Shielding features of seven types on natural quartz

Deep Insights into the Radiation Shielding Features of Heavy Minerals in Their Native Status: Implications for Their Physical, Mineralogical, Geochemical, and Morphological Properties

“…Although concrete is the most prevalent material used to mitigate natural disasters [24] and man-made radiation leakages, a recent trend has occurred with respect to the exploitation of such minerals as native materials (in their original state, without their embedding as aggregates or additives in concrete, composites, or polymers), replacing concrete and cement pastes [25]. The most common types of these natural materials are serpentine minerals [26], halloysite [27,28], barite [29,30], chambersite [31], magnetite, limonite, hematite [30], granite [32,33], serpentinite rocks [34], garnet [35], and quartz [36]. The purposes of this trend are to (1) decrease the pollution resulting from the use of cement as a result of the use of concrete, (2) reduce the energy and costs stemming from the cement industry, (3) exploit the massive reserves of these minerals, which have no benefit to be used as nuclear waste landfills, (4) exploit additional space using thinner shielding walls, and (5) reduce the amount of maintenance that is needed compared to that which is needed for concrete.…”

Evaluation of the effects of bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) micro and nanoparticles on the mechanical, microstructural and γ-ray/neutron shielding properties of Portland cement pastes

“…Concrete is one of the most common materials used for radiation protection in radiation therapy facilities and nuclear reactors, as well as for preventing radiation leakage from radioactive sources. Since one of the main concrete components is aggregate, radiation shielding properties of concrete can be controlled by choice of proper normal-or heavy-weight [8][9][10] aggregate type. It is an inexpensive material with a high potential for incorporating a great variety of wastes and secondary raw materials [11][12][13].…”