Search Results (333)

The integration of aeromagnetic, gamma-ray spectrometric, and remote sensing approaches was used to delineate structural configurations and identify potential mineralization sites in the Wadi Queih area, Eastern Desert, Egypt. Focusing on weathered Precambrian terrains, this study establishes a predictive, multitier exploration model for the Wadi Queih area (Eastern Desert, Egypt) by integrating aeromagnetic, gamma-ray spectrometric, and Landsat-9 OLI-2 datasets. Rather than analyzing these datasets in isolation, the novel contribution of this integrated approach lies in its ability to map the complete genetic path of mineralization—bridging subsurface structural conduits, surface hydrothermal alteration, and radioelements. Subsurface structural configurations mapped via magnetic tilt derivative (TDR) and analytic signal (AS) filters were revealed. The main finding is that the dominant NW–SE structural trend is consistent with regional tectonic structures associated with Red Sea rifting. By co-registering these deep structures with surface mineralogical mapping from Landsat-9 OLI-2 (processed using PCA, band ratios, and Spectral Angle Mapper), we demonstrate a direct structural control on hydrothermal alteration zones. Specifically, these fault zones align with intense hydroxyl and iron oxide alterations, while the Spectral Angle Mapper successfully identified serpentinite-hosted magnesite and chromite extensions. Airborne gamma-ray spectrometry validated these targets, mapping localized potassium enrichment along fault-controlled alteration zones and identifying strata-bound uranium enrichment within the phosphorogenic Duwi and Tarif Formations. The convergence of these three independent datasets provides a self-validating targeting framework that significantly reduces exploration risk compared to traditional single-dataset analyses. Ultimately, this integrated, multidisciplinary approach provides a robust and highly generalizable exploration framework for complex Precambrian terrains globally. Full article

Eastern Croatia includes settlements with historically elevated arsenic (As) concentrations in drinking water. Of 488 recruited adults, nine were excluded solely because no questionnaire was available; the exclusion was independent of measured arsenic concentrations, and the harmonised analytical cohort therefore comprised 479 adults from eight settlements. Total As concentrations in drinking water, hair, serum, and urine were measured in samples collected in June 2015 by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Kidney cancer data (ICD-10 C64) for 2000–2018 were obtained from the Croatian National Cancer Registry and analysed ecologically. MDCK1 cells were exposed to As₂O₃ at 10–200 µg/L for 48, 72, and 96 h, and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was measured in human erythrocytes. Čepin had the highest median As concentrations in drinking water (191.75 µg/L) and urine (68.14 µg/L). Across all eight settlements, drinking-water As was strongly associated with urinary As (slope = 0.537; 95% CI, 0.352–0.722; R² = 0.894; p < 0.001). However, in a sensitivity analysis excluding Čepin and using the seven non-Čepin settlement means reported, the association weakened (r = 0.740; R² = 0.548; slope = 1.246; 95% CI, −0.054 to 2.547; p = 0.057), indicating substantial influence of the Čepin hotspot. Associations with hair As (R² = 0.294; p = 0.165) and serum As (R² = 0.239; p = 0.219) were not statistically significant. In a multivariable Gamma generalized linear model, residence in Čepin was associated with higher expected urinary As than residence in Vladislavci (adjusted mean ratio, 2.90; 95% CI, 1.90–4.42; p < 0.001), while female sex was associated with a lower expected concentration (adjusted mean ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.66–0.97; p = 0.024). No statistically significant effect of As₂O₃ on MDCK1 viability or erythrocyte AChE activity was observed. The findings support urinary total As as a biomarker of recent environmental exposure, but do not establish causal associations with kidney toxicity or kidney cancer. Full article

The Hwange Mining Area, located in the Mid-Zambezi Karoo Basin in northwestern Zimbabwe, is a major centre for coal mining, processing, and thermal power generation. This study evaluates the ecological and public health risks associated with these activities by characterising radionuclide (²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K) activity concentrations in coal and surrounding soils using Hyper-Pure Germanium (HPGe) gamma spectrometry. Samples were collected from four locations, as follows: Hwange Colliery Company (underground and open-cast mines), Zambezi Gas open-cast operations, residential areas, and the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) thermal power station. Radionuclide concentrations were measured using Hyper-Pure Germanium (HPGe) gamma spectrometry. Mean activity concentrations in coal were low at both mining sites (Hwange Colliery: ²²⁶Ra 16 ± 5.3 Bq/kg), ²³²Th 14 ± 5.7 Bq/kg), (⁴⁰K 51 ± 8.8 Bq/kg) and Zambezi Gas (²²⁶Ra 9.80 ± 2.3 Bq/kg), ²³²Th (11 ± 3.3 Bq/kg), ⁴⁰K (43 ± 26 Bq/kg), well below UNSCEAR world coal averages. In contrast, soils from residential areas): ²²⁶Ra (36 ± 15 Bq/kg), ²³²Th (36 ± 12 Bq/kg) and ⁴⁰K (220 ± 80 Bq/kg), and the ZPC power station (²²⁶Ra 47 ± 8.6 Bq/kg, ²³²Th (42 ± 10 Bq/kg), and ⁴⁰K 230 ± 92 Bq/kg, showed markedly elevated concentrations, consistent with the accumulation of coal-combustion by-products such as fly ash. Radiological hazard indices remained within internationally accepted limits at all sites, as follows: radium equivalent (Raeq) ranged from 29 ± 6.7 Bq/kg (Zambezi Gas) to 120 ± 18 Bq/kg (ZPC), well below the 370 Bq/kg safety ceiling, while external and internal hazard indices (H_ex, H_in) remained below unity throughout, peaking at 0.32 and 0.46, respectively, at ZPC. Annual effective dose equivalents (AEDE) ranged from 16 ± 3.8 to 69 ± 10 μSv/year, the latter (ZPC) representing approximately 7% of the ICRP public dose limit of 1 mSv/year. Excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) values ranged from 5.56 × 10⁻⁵ (Zambezi Gas) to 2.42 × 10⁻⁴ (ZPC), remaining below the global average outdoor reference of 0.29 × 10⁻³ but reaching approximately 83% of this reference at ZPC and 71% in residential areas. These findings indicate that, while coal mining activities in Hwange contribute minimally to environmental radioactivity, coal combustion at the ZPC thermal power station is the dominant driver of elevated radionuclide concentrations and radiological indices in the surrounding environment, with residential soils reflecting the same enrichment pathway. Although no immediate radiological hazard was identified at any location, the comparatively higher indices at ZPC and in nearby residential areas underscore the need for continuous environmental monitoring, strengthened regulatory control, and targeted radiation protection strategies to safeguard workers and nearby communities. Full article

The incorporation of recycled concrete fines (F), limestone (L), and ground granulated blast-furnace slag (S) as Portland cement constituents in accordance with EN 197-6 requires the determination of naturally occurring radionuclides to ensure radiological safety from a radiation protection standpoint. This study carried out a radiological assessment of eight cement types with varying proportions of L, F, and S additions, including anhydrous cements and mortars cured for 2 and 28 days. The activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K were determined by gamma-ray spectrometry using HPGe detectors and radiochemical separation. In addition, the ²²²Rn emanation fractions were measured by the accumulation method using an AlphaGuard detector. Finally, annual effective doses were calculated using the RESRAD-BUILD software for a standard dwelling of 35 m² occupied by an adult and an infant. Among the individual materials, S exhibited the highest activity in the uranium decay series (113 ± 24 Bq kg⁻¹ of ²³⁸U), while L and F showed comparably lower values. Cements containing S additions (CEM II/C-M, CEM VI (S-L), and CEM VI (S-F)) were higher than the reference average value for building materials of 50 Bq kg⁻¹, although all mortars remained below this value. Principal component analysis revealed significant correlations between S content, SiO₂, Al₂O₃, and ²³²Th. The maximum annual effective dose reached 0.32 mSv for infants (CEM VI (S-L)), with the dose due to ²²²Rn inhalation being predominant. All cements studied are radiologically safe, confirming their suitability for use within the objectives of the circular economy. Full article

Accurate interpretation of radiation sensor decay data is important for environmental monitoring, site remediation, radiation metrology, detector quality assurance, and nuclear data evaluation. When the original gamma spectrometry records are unavailable, a published decay plot may be the only source that can be reanalyzed independently. This study presents a reproducible reduced-data workflow for testing half-life estimates from a digitized ¹⁹⁸Au decay dataset. A weighted exponential fit to the digitized data points reproduces the published room-temperature half-life, indicating that the main decay scale is retained in the figure-level dataset. The analysis then tests how the fitted result changes under plausible figure-level effects, including baseline-like offsets, time-axis reconstruction, finite-window leverage, and ratio-based robustness checks using pairwise summaries and Steiner’s most frequent value statistics. The no-offset fit is locally well constrained, but small constant offsets can shift the fitted half-life because the normalization, decay constant, and residual baseline are partly degenerate over the limited time window. Toy Monte Carlo diagnostics show that some estimator shifts are expected for finite-window exponential data. This study does not revise recommended nuclear data or replace the original experiment. Instead, it shows how published radiation sensor decay data can be tested for reproducibility, identifiability, and sensitivity to analysis choices when only reduced or figure-level information is available. Full article

Legacy liquid radioactive waste (LRW) from the BN-350 sodium-cooled fast reactor is chemically heterogeneous and requires updated characterization for further management. This study investigated the physicochemical properties and gamma-emitting radionuclide composition of 13 LRW samples collected from four tanks (B-02/1, B-02/2, B-02/5, and B-02/6) at surface (“mirror”), middle, and lower levels. Five samples were analyzed as LRW and eight as evaporated LRW residues. Physicochemical analysis included pH, density, dry residue, alkalinity, and major inorganic components. Portable gamma spectrometry was applied to all samples, and laboratory HPGe measurements were performed for selected aqueous LRW samples. The saline LRW samples were strongly alkaline and highly mineralized, with dry residue values of 139.30–295.10 g/dm³. Tank B-02/6 contained distinct oil-containing, emulsion, and carbonate-rich alkaline aqueous phases. ¹³⁷Cs was the dominant identified gamma-emitting radionuclide, with specific activities ranging from (1.4 ± 0.3) × 10⁵ to (1.1 ± 0.2) × 10⁸ Bq/kg in liquid samples and up to (6.5 ± 1.3) × 10⁸ Bq/kg in evaporated residues. The results show that BN-350 LRW is not a homogeneous waste stream; therefore, future monitoring, retrieval, treatment, and conditioning should be planned according to matrix type, sampling depth, vertical phase heterogeneity, and ¹³⁷Cs-dominated radiological characteristics. Full article

Radiological screening of construction materials is conventionally performed on bulk samples, yet occupants are exposed to fine, abradable, and respirable fractions. This study examines how particle-size distribution (PSD) governs the redistribution of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K, and anthropogenic ¹³⁷Cs in construction materials and in ash from domestic biomass heating. In total, 27 materials were analysed by high-resolution HPGe gamma spectrometry, with granulometric segregation at coarse (PSD3) and fine (PSD7) resolution. PSD3 showed no monotonic effect, whereas PSD7 revealed a systematic rise of the activity concentration index toward the finest fractions. ⁴⁰K and ¹³⁷Cs showed the strongest particle-size dependence, indicating preferential accumulation in the fines; ¹³⁷Cs was detected only in biomass-ash pellets, where it was enriched in the fines (EF = 2.73 relative to bulk; a single-material case study). Two models are proposed: a physically grounded surface-controlled model and a descriptive granulometric enrichment factor for material ranking, both fitted to the present dataset. A fraction-resolved dose assessment showed that the internal hazard index (Hin) rises toward the fines and exceeds unity (≈1.1) in the respirable ash and fireclay fractions even though their bulk values remain acceptable. Bulk screening, therefore, underestimates the dose-relevant burden carried by the fine fractions that workers and households actually inhale. Full article

To assess the environmental impact of uranium mining operations in southern Kazakhstan, the elemental and radionuclide composition of soil samples collected from settlements in the Kyzylorda Region was investigated. The analysis was carried out using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and gamma-ray spectrometry. Mean concentrations and variation ranges were determined for 28 chemical elements, including uranium, lead, antimony, and gamma-emitting radionuclides such as ¹³⁷Cs, ⁴⁰K, ²³²Th, ²³⁸U, ²²⁶Ra, ²¹⁰Pb, and ²⁴¹Am. The analysis of the specific activities of the artificial radionuclides ¹³⁷Cs and ²⁴¹Am was carried out in order to assess the influence of the Semipalatinsk Test Site on the soils of the study area. Based on the obtained data, heavy metal pollution indices, ecological risk indices, and radiological parameters were calculated to evaluate the potential environmental and human health impacts. Most elements were present at levels below average crustal abundances, suggesting limited anthropogenic influence. Slight exceedances for uranium, lead, and antimony are likely associated with regional geochemical features. Radiological assessment indicated that the radiation environment remains within internationally accepted limits. The lifetime cancer risk values for exposure of humans to natural radionuclides ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K and ¹³⁷Cs from soil at 1 m above ground level ranged from 0.19 × 10⁻³ to 0.30 × 10⁻³, with an average of 0.24 × 10⁻³. Nearly all sampling points remained below the risk threshold of 0.29 × 10⁻³, indicating minimal radiological hazard. The carcinogenic risk remained within the acceptable regulatory range for both adults (2.0 × 10⁻⁵) and children (4.4 × 10⁻⁵), whereas the non-carcinogenic hazard index for children (1.3) slightly exceeded the screening threshold of 1. This finding identifies children as the most sensitive receptor group under the conservative assumptions of the applied screening methodology. The study demonstrates the applicability of combined chemical and radiometric methods for comprehensive environmental assessments in uranium mining regions. The results are of interest both in terms of methodology and in understanding the local geochemical and radiological landscape. Full article

Bimetallic nanoclusters (NCs) containing gold and silver were prepared by template-assisted synthesis using human serum albumin (HSA) via a newly optimized fabrication route at 25 °C. Additionally, following this procedure, we also reproducibly synthesized further Au/Ag NCs, containing a similar Au:Ag ratio, using bovine serum albumin (BSA), lysozyme (LYZ), transferrin (Tf), and gamma-globulin (γG). The aim was to highlight the importance of experimental conditions of the synthesis (e.g., metal ion: protein molar ratio and metal and protein concentrations, as well as synthesis time, temperature, and pH) for the composition, structure, and optical features of the protein-stabilized ultra-small-sized products. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy revealed that the partial unfolding of the stabilizing proteins is primarily caused by the alkaline synthesis environment rather than the nanocluster formation itself. Furthermore, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) successfully confirmed the presence of mainly metallic (Au⁰) core structures alongside Ag⁰/Ag⁺ species, providing the actual metal-to-protein ratios after purification. As a new result, cytotoxicity of these bimetallic NCs was determined by using doxorubicin-sensitive Colo205 and CCD-19Lu human normal fibroblast cell lines, and their antibacterial activity was also evaluated using four different Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. Full article

The rising consumer demand for functional, low-alcohol beverages necessitates innovative brewing strategies. This study evaluated germinated Thai glutinous rice (Oryza sativa var. glutinosa, cv. Kheiw Ngu 8974) as a novel malt adjunct for non-alcoholic beer fermented with the probiotic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii. Formulations with germinated glutinous rice to barley malt ratios of 0:100, 40:60, 60:40 and 80:20, designated as R0, R40, R60, and R80, respectively, were systematically analyzed for their fermentation properties, physicochemical properties, bioactive enrichment, volatile compounds, and sensory attributes. Results showed that the high substitution levels in glutinous rice restricted enzymatic saccharification, successfully limiting ethanol accumulation in R60 and R80 to below the 0.5% v/v regulatory threshold. The final ethanol values for R0, R40, R60, and R80 were 1.34 ± 0.04%, 0.65 ± 0.04%, 0.4 ± 0.04%, and 0.13 ± 0.04% v/v, respectively. Although the control formulation (R0) exhibited the highest initial total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant capacity, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels, S. boulardii fermentation significantly enriched these functional compounds across all adjunct-substituted formulations. Furthermore, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC/MS) analysis revealed a distinct shift in the volatile profile, with increasing levels of rice substitution resulting in a reduction in fermentation-derived aliphatic esters and a greater relative abundance of hop-derived terpenes and terpenoids. Sensory evaluations indicated that while extreme substitution (R80) negatively impacted color and aroma balance, the 40% and 60% formulations maintained highly acceptable organoleptic profiles. The overall liking scores for R0, R40, R60, R80, and the commercial product were 6.71 ± 1.66, 5.42 ± 1.65, 5.68 ± 1.80, 5.03 ± 1.92, and 6.45 ± 1.65, respectively. In conclusion, integrating a 60% substitution of germinated Thai glutinous rice provides the most balanced formulation among those tested, producing compliant, sensory-acceptable non-alcoholic beer with enhanced bioactive functionality. Full article

Background/Objectives: Cytological analysis of pleural and peritoneal effusions is minimally invasive but may show limited sensitivity for malignancy detection because tumor cells can be scarce or morphologically difficult to identify. Proteomics-based mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) enables direct molecular profiling of cytological specimens and may improve the distinction between malignant and benign samples. This study investigated whether MALDI-based MSI profiling of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) cytology cell blocks could discriminate high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) from benign effusions and identify discriminatory peptide signatures. Methods: Forty-one FFPE cytological specimens derived from pleural and peritoneal effusions were analyzed, including 18 malignant samples and 23 benign control specimens with reactive or inflammatory cytological backgrounds. MALDI-MSI analyses were performed using proteomic profiling. In a preliminary comparative experiment, two section thicknesses (3 µm and 5 µm) were evaluated to optimize ion peak intensity yield. Classification analyses using linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and support vector machine (SVM) models were performed to identify discriminatory peptide signatures. Results: Comparative analysis of average mass spectra identified multiple differentially expressed ions with significant discriminatory performance (AUROC ≥ 0.7 or ≤0.3; Wilcoxon/Kruskal–Wallis, p < 0.001). Classification analyses achieved accuracy ranged from 91% to 94% for the discrimination of malignant and benign samples. Differential proteomic profiling identified Complement C3, Perilipin-3, arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase, Leukotriene A-4 hydrolase, fibrinogen beta and gamma chains, and serotransferrin as discriminatory proteins associated with immune modulation, lipid metabolism, cytoskeletal and extracellular matrix organization, and metabolic regulation. Notably, Complement C3 was found to be overexpressed in malignant tumor cells, supporting its potential role as a marker of tumor presence and progression. Conclusions: Proteomics-based mass spectrometry imaging enabled reliable discrimination of HGSOC from benign cytological specimens and revealed cancer-associated proteins linked to relevant biological processes. These findings support MALDI-MSI as a complementary molecular approach for the classification of challenging cytological specimens in routine diagnostic pathology. Full article

Beach sediments may contain natural radionuclides, fallout-derived radionuclides, naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) or technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive material (TENORM), but their radiological significance depends on sediment dynamics and exposure scenario as much as on bulk activity concentration. RadSed-INT is introduced as a tiered field–laboratory protocol for assessing radioactivity in dynamic beach sediments. The protocol links in situ gamma screening, statistically designed transects, primary/confirmatory A/B sampling, high-purity germanium (HPGe) gamma-ray spectrometry, grain-size and heavy-mineral partitioning, vertical mini-core radiostratigraphy, and triggered dust, radon/thoron and ingestion pathway modules. Its central requirement is radiometric mass closure between directly measured bulk activity and the mass-weighted reconstruction from sediment fractions. External and internal doses are evaluated only for explicitly defined material status, exposure pathways, occupancy assumptions and regulatory domains; construction-material and NORM indices are retained as context-specific comparators, not universal beach-sediment limits. RadSed-INT defines escalation triggers from reconnaissance to confirmatory spatial, grain-size, vertical or aerosol investigations. This article is methodological and does not report new primary field data. Extended notation, a date-sensitive regulatory matrix, confounder checklists, implementation tables and a minimal worked example are included to support transparent and reproducible application of the core protocol logic. Full article

Background: Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is a major phospholipid that contributes to intestinal barrier protection and is essential for hepatic secretion of lipids and bile acids. Because inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) are closely linked, we hypothesized that individual serum PC species would reflect disease activity. We therefore investigated whether serum PC profiling could identify clinically useful biomarkers across the gut–liver axis. Methods: Serum concentrations of 21 PC species were quantified by direct flow injection high-resolution mass spectrometry in 16 healthy controls, 57 patients with IBD, and 20 patients with PSC. Results: In IBD, multiple serum PC species were inversely associated with inflammatory activity, showing negative correlations with serum C-reactive protein and fecal calprotectin. Patients with fecal calprotectin concentrations above the diagnostic cut-off of 120 µg/g had lower levels of PC 34:3, 36:1, 36:2, 36:3, 36:4, 36:5, 38:3, 38:4, 38:5, 38:7, 40:5, and 40:6, as well as lower total PC. In contrast, in PSC, PC 30:0, 32:0, 32:1, and 34:1 were increased compared with IBD and correlated positively with gamma-glutamyltransferase and alkaline phosphatase. Furthermore, these shorter-chain PC species as well as PC 36:1 were markedly elevated in PSC with advanced liver fibrosis compared with PSC without fibrosis. Conclusions: Serum PC species show a reciprocal disease-associated pattern in IBD and PSC. In IBD, lower concentrations of predominantly unsaturated PC species are associated with active intestinal inflammation, whereas in PSC, higher concentrations of shorter-chain PC species are associated with cholestatic injury and advanced liver fibrosis. IBD and PSC exhibit opposing serum PC signatures, suggesting that dysregulated PC metabolism is a pathophysiological feature of intestinal inflammation and PSC-associated liver fibrosis. Full article

The Gebel Shalman-Wadi Biarn (GSh-WB) area in Egypt’s South Eastern Desert hosts NYF-type rare-metal pegmatites with significant U, Th, Nb-Ta, and REEs mineralization. This study integrates field observations, petrography, mineralogy, whole-rock geochemistry, and gamma-ray spectrometry to characterize these pegmatites and evaluate their economic potential. The pegmatites occur as veins, dykes, and zoned pockets hosted entirely within syenogranites. Petrography, pegmatites, and syenogranites are primarily composed of K-feldspar, albite, and quartz with trace amounts of biotite and muscovite. The environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) revealed the presence of the following minerals: autunite, kasolite, thorite, monazite-(Ce), parisite, xenotime-(Y), ferrocolumbite, hydroxyplumbobrtafite, aeschynite-(Y), and zircon, which are the major U-Th, Nb-Ta, and REE-bearing minerals. Additionally, gold, cassiterite, wolframite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, and brass alloy were identified as sources of precious and base metals. Both groups’ chondrite-normalized REE patterns, which display slightly elevated LREE patterns and negative Eu anomalies, point to fractional crystallization involving plagioclase fractionation. Consequently, pegmatite and syenogranites are believed to have mostly formed from the partial melting of a reconstituted juvenile crust and its weathered sediments associated with Neoproterozoic magmatism. The marginally positive Ce anomaly in the (GSh-WB) pegmatites (1.02–0.98) may be associated with monazite crystallization resulting from enhanced fractionation. The Th and U levels range from 101 to 28.6 ppm and from 51 to 5.8 ppm, respectively. The magnitude of the tetrad effect in the rare earth elements of the analyzed rocks exceeds one (T1 = 1.12–1.02, T3 = 0.92–1.08, and T1,3 = 1.01–1.05), suggesting an M-type tetrad effect. The presence of this tetrad effect is indicative of granite that has been significantly altered by hydrothermal processes and is extensively fractionated. Chondrite-normalized REE patterns of the pegmatites (average ΣREE = 439 ppm) and their host syenogranites (average ΣREE = 192 ppm) show similar trends characterized by enrichment of light rare earth elements (LREEs) relative to heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) and pronounced negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.09–0.22). These features, together with negative Sr and Ba anomalies, likely reflect extensive fractional crystallization of feldspars and feature anorogenic rocks. Spectrometric analysis reveals eU values of 2.0–288 ppm and eTh values of 7.0–455 ppm in pegmatite samples, with eU/eTh ratios (0.49–0.39) exceeding the typical continental crust value of 0.25, indicating uranium enrichment. Both magmatic and hydrothermal processes contributed to the observed radioactivity. The spatial distribution of uranium shows lithological and structural controls. The GSh-WB pegmatites represent a potential target for uranium exploration. Full article

Mining activities in the Iberian Pyrite Belt have generated large volumes of legacy wastes that may pose both environmental and radiological concerns, potentially limiting their reuse and valorization. However, integrated assessments combining chemical, mineralogical, and radiological characterization of these materials remain scarce. In this work, representative mining wastes from twelve sites across the Iberian Pyrite Belt were investigated through X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, standardized leaching tests, alpha and gamma spectrometry, and radon emanation measurements. The results revealed significant enrichment in potentially toxic elements, particularly Cu, Zn, Pb, and As, with concentrations exceeding local soil background values by up to several orders of magnitude. Leaching tests identified oxidized sulfide-rich residues as the materials with the highest pollutant mobility and greatest acid-generating potential. In contrast, radiological characterization showed that uranium-series, thorium-series radionuclides, and ⁴⁰K activities, together with radiological hazard indices and radon exhalation rates, were generally comparable to those of surrounding natural soils and remained below internationally recommended limits. These findings indicate that chemical contamination represents the main environmental constraint of these wastes, whereas radiological impact is generally low, supporting their case-by-case evaluation for remediation, valorization, and potential exclusion from radiological control. Full article