Radionuclides are present in all minerals and raw materials of natural origin, the most important of which, for the purposes of radiation protection, are those in the U238 and Th232 decay series and K40. These materials are commonly referred to as NORM. In some materials, the levels of NORM are significantly higher, to the extent that regulatory control may be required for radiation protection purposes. In terms of the Act the NNR is responsible for exercising regulatory control over facilities and activities handling NORM. Facilities and activities which handle NORM require authorisation in terms of the Act. In terms of section 22 (1) of the Act, such facilities and activities are authorised by means of a nuclear authorisation in a form of certificate of registration (COR) or certificate of exemption (COE). The nuclear authorisation (COR or COE) is issued with certain conditions of authorisation, which all holders are required to comply with. A system of compliance assurance exercises (inspections, audits and investigation actions) are conducted upon these various holders to assure compliance with the conditions of authorisation and the SSRP Regulations.

The NNR currently grants nuclear authorisations for the following categories of NORM:

• Mining and mineral processing facilities
• Scrap smelters
• Fertiliser manufacturers
• Scrap processors
• Small users
• Service providers

The activities at these facilities include actions such as:

• Mining and processing of gold, copper, uranium, heavy minerals and phosphate rock
• Recycling of scrap material (ferrous and non-ferrous metal, plastic, stainless steel, etc.) that is contaminated by NORM
• Small users (i.e. Laboratories conducting tests of small quantities of NORM samples for verification of proposed and existing actions, including samples from prospecting activities)
• Service providers (i.e. storage warehouse, clean-up of radiologically contaminated sites)