Natural radioactivity of paleozoic and mesozoic sedimentary rocks from the Upper Silesian Coal Basin borders (Poland) — in situ gamma ray measurements

Sedimentary rocks from the borders of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin are the most popular origin of building materials in whole Silesia region. In situ gamma ray spectrometry was used to determine the activity concentration of nuclides from U series, Th series and potassium ⁴⁰K in almost every kind of sedimentary rocks outcropping in the studied region. Measured activity concentration of particular nuclides such as ⁴⁰K, U series, and Th series are mostly not higher than average activity concentrations of these nuclides in the continental crust. However, there are some significant exceptions such as clays from Blanowice and Krasiejow. In spite of that there isn’t any reason to stop using these rocks as building or other industrial material sources.