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ISSN: 2763-5724 / Vol. 04 - n 04 - ano 2024
metamorphic foliation. These zones resulted from shear stresses and fractures that controlled
microgranite intrusions and subsequent percolation of metasomatic mineralizing uids along grain
boundaries and microfractures. (PORTO DA SILVEIRA; SCHORSCHER; MIEKELEY, 1991).
The use of mining is one of the main sources of income that increase numerous municipalities
in the territory of Paraíba. In the municipality of Pedra Lavrada located in the Curimataú region of
Paraíba, the mining activity has been developed for more than 50 years, and with a monthly production
of around ve thousand tons, thus making it an economic activity for this region. The extraction of
ores such as limestone, feldspar, rose quartz, mica, ruby, beryl, black ore, tantalite, talc, uranium,
among others, causes neglect of these workers, thus causing numerous health problems. Concomitant
with mining practices, some impacts of a physical, biological and social nature. In addition to the
harm caused to health, the activity makes the soil unavailable through erosion, water, ora and fauna.
Thus, changes in the ecological balance and the impacts of human activities on mining areas have
been causing damage to the health of miners (SOUZA et al., 2010).
The phosphate-rich region of Northeast Brazil, in the coastal sedimentary area of the states of
Pernambuco and Paraíba, has levels higher than those of the Northeast Phosphate. The people living
in this highly populated area are continuously exposed to ionizing radiation derived from uranium
and its progeny. The following concentrations of uranium 226Ra and 222Rn were found in the water
bodies crossing the phosphate area, and based on the rate of ingestion of these radionuclides due
to water consumption. The average concentrations found for uranium, 226Ra, and 222Rn were 25
mBq/L, 282.2 mBq/L, and 104.7 Bq/L, values higher than those found in the Poços de Caldas plateau,
Brazil, and the phosphate-rich area of North Carolina, USA. Increases of 1.25% in the incidence of
cancer due to ingestion of 222Rn and 7% of head sarcomas and 3% of occurrences of osteosarcomas
due to Ra ingestion were estimated for the local population (LIMA et al., 1996).
The uranium district of Lagoa Real, in Bahia, northeastern Brazil, is the most important
uranium province in the country and currently produces this metal in an open-pit mine operated by
Indústrias Nucleares do Brasil. The uranium-rich zones are associated with plagioclase-rich rocks