Abstract Introduction Iron ore is one of the most important natural raw materials that is widely used for manufacturing iron and steel. This type of ore contains various amounts of radionuclides; thus, exposing workers handling their extraction, transportation, and processing to radiation. Materials and Methods In this study, 12 ore samples (each mass weighing about 2 kg) were collected from the iron ore mining areas of Arak region, Iran. The specific activities of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K were determined usinggamma-ray spectrometry method employing high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector. Results The specific activities of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K in samples were 9.39-271.70 Bq/kg, <1.68-60.98 Bq/kg, and 25.34-800.03Bq/kg, respectively. The doses received by workers handling these materials were estimated by using methods for dose assessment provided in a report by the European Commission. In transport, indoor storage, and outdoor storage scenarios, the effective doses due to the use Fe ore were 1.11-23.45 μSv/y, 1.69-39.22 μSv/y, and 1.46-33.78 μSv/y, respectively. For all the samples, the effective doses in different scenarios were lower than the intervention exemption level (1.0×10-3 Sv/y) suggested in International Commission of Radiological Protection (ICRP) Publication 82. Conclusion The gamma ray spectrometric analysis showed that the specific activities of natural radionuclides in samples, except for limonite ore, were within the worldwide range. The effective dose received by workers was much lower than the maximum acceptable value (1000 μSv/y); therefore, the level of radiations in this mine had no adverse consequences for public health.
