Speaker
Description
The Republic of Kazakhstan is a unique state combining its modern nuclear-free status with a serious nuclear past. There is a large number of radiation-hazardous objects of various types throughout the territory of Kazakhstan: the sites of nuclear testing, research and energy nuclear plants, organizations and plants of uranium mining and processing industry, oil fields. The particular public attention is directed to the places of nuclear explosions. For several decades, a significant amount of underground nuclear explosions (UNE) have been made on the territory of Kazakhstan. The series of peaceful nuclear explosions was performed for solving the number of national economic problems – Azgir test site, the "Lira", "Mangyshlak", "Meridian", "Batholith", "Region" facilities. The paper presents the main results of the investigations performed at the locations of peaceful nuclear explosions. The areas of anthropogenic radioactive contamination of equipment and soil were identified during the survey at some sites. Currently, the radiation situation in the territories and settlements adjacent to the places of peaceful nuclear explosions is normal. All objects of peaceful nuclear explosions are radiation dangerous and require constant monitoring at the state level. The most probable mechanism of threat is the spreading of radionuclides from groundwater.
