Training & Executive RoundtableTuesday, 30 March 2027

Overview

Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) residues are generated in a wide range of industrial activities, including mining and mineral processing, oil and gas production, rare earth extraction, phosphate fertilizer production, and metal refining. While these residues have traditionally been managed as waste, increasing attention is being given to opportunities for their safe valorization and reuse within the framework of circular economy principles.This training course explores the intersection of radiation protection, economic feasibility, environmental sustainability, and investment decision-making in the management and valorization of NORM residues. Through a combination of theoretical foundations, practical examples, and quantitative demonstrations, participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of how economic considerations can support safer and more sustainable NORM management strategies.

Safe and sustainable valorization of NORM residues requires integrating radiation protection, environmental stewardship, and economic decision-making. By demonstrating how economic value creation can align with safety objectives, this course provides participants with practical tools to transform NORM management challenges into opportunities for sustainable development and circular economy implementation.

The course aims to:

• Provide participants with a foundation in radiation protection principles applicable to NORM-containing materials and residues.
• Examine technological options for NORM residue treatment, recovery, reuse, and valorization.
• Introduce methodologies for evaluating the economic viability of valorization projects.
• Assess environmental and sustainability implications associated with alternative management strategies.
• Demonstrate how economic optimization can contribute to improved safety outcomes and long-term stewardship.
• Support informed decision-making by regulators, operators, investors, and technical specialists involved in NORM management.

Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the key radiation protection considerations associated with NORM residues.
• Identify potential pathways for the safe and sustainable valorization of NORM-containing materials.
• Apply economic analysis tools to compare alternative NORM management technologies.
• Evaluate environmental costs, benefits, and sustainability impacts associated with valorization projects.
• Understand investment appraisal techniques relevant to environmentally sustainable industrial projects.
• Interpret quantitative models that demonstrate the relationship between economic efficiency and enhanced safety performance.
• Develop integrated approaches that balance regulatory compliance, economic feasibility, environmental protection, and stakeholder expectations.

The course is designed for:

• Regulators and policy makers.
• Radiation protection professionals.
• Mining, mineral processing, and oil and gas industry practitioners.
• Environmental scientists and engineers.
• Waste management specialists.
• Project developers and investors.
• Researchers and graduate students working in NORM-related fields.
• Representatives of international organizations and technical support institutions.

This module introduces the fundamental principles of radiation protection as applied to industries generating NORM residues. Topics include radiological risk assessment, optimization of protection, exposure pathways, regulatory considerations, and practical approaches for integrating safety into NORM management and reuse initiatives.

Participants will explore methods for assessing the economic performance of various NORM residue treatment and valorization technologies. Particular attention will be given to environmental externalities, lifecycle considerations, circular economy principles, and sustainable development objectives that influence technology selection and project performance.

This module focuses on investment decision-making tools used for environmentally sustainable projects. Participants will learn how to evaluate project feasibility using techniques such as net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), cost-benefit analysis, sensitivity analysis, and risk assessment. Examples from resource recovery and environmental remediation projects will be discussed.

This module presents quantitative approaches demonstrating how economic optimization can support enhanced safety outcomes. Through practical examples and mathematical models, participants will examine how investments in safety measures, waste minimization, resource recovery, and long-term stewardship can simultaneously improve economic performance and reduce radiological and environmental risks.

Key themes:

• NORM in the circular economy and critical raw materials strategy
• Bridging policy, regulation, and investment
• Public trust and social license to operate
• Enabling conditions for industrial participation