BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//CERN//INDICO//EN BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Review of Environmental Radioactivity in Mkuju\, Manyoni\, and Bah i Uranium Deposits in Tanzania DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T093000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T100000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260624T082536Z UID:indico-contribution-642-3842@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mohamed Mazunga (University of Dar es Salaam)\nUrani um deposits in Tanzania\, particularly at Mkuju\, Bahi\, and Manyoni\, hav e attracted increasing attention due to their economic potential and envir onmental implications. Over the past two decades\, numerous studies have i nvestigated activity concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides\, including uranium-238\, thorium-232\, and potassium-40\, as well as assoc iated radiological hazards. However\, these studies remain scattered\, lim iting a spatial pattern\, methodological consistency\, potential environme ntal and public health implications. This paper aims to systematically rev iew and synthesize published studies on natural radioactivity in the Mkuju \, Bahi\, and Manyoni uranium deposits. The findings reveal that activity concentrations in soil for 238U (21 to 846 Bq/kg)\, 232Th (12 to 107 Bq/kg ) and 40K (38 to 791 Bq/kg) in Manyoni indicating moderate to high variabi lity depending on sampling location. In contrast\, Mkuju exhibits the high est radioactivity levels\, particularly within concession areas where 226R a reaches extremely elevated values of 2430 – 4200 Bq/kg\, accompanied b y increased 232Th (130 – 220 Bq/kg) and 40K (up to ~1466 Bq/kg). Bahi de posit shows comparatively lower to moderate 226Ra concentrations (9.19 – 69.38 Bq/kg)\, but relatively high 40Klevels\, reaching up to 1384.75 Bq/ kg. Despite these observations\, inconsistencies in sampling strategies an d limited longitudinal studies hinder reliable comparisons and comprehensi ve trend analysis. This review emphasizes the need for standardized method ologies\, long-term environmental monitoring\, GIS-based mapping\, geochem ical fingerprinting and expanded studies on radionuclide transfer through environmental pathways. This review provides a comprehensive perspective o n radioactivity measurements in Tanzanian uranium deposits and serves as a benchmark for future investigations in radiation safety and sustainable u ranium exploitation in Tanzania.\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/c ontributions/3842/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3842/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:The Rhisotope Project - A novel use of radiation to deter poaching DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T120000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T122500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260624T082536Z UID:indico-contribution-642-3844@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: James Larkin (University of Witwatersrand)\nThe rate of poaching of rhinos in South Africa shows little sign of slowing. The n umbers are down but there are less animals to be poached. South Africa is custodian of the majority of the world's black and white rhino populations . The conventional methods of anti poaching are proving barely adequate wh ilst at the same time risking the lives of antipoaching patrols. The Rhiso tope Project utilises nuclear science in a novel manner to protect these m egaherbivores and give them the chance to survive and thrive once again.\n \nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3844/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3844/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Development and Optimisation of a Two-Stage SiPM-Based Compton Cam era DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T103000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T105000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260624T082536Z UID:indico-contribution-642-3825@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Shanyn Hart (iThemba LABS)\nThis work investigates t he development of a two-stage Compton camera for environmental radiation m onitoring\, with a focus on energy resolution\, detection efficiency\, fas t timing\, and optimal geometrical configuration. While significant advanc es have been made in radiation imaging technologies\, challenges remain in achieving high sensitivity and accurate source localisation in complex en vironments.\n\nA prototype Compton camera is studied using compact\, low-v oltage 14 × 14 × 25.4 mm LaBr$_3$:Ce scintillation detectors coupled to SiPM readout\, with the aim of leveraging the advantages of modern SiPM te chnology. These detectors\, manufactured by CapeScint (MA\, USA)\, demonst rate excellent energy resolution (3.4% at 662 keV) and fast timing perform ance. Scatter event tracking is modelled using the TOPAS Monte Carlo toolk it to determine optimal detector geometry and timing characteristics\, com plemented by experimental measurements with standard gamma-ray sources.\n\ nIn addition\, two Cs$_2$LiYCl$_6$ (CLYC-6) SiPM-readout detectors of the same geometry have been commissioned to exploit their neutron sensitivity. Pulse shape discrimination is used to distinguish neutron and gamma-ray i nteractions\, enabling simultaneous gamma–neutron detection for comprehe nsive environmental radiation assessment.\n\nThe development of this syste m has the potential to improve radiation source localisation\, contaminati on mapping\, and situational awareness in environmental and nuclear safety applications. Its compact design and fast-timing capabilities make it wel l suited for field deployment in scenarios such as nuclear facility monito ring\, waste management\, and emergency response. Preliminary results from simulation and experimental studies will be presented.\n\nhttps://indico. tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3825/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3825/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Portable African Neutron-Gamma Laboratory for Innovative Nuclear S cience DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T100000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T103000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260624T082536Z UID:indico-contribution-642-3799@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Pete Jones (iThemba LABS)\nThe Portable African Neut ron-Gamma Laboratory for Innovative Nuclear Science (PANGoLINS) [1] projec t aims to investigate measurements of both gamma rays and neutrons which f orms an important component part on site or in transit and the detection o f both fissile material for the use in decarbonised energy sources or disp osal thereof. A core component of the project is to miniaturize the weigh t of the gamma ray detection device and associated infrastructure so that it can be loaded on an unmanned aerial vehicle to enable access to and enh ance performance of radiation monitoring measurements at remote sites lead ing to autonomous operations.\n\nPANGoLINS incorporates commercial detecto r assemblies of LaBr3(Ce)\, SrI2(Eu) and/or CLYC(Ce) for spectroscopy. In addition\, the project encompasses the instrumentation of other scintilla tion detectors with silicon photomultiplier technologies. The coupling of these to readout devices such as high-density ADC readout are planned for applications for nuclear science\, medical imaging [2] or astronomy.\n\nA n overview of the project\, its progress and potential outcomes will be pr esented.\n\nReferences\n\n [1] Jones\, P. et al.\, IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium (2025) DOI: 10.1109/NSS/MIC/RTSD57106.2025.11286641\n [2] Hart \, S. et al.\, IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium (2025) DOI: 10.1109/NSS/MIC/ RTSD57106.2025.11287197\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributi ons/3799/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3799/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Gamma and radon measurements in the Huguenot tunnel for the PAUL p roject DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T084500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T090500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260624T082536Z UID:indico-contribution-642-3834@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Robbie Lindsay (UWC)\nThe PAUL project has made sign ificant progress toward planning and designing an underground laboratory t o be constructed during the upgrade of the Huguenot Road Tunnel near Paarl in the Western Cape\, South Africa. Measurements of muon-flux suppression in the tunnel—critical to demonstrating reduced cosmic-ray backgrounds —will be presented in a separate contribution to this conference. Here\, we report on measurements of the gamma-ray background and radon concentra tions\, which are also crucial for assessing the site’s suitability for low-background experiments.\n\nThis presentation summarizes radon monitori ng results\, gamma-ray spectra measured in the tunnel\, and the concentrat ions of naturally occurring radionuclides in the surrounding rock. Measure ment methods and results will be described\, with emphasis on implications for background mitigation and for the design of the planned underground l aboratory.\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3834/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3834/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Radiological Health Risk Assessment of Agricultural Soils Around Selected Quarry Sites in Selected States\, Nigeria DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T082000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T084500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260624T082536Z UID:indico-contribution-642-3803@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mojisola Usikalu ()\nSoil samples in the agricultura l farmland surrounding selected quarry sites in Ondo and Ekiti states was assessed to measure the concentration of 238U\, 232Th\, 40K using NaI (TI) detector and estimating radiological parameters in order to determine the possible radiation effects to the farmers and member of the public consum ing the farm products. Analysis of the result revealed that the average co ntents of the measured radioelements were 15.19\, 31.92 and 1354.15\, 16.5 5\, 38.60 and 1185.44\, 24.66\, 34.25\, 1385.89 and 18.10\, 37.66\, 1242.6 7 Bq/kg for Iyin\, Ita ogbolu\, Aaye and Ikere quarry sites\, accordingly. The absorbed dose rate in the soil samples ranges from 64.91 nGy/h in Iyi n quarry site to 146.88 nGy/h in Aaye quarry site with the mean value of 8 6.06 nGy/h for the four study locations. The concentration of 40K\, the ab sorbed dose rate\, the indoor and outdoor annual effective dose and the ex cess lifetime cancer risk were higher than the world limit in the study ar ea\, predisposing the member of the public in these locations to hazard of radiation exposure. There is the need for constant monitoring of the quar ry sites\, provision of radiation protective shield for workers mining at the sites\, awareness of radiation risks to the farmers and members of the public around the quarry sites.\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/c ontributions/3803/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3803/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Applications of Accelerator Mass Spectrometry in southern Africa DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T075000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T082000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260624T082536Z UID:indico-contribution-642-3841@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Stephan Woodborne ()\nThe AMS facility at iThemba LA BS is the only one of its kind on the African continent. It operates with NRF support to achieve a threefold mandate: to provide a technology platfo rm for users\, to train future science leaders\, and to do research. In me eting this mandate the AMS facility operates in a partnership with the use r base in the provision of know-how to run analyses on science agendas set by the users\, and in leading in-house research that accommodates academi c partners and post-graduate student training. While the AMS facility is f ramed securely in the particle physics domain\, the greatest impact is fou nd in applied disciplines. The greatest demand is from the traditional her itage market\, and the “recent archaeology” of southern Africa is almo st entirely dependent on AMS radiocarbon dating to provide a chronological framework. Other important applications include testing climate change fo recasts\, dating groundwater recharge\, assessing global phenomenon such a s magnetic field fluctuations over the last 50 000 years\, and assessing t he mechanisms of coastal erosion. The essence of the AMS program is to use particle physics for the benefit of the people of South Africa\, and Afri ca\, and this depends on attracting innovative young scientists into the f ield.\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3841/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3841/ END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR