The EPA continued its long-standing practice of hosting a representative of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recently, to study Australia’s uranium mining methods and its regulatory process for radiation protection.
The EPA Radiation Protection Branch welcomed Petr Otahal, a Visiting Fellow from the IAEA and researcher at the National Institute for Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Protection in the Czech Republic.
Petr who has published scientific papers on radon monitoring and radiation protection for the uranium mining industry, said he was most impressed with EPA’s Radon Chamber which is one of only two in Australia and the most sensitive for environmental and occupational analysis.
After making a presentation to the EPA on radon monitoring and the history of Europe’s only operation mine in the Czech Republic, Petr said he was keen to establish closer ties for collaborative studies.
He also visited the Beverley and Olympic Dam Uranium mines in South Australia and the Ranger mine in the Northern Territory.