DUB-GEM - Development of a UAV-based Gamma spectrometry for the Exploration and Monitoring of Uranium Mining Legacies

Country / Region: Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan / Central Asia

Begin of project: April 1, 2019

End of project: December 31, 2022

Status of project: January 17, 2022

Background

At former uranium mining sites in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan there is a risk of uncontrolled inputs of radioactive contamination into transboundary rivers due to natural hazards (floods, landslides, etc.). In the DUB-GEM project (Development of a UAV-based Gamma spectrometry for the Exploration and Monitoring of Uranium Mining Legacies), an exploration technique (gamma spectrometry) installed on a drone is being developed to rapidly detect the radioactive contamination situation in the vicinity of these sites. The research project is scheduled to last three years and is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) with approx. 1 million € within the framework of the funding priority "CLIENT II - International Partnerships for Sustainable Innovations" within the framework programme "FONA – Research for Sustainable Development".

Measurement team in Mailuu Suu, Kyrgyzstan at the investigation site TP11 from October 5th, 2021 - Tailing Pond of the former uranium mining Source: IAEA

The exploration of former uranium mining sites with the aid of so-called gamma spectrometers is usually carried out with ground-based measuring systems (e.g. on foot). Especially in difficult, mountainous terrain, the exploration is often laborious and stressful for the person working on it. Alternatively, airborne, e.g. helicopter-based systems can be used. The latter are efficient and largely independent of the terrain - but are logistically and financially very expensive, so that their use is rather the exception. With the development of a drone based reconnaissance method in the DUB-GEM project, the advantages of airborne systems are largely preserved – despite a comparatively much lower operating cost.

Erosion channel on a uranium mining waste dump Source: BGR

At former uranium mining sites in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan there is a risk of uncontrolled inputs of radioactive contamination into transboundary rivers in the region due to geological risks. Against this background, decisions were taken at international level at the UN General Conference in 2013 and 2018 on the urgent need for the international community to clean up these sites. In 2016, at the initiative of the EU, the Environmental Remediation Account for Central Asia (ERA) was established at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to finance the remediation of radioactively contaminated sites in the four Central Asian states. With the development work in DUB-GEM the basis for a future commercial use of drone based gamma spectrometry as an efficient exploration method shall be created.

The use of relatively small gamma-ray spectrometers on drones to detect contamination with low-level radioactive material has been little studied to date. In addition to targeted development work for the integration of detector and drones and for the optimal flight strategy, DUB-GEM also plans to develop two competing processing and evaluation routines for the raw data, since the expected measuring distance between the examination area and the drone is exactly in the transition range of the respective measuring distances of the exploration methods previously used on the ground or from the air. The researchers plan to approach the problem solution from the two established application scales of the aforementioned exploration methods.

Replacement of a detector and photos of the system Source: IAEA

Drones in action

The project participants hope that the results of the development work will provide information about which of the developed exploration methods should be preferred in the future or whether both methods should be used complementarily. Findings on efficiency increases in exploration and on data quality compared to established methods are also expected.

Based on the two differently justified development approaches, the actual exploration strategies are first specified. Then, requirements for the dimensioning, development and design of the required drone are formulated and all necessary components are to be integrated on the drone. By flying over selected areas in Germany, the exploration strategies are calibrated and optimal flight strategies are determined. Selected areas in the partner countries will be flown with the finished overall system. The interpreted measurement data will be validated by ground-based measurements and the two developed evaluation strategies will be compared in terms of their overall performance in practical use.

Support during the renovation process

Tailings dump from the former uranium mining in Mailuu Suu, Kyrgyzstan Source: BGR

The exploration method to be developed in DUB-GEM allows the delimitation and quantitative characterisation of risk areas. These can be elevated radioactive contamination in the vicinity of mining sites as well as extensive radioactive contamination in river valleys or agricultural plains in the run-off. In addition, risk areas detected from the air can provide the basis for further ground-based measurements, which are thus more efficient and easier to plan.

The Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) is coordinating the project on the German side. The company Third Element Aviation from Bielefeld will provide the required drone to carry the gamma spectrometers and thus expand the product portfolio in the heavy lift range up to 25 kg.

The company IAF-Radioökologie GmbH from Radeberg is responsible for one of the two planned parallel development lines for drone based gamma spectrometry and aims to extend its radioecological method spectrum by an airborne exploration method. BGR is responsible for the second development line planned in DUB-GEM. After decades of experience with helicopter-supported gamma spectrometry, the extension of the method to a drone is the scientifically obvious next step for BGR.

Partner:

• IAF-Radioökologie GmbH, Wilhelm-Rönsch-Straße 9, 01454 Radeberg, Germany
• Third Element Aviation GmbH, Krackser Str. 12, 33659 Bielefeld, Germany
• Department of Radiation and Nuclear Safety,Tashkent, Uzbekistan
• Ministry of Emergency Situations, Tailings Management Agency, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
• Committee for Atomic and Energy Supervision and Control, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
• Nuclear and Radiation Safety Agency of Tajikistan (NRSA), Dushanbe, Tajikistan

Promotion / document number:

01LZ1706A-D