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Measurement exercise 2014 in Saxony and Thuringia
Helicopter used in the measurement
The 2014 measurement exercise (airborne gamma spectrometry) jointly conducted by the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) and the German Federal Police (Bundespolizei / BPOL) took place from 6 to 9 October in Saxony and Thuringia. Areas near Zwickau, Lengenfeld, Schneeberg, Freital, Johanngeorgenstadt, and Seelingstädt were overflown, for most of which radiological data had been mapped during previous measurement exercises. The BfS and BPOL conducted measurements near Lengenfeld and Freital already in 2003, and near Zwickau, Johanngeorgenstadt und Seelingstädt in 2003 and 2010. In addition, the premises of the research site Rossendorf were selected for measurements in 2014.
Survey area in Johanngeorgenstadt (Wismut sites)
The flight altitude was about 100 m above the measured areas. The flight paths were parallel with 200 or 300 m path distance. Only the area near Schneeberg was overflown along a spiral path starting from the outer edge to the centre.
Special features of measured areas
There are uranium mining residues and legacies in all measured areas, except for Rossendorf. The sites owned by the Wismut GmbH were, or are being, remediated on the responsibility of the Wismut GmbH. So-called former Wismut sites, which are not owned by the Wismut GmbH any more, are being restored within the scope of an agreement between the Federal and State Governments in Saxony.
Overview of the measurement areas in Saxony (western part) and Thuringia
Source: Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy
Above the uranium mining residues and legacy sites not remediated (mainly disposal sites and tailings ponds) there is evidence of increased ambient dose rates (ODL) compared to the environment. This is due to the naturally radioactive residues from uranium production. Above remediated areas, there is almost no increase in ambient dose rates.
Natural radioactivity in Germany
The ambient dose rate (ODL) usually ranges from 50 to 250 nanosieverts per hour in Germany. The BfS operates 1,800 stationary probes to monitor ambient dose rates in Germany. The measurement data are available on the web at ODL-Info.
The measurement results: Overview
Overview of the measurement areas in Saxony (eastern part)
Source: Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy
In all measurement areas, the average ambient dose rate (ODL) was within the range of the natural radioactivity usual in Germany. Localised divergences are due to residues from uranium mining. Some of the measurement areas showed a marked decrease in measured maximum values compared to the previous helicopter-borne measurements carried out by the BfS and BPOL.
Characteristics of measuring areas
Zwickau / Crossen (site of the Wismut GmbH)show / hide
Gamma dose rate measurement in the area Zwickau / Crossen
At the site of the former uranium milling plant Zwickau / Crossen, there were, or still are, environmental impacts originating from
- the premises,
- the spoil tip and
- the three tailings ponds.
Processing of uranium ore was terminated in 1989, remediation was started subsequently.
Lengenfeld (former Wismut site)show / hide
Ambient dose rates in the measurement area Lengenfeld.
Near Lengenfeld a uranium ore milling plant was operated from 1947 to 1961.
Effective remediation was only started in 2005 and is still ongoing.
Schneeberg (former Wismut site)show / hide
Ambient dose rates in the measurement area Schneeberg.
Most of the mining activities by the SAG (Soviet stock company) Wismut took place from 1947 up to the early 1950ies in Schneeberg.
Remediation at this site is focused on the mining works. Above ground remediation is required to a smaller extent.
Johanngeorgenstadt (former Wismut site)show / hide
Ambient dose rate in the measurement area Johanngeorgenstadt
Mining in Johanngeorgenstadt was termindated by the Soviet-German stock corporation (SDAG, Sowjetisch-Deutsche Aktiengesellschaft) Wismut in the late 1950es, leaving behind a great number of disposal sites, tailings ponds and other areas affected by mining which were given back to the municipality for subsequent use according to the provisions applicable at the time.
Effective remediation in this area first began 2000 and is still in progress today.
Seelingstädt (site of the Wismut GmbH, former Wismut site)show / hide
Ambient dose rates in the measurement area Seelingstädt.
The measurement area Seelingstädt essentially includes the two former tailings ponds Culmitzsch and Trünzig.
The residues from uranium ore processing of the former processing site Seelingstädt were flushed in, or deposited in these two tailings ponds.
Remediation of the tailings ponds by Wismut GmbH is well advanced. Remediation in Trünzig is almost concluded.
Freital / Dresden (site of the Wismut GmbH, former Wismut site)show / hide
Ambient dose rates in the measurement area Freital.
Radioactive legacies in this area are due to both early uranium mining in Dresden-Coschütz and uranium mining performed up to 1989 in Dresden-Gittersee.
In addition, there are spoil tips from coal mining featuring high natural radioactivity in Freital.
The Wismut site Gittersee has largely been remediated, as well as further legacies of early uranium mining.
Rossendorfshow / hide
The premises of Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, former site of the research reactor RFR, was first overflown 2014 by BfS and BPOL. There was no evidence of radiological divergences.
In addition, the area was used to specifically spread and track radioactive sources (radioactive substances) of a given activity during the exercise.
The international measurement exercise 2015 is also intended to involve a so-called identification of hidden sources as an exercise at this site.
State of 2018.07.06