Natural radionuclides in clay deposits: concentration and dose assessment.

Clays are among the most important industrially used minerals. Three potential clay mineral mining sites in Saudi Arabia were chosen, and 21 clay deposit samples were collected. The activity concentrations (average±standard deviation) of the naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORMs), (238)U, (226)Ra, (232)Th, (228)Ra and (40)K, were 49±20, 47±23, 34±11, 40±20 and 751 Bq kg(-1), respectively.