioactive waste in abandoned mines as an acceptable international practice, the PAEC used the mines/ site for the interim storage of U-contaminated radioactive waste. Physical verification of the waste stored, assessment of personnel exposure of workers ambient radiation survey, activity measurements in soil, water, vegetation etc are being carried out urgently. It is evident from the results that the PAEC activities at Baghalchur site do not pose any hazard to the environment and general public. The concluding remarks of PNRA are as under: -- "Radiation survey of the site and analysis of the environmental sample indicates that post closure of mines and radioactive waste at the interim storage does not pose any radiological risk to the public residing in the surrounding area and environment. The stored drums at barracks are regularly monitored for any leakage and rusted drums are being encapsulated in the RCC barrels. The biannual reports indicate that there is no seepage of radioactive waste in the underground water channels and levels of the uranium contents in water, soil and vegetation are within the limits." A comprehensive emergency planning and preparedness programme of the site has been developed as per regulatory requirement and is being implemented effectively. In future, the waste stored in drums/ barrels (metallic and RCC) at this site will be shifted for disposal when an appropriate disposal facility (repository) for such waste has been developed. -- In-situ leach uranium mining at Taunsa and Nangar Nai -- In-Situ Leach (ISL), mining is a new mining technique, which has recently been developed and presently being exercised to mine out more than 20 percent uranium of the world. This mining method is very safe and environment friendly. Many hazardous and cost effecting operations of conventional mining methods like blasting of ore and waste rock, transportation of ore and waste, ventilation, crushing, grinding etc are not involved in ISL Mining. In this technique, ISL wells are constructed within boundaries of the ore body in certain pattern, which may be 5-spot or line drive pattern. In 5-spot pattern of wells, four wells are constructed at the corners of a square known as injection wells while fifth well, known as production well, is constructed in the centre of the square. Each well is properly sealed by inserting PVC casing in bore hole. At the bottom of the casing, a PVC bail plug is used and above this bail plug PVC filter according to the thickness of ore body is used. The annular space between PVC casing and bore hole is filled with cement under pressure. This is done to prevent leakage/ excursion of chemicals and leaded solution. Leaching Solution (Lixiviant), comprising Ammonium Bicarbonate and Hydrogen peroxide is pumped from processing plant directly into the injection wells. Due to pressure gradient, the leaching solution travels from injection well to production well and dissolves uranium. The uranium bearing solution (Leach Liquor) is pumped out by submersible pump installed in the production well and fed to the processing plant for recovery of uranium. In compliance with the decision taken in CDWP meeting held on May 11, detailed survey was conducted in the surrounding areas/ villages within 10-kilometre radius of mining project sites, ie Taunsa & Nangar Nai (tribal areas of DG Khan) to find out impacts of uranium mining on inhabitants and environment, which are briefed as under. (a) Urine samples of 22 inhabitants of surrounding areas/ villages of Taunsa and Nangar Nai were collected and analysed to determine U-content in the individual's urine samples. It is evident from the results that U-content was not detected in any of the inhabitants even at parts per million level. (b) Drinking water samples (22 Nos) from the water springs, hand pumps and ponds of surrounding areas of both mining projects were collected and analysed. Results show that either U-content is not found or it is much below the permissible limits. (c) Twenty-two of soil and 17 vegetation samples collected from different localities of surrounding areas were analysed. Results show that U-content has not been detected in any of the samples. It is worth mentioning that at Taunsa and Nangar Nai areas uranium deposits are exposed to the surface at their out crops by nature due to which some radiation and U-ore may prevail in the environment. Such exposure cannot be linked with mining activities. According to the PAEC, by design ISL Uranium Mining method is economical, safe and environment-friendly because workers are not exposed to uranium ore etc. Personnel as well as environmental monitoring is being carried out regularly and result obtained show that U-content is either not detected or remain much blow standard permissible limits. The results of analysis of urine (22 persons), soil (22 location), vegetation (17 localities) and water samples indicate that there is no spread of uranium in the surrounding areas (10-kilometre radius) of mining projects.