ESTIMATION OF RADIATION DOSE RATE LEVELS AROUND AZARA TOWN. AWE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF NASSARAWA STATE, NIGERIA

Radiation dose rate level monitoring was carriedout around Azara town and miningsites close to the town. A Radiagem 2000 Survey meter was used. Areas monitored include different location in Azara Town, mining Vent 17 and mining Vent 18. It was observed that the dose equivalent rate varied from 0.0 15 ± 0.002 to 0.241 ± 0.005pSv/hr with a mean value of 0.141 IpSv/h. Some of these results though slightly above the standard background radiation(0.133pSv/h), they are below the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) maximum permissible limit of 0.57pSv/hr and may not pose any danger to the mining workers, the inhabitants of Azara village and the environment at large. This project work also revealed that the dose rate at Azara village is essentially from natural background radiation. This implies that the village is safe and there has been no radioactive contamination from the activities of the mining sites on the people and the environment. This however, may not be the same for too long a time, depending on the mining activities in the future.