Quote:
Originally Posted by morls
Coal's radioactivity is measured as 830 Bq/kg. Uranium's radioactivity is measured as 12,356 Bq/g. To give us the same scale of measurement we need to multiply the Uranium figure by 1000. Gives us:
Coal - 830 Bq/kg
Uranium - 12,356,000 Bq/kg
So yes, I do think coal is safer.
Cheers
Stephen
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That's not how it works. Your figures are correct but it's what comes out the coal that is the problem....radon gas. Many coal seems are full of the gas because the sediments the coal is buried in and the many rocks which underlie coal measures are full of it themselves, since they contain uranium.
In any case, apart from any radioactive substances that maybe present, you have the problems of coal dust, methane and everything else that is associated with health and safety problem in coal. Let alone burning the stuff and releasing CO2, NO2, H2S, SO2 etc etc. If you think coal is safer, then you're fooling yourself.