Abstract:Surface water around a uranium tailings pond in southern China was selected as the object to investigate relationship between content of uranium and potassium in surrounding surface water and chemical parameters such as pH value, Eh value and conductivity of water. Pollution characteristics and influencing factors of uranium and potassium were studied. Single factor pollution evaluation was carried out. The results show that the tailings pond itself has high radioactivity level. Average contents of uranium and potassium at the sampling sites are 14.68 and 2.02 times of the background values in Jiangxi province. According to the Pearson coefficient, uranium and potassium have the same source and migration characteristics. The single factor evaluation shows that the most polluted location is at the bottom of tailings pond and outlet of water treatment plant. The uranium content of all sampling points does not exceed the limit value in the “Regulations for radiation and environmental protection in uranium mining and milling”. Uranium contents of other surface water sampling sites in the vicinity all meet the international drinking water standards except the nearest sampling sites.