ANIMAS RIVER ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION FROM THE DURANGO MILL

Transcription

1 ANIMAS RIVER ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION FROM THE DURANGO MILL Over 100 Years of River Pollution Norman R. Norvelle, BS, MNS, & Registered Sanitarian

2 Abstract Animas River was contaminated by Durango Mill Site from 1880 to 1990 The processing of Lead/Silver/Gold was from 1881 to 1930 The processing of Uranium/Vanadium was from 1942 to 1963 Public Health concern of river contamination and sampling was from 1955 to 1962 Radium contamination was most significant contaminant The Durango Mill Site closure occurred in 1963 Superfund Cleanup of Durango Mill Site was from 1986 to 1991 History & documentation is Important due to damage to people & environment

3 Introduction My family followed O&G boom to Farmington in 1958 We loved the outdoors and mountains and drove though Durango often I remember the old Durango Smelter stack and sawmill scrap lumber fire tepee My 9 th Grade general science teacher had a disc of uranium metal My 11 th Grade chemistry teacher took us on a tour to the uranium mills in Durango and Shiprock to see how uranium was processed into yellow cake I graduated from college in 1970 and started career as scientist with NMDPH My cleanup of Atomic Energy Commission Field Monitoring Lab in Farmington, especially the lead bricks and gallon jars of animal organs was interesting

4

5 Weidman Sawmill Durango, Colorado 1957 (East Bank of Animas River)

6

7 EPA & Public Health Regulations History 1872 General Mining Act 1954 Atomic Energy Act 1970 Formation of EPA by Executive Order 1970 Formation of OSHA by Congress 1970 Clean Air Act 1972 Federal Water Pollution Control Act, a.k.a. Clean Water Act 1972 Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), a.k.a. Superfund 1974 Safe Drinking Water Act 1976 Resource Conservation and Recovery ACT (RCRA), a.k.a. Cradle to Grave 1977 Clean Water Act of 1977 (Toxics) 1978 Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act 2000 Final Radionuclide s Rule 2007 Groundwater Rule of 2007 General Mining Act exempted people companies from all regulations & cleanup

8 A Primer on Radioactivity Radioactivity is decay of an atom with the emission of radiation Radiation is the release of radiant energy emitted in the form of waves or particles Alpha Radiation Particles, Beta Radiation Particles, and Gamma EM Waves (X-ray) The decay products of an atom are called a daughter or isotope or nuclide Two types of radioactive materials: NORM and manmade (nuclear bomb testing) Both types are Alpha and/or Beta radiation emitters Danger is from ingestion or inhalation and this is very damaging inside the body Shielding: Alpha-Paper, Beta-1/8 inch aluminum, Gamma-4 lead or 2 Concrete Uranium is an radioactive element giving off radiation during process of decay

9 Radioactive Decay of Radioactive Uranium 238 to Stable Lead 206. At each decay step either alpha or beta radiation is emitted. Lead on the Periodic Table of Elements is Lead 207 Atomic Weight

10 Regulations for Drinking Water National Primary Drinking Water Standards were developed in 1974 Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) are limits set to protect public health There were 5 types of standards Inorganic Chemical contaminants Organic Chemical contaminants Turbidity (particles suspended in water cloudiness) Microbial contaminants Radioactive contaminants Radioactive contaminants include both natural (NORM)and manmade. NORM contaminants in water usually include uranium, radium, and radon (gas). The next slide is the current monitoring procedures and regulatory limits for drinking water.

11 EPA National Primary Drinking Water Standards Inorganics (Metals) MCL Antimony mg/l Arsenic 0.01 mg/l Barium 2.0 mg/l Cadmium mg/l Chromium 0.1 mg/l Copper 1.3 mg/l Cyanide (exception not a metal) 0.2 mg/l Lead mg/l Mercury mg/l Selenium 0.05 mg/l Thallium mg/l Uranium mg/l

12 Routine Monitoring Procedures 1. Test for gross alpha activity; if gross alpha exceeds 5 pci/l then 2. Test for radium 226; if radium 226 exceeds 3 pci/l, then 3. Test for radium The MCL for gross beta particle activity is 4 mrem/yr. (Surface water systems).

13 Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for Radioactivity Constituent (Radionuclide s) Combined Radium 226 and Radium 228 MCLs 5 pci/l (picocurie per Liter) Gross Alpha Activity (including Radium 226 but excluding Radon and Uranium 15 pci/l (a measure of radioactivity Beta/Photon Emitters Uranium 4 mrem/yr. 30 µg/l or mg/l

14 Other Information Monitoring for natural radioactivity is required every 4 years Surface & Ground Water Picocurie (pci/l) is the quantity (unit of measure) of radioactive atoms decaying at a rate of 3.7 X 10-2 disintegrations per second (dps) Roentgen Equivalent Man (rem) is a unit of measure as a biological dose for radiation exposure to a man. Relates to human biological damage measured as a rad (Radiation Absorbed Dose) Rad is the measure of energy absorbed in any materials due to radiation exposure Millirem or mrem/yr. is 1/1000 th of a rem

15 Standard Methods for the Examination of Water & Wastewater 9 th Ed. (1946) 286 Pages, 14 th Ed. (1976) 1192 Pages

16 Durango Mill Site History Located in Durango on west bank of Animas River and immediately southwest of the intersection of U.S. Highways 160 and 550. The site had everything: Lightener Creek was used as the water supply for the site Animas River was used as the sanitary sewer and dump for liquid acid wastewater disposal Onsite coal supply and nearby coal supply for the furnace operation and producing coke Railroad for hauling and transporting supplies Electric power supplied from the City (or local power) Nearby limestone quarry for fluxing agent Nearby land storage for ore and tailings storage Nearby canyon for tailings dump Copper processing site ½ mile downstream and adjacent to property There were two general operational periods: Silverton Metal Ores and Carnotite Ores

17 Silverton Metal Ores Period ( ) 1880 Smelter was Built 1880 City of Durango was formed 1881 Lead and silver processing mill and smelter are now operational 1881 First railroad line from Denver to Durango was finished 1882 First railroad line from Durango to Silverton was finished 1899 ASARCO (American Smelting and Refining Company) acquired site & mill 1915 First train hauling zinc from Silverton area to Durango started 1930 The Smelter Mill closes operation

18 Silverton Metal Ores Silverton mining area is an old volcanic caldera (large crater) and it has Polymetallic igneous ores : gold, silver, lead, copper, zinc, cadmium, and others. Others in lesser quantities are: boron, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, lead, magnesium, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, radium, selenium, silver, strontium, thallium, thorium, uranium, and vanadium The EPA National Primary Drinking Water Standards: antimony, arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, selenium, thallium and uranium These were released into the environment by discharge into river and stack gases I estimate discharges of metals into the river were from 500 mg/l to 15,000 mg/l

19 1884 Durango Lead-Silver Smelter

20 1892 Durango Lead/Silver Smelter

21 1906 Durango Smelter Serious Air Pollution

22 1929 Durango Smelter

23 Uravan Carnotite Ores Carnotite is an uranium and vanadium ore containing small amounts of radium Carnotite ores were from the Uravan Mineral Belt in Southwestern Colorado Counties were San Miguel, Montrose and Mesa, Colorado and Grand County, Utah Uravan carnotite ores contained an average of 0.29% uranium oxide and 1.60% vanadium oxide, which is a very good ore. 99% of ore remains in the tailings after vanadium and uranium are removed 85% of original radioactivity remains in mill tailings after processing Carnotite was not known to contain radium until later mill operations The Uravan Mineral Belt supplied about half of the world s radium from Ore was originally mined for vanadium, then radium, and finally uranium

24 1942 Durango Vanadium Smelter

25 Uravan Carnotite Ores Period ( ) 1931 to 1941 Durango Mill inactive, but still contaminating Animas River (runoff) 1942 to 1946 Purchased by RFC (Feds) and sold to and contracted USV. Vanadium was produced, but real interest was uranium for secret project 1943 Uranium recovery started secretly for Manhattan Project and Los Alamos 1948 U.S. AEC bought mill from USV and leased to Vanadium Corp. of America 1953 VCA bought mill & site from USAEC and started yellow cake production 1955 Dr. George Moore from San Juan Basin Health Dept. started investigation of complaint. Dr. found dumping of tailings and process water into Animas River and contacted USPHS in Washington, D.C. for national attention (Free Road Base)

26 Uravan Carnotite Ore Period - Continued 1958 to U.S. PHS began an intensive survey of river pollution and found high levels of dissolved radium (1.9 times drinking water level) in river. Conventional drinking water treatment plants (Aztec & Farmington) could not remove radium. Survey of Interstate Pollution of the Animas River still claimed mill was for vanadium processing, not uranium 1959 VCA increased mill capacity and river (2 miles below discharge) was 4.6 X Diss. Ra 1963 Attempts to remove dissolved radium not successful and mill was closed and moved to Shiprock, New Mexico Superfund cleanup was started (more than ½ billion dollars and Shiprock ditto) 1991 Superfund cleanup was finished. Mill tailings and other waste were transported to Bodo Canyon Cell. Mine tailing emit radon gas. Radon is a radioactive gas formed by radioactive decay of radium 2010 The Durango Telegraph reports a federal government finding that the Cell and other mediated areas may be leaking and possibly contaminating river

27

28

29 Basic Uranium Ore Processing Crushing of ore (100%) Grinding of ore (100%) Solution leaching of ore (99% waste mill tailings and 1% for uranium recovery) 99% waste mill tailing to disposal, but still containing 85% of radioactivity 1% uranium recovery solution Average of 340 gallons per minute or 490 million gallons per day discharge to river (1959) Real danger was from radium and the radon gas that was emitted from radium Flush Twice It s a long way to Farmington (urinal sign and 3.2 beer)

30

31

32

33 Chemicals Used in Uranium Processing and Yellow Cake production (per day) Chemicals Used in Uranium Mill Process Ammonium Sulfate Sodium Hydroxide Sodium Chloride Soda Ash (Bulk) Soda Ash (Dense) Sodium Chlorate Sodium Peroxide Sulfuric Acid Potassium Permanganate Kerosene (liquid ion exchange) Other (extractants) 1640 Lbs/day 600 Lbs/day 25,800 Lbs/day 46,200 Lbs/day 1,200 Lbs/day 450 Lbs/day 19 Lbs/day 83,900 Lbs/day 120 Lbs/day 260 Gallons/day 29 Gallons/day

34 Radon-222 Gas Radon gas is a colorless, inert radioactive gas formed by radioactive decay Usually emitted by radioactive decay from uranium, thorium, and radium When ore is mined, radon escapes into the air, also from ore and tailing piles Radon is an alpha-emitting radioactive gas and causes lung cancer Radium is similar to calcium and is concentrated in the bones and teeth of animals Resulting damages are leukemia and bone cancer, especially in children Dentists collected teeth many years in Aztec and Farmington Lapel Button I GAVE A TOOTH FOR RESEARCH

35 Animas River Surveys for Radioactivity and Reports on Surveys 1950 A brief survey was performed by U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) 1955 A second brief, but more detailed survey was performed by USPHS 1958 Detailed Survey of Interstate Pollution of the Animas River (CO-NM) I 1959 Detailed Survey of Interstate Pollution of the Animas River (CO-NM) II 1959 Publication of Control or Radioactive Pollution of Animas River 1960 Publication of Survey of Interstate Pollution of the Animas River-Part I&II. Report claimed that the mill site was for vanadium and not uranium (top secret) 1960 Publication of Estimating Human Radiation Exposure on the Animas River 1963 Publication of Research for the Control of Radioactive Pollutants

36 Control of Radioactive Pollution of the Animas River Uranium is the parent of a long series of radioactive isotopes found in nature Daughters (isotopes) are thorium, polonium, radium, radon, bismuth, and lead However, only uranium is extracted in the formation of yellow cake Yellow cake is a dried product of the process containing 80 to 90 % uranium oxide Waste generated is dumped into the river (liquids) or next to the river (tailings pile) 1950 & 1955 survey had a dissolved radium (DS) of 0.2 pci/l upstream of the mill 1955 had 2 different mill effluent streams which were 76 and 25 pci/l Dissolved Ra The gross alpha activity of the main effluent suspended solids was 33,200 pci/l

37 (Continued) 1959 Survey was conducted 3 miles upstream and almost 60 miles downstream Survey was comprehensive, specimens screened and/or prepped at AEC Field Lab in Farmington and sent on to the Salt Lake City or Cincinnati main laboratories Two miles downstream of mill the average river water radioactivity's were gross alpha 120 pci/l, gross beta 170 pci/l, and dissolved radium were 12.6 pci/l. River muds (sediment) were gross alpha 1,250 pci/l, gross beta 1,350 pci/l, total radium of 171 pci/l. Algae radioactivity s were gross alpha 3,900 pci/l, gross beta 5,760 pci/l, and total radium of 880 pci/l Aquatic insect radioactivity s were gross alpha 1,820 pci/l, gross beta 4,110 pci/l, total radium 71 pci/l NEEDLESS TO SAY, THERE WERE NO FISH AVAILABLE FOR SAMPLING

38 Estimating Human Radiation Exposure on the Animas River Radium ingestion was the main concern as radium is absorbed like calcium into bones and teeth, especially for the young. Radium was found in dairy products (Aztec Dairies), food and water Radium emitted alpha particles which led to leukemia and bone cancer The Durango Mill increase in capacity in 1959 increased dissolved radium from 12.5 pci/l to 24 pci/l two miles downstream. MCL was 3.3 then and 5.0 today. Report found that conventional drinking water treatment plants (Aztec and Farmington) did not removed dissolved radium Report was basically the KISS OF DEATH FOR THE DURANGO MILL

39 Research for the Control of Radioactive Pollutants Followed earlier report Radium Removal From Uranium Mill Wastewater research report gave detailed findings on the 1959 Survey of surface water, well water, milk, vegetation, etc., but no results for the findings of animal or human ( i.e., bones, teeth, organs, and other tissues) information or data Both the 1962 and 1963 reports provided research information for radium removal from the wastewater dumped into the Animas River The Durango Mill did many of their suggestions, but failed to get the results The discharge of 490 million gallons a day was a given and could not be avoided HENCE, IN 1963 THE DURANGO MILL WAS SHUT DOWN FOREVER, BUT THE OPERATION WAS MOVED TO THE NAVAJO RESERVATION, SHIPROCK, N.M.

40

41 Conclusion The Durango Mill site polluted and contaminated the Animas River over 100 years. The substances consisted of many toxic heavy metals, radioactive materials, plant process tailings and wastewater process solutions However, the most damaging was both dissolved and suspended radium Almost all of the contamination and associated problems ended with the Superfund Cleanup in 1991, but monitoring of the cleanup is a must. The purpose of this presentation was to document the history and provide the references of the documentation. I have copies of this presentation available. Our greatest concern now should be the cleanup of the numerous abandoned mines in the Animas River Watershed to protect the environment and future generations.

42 Additional Information and Raw Data is available from the Survey of Interstate Pollution of the Animas River (Colorado-New Mexico) Part I (1958) and Part II (1959), 1960 The Animas River report (mentioned above) was rather voluminous, and its distribution was limited. A total of 300 copies were distributed to various federal, state, and local agencies and to individuals requesting them. A copy of the complete report may be available at the Fort Lewis College Center of Southwest Studies, but I could not find this report on their website. A complete copy of these reports should be obtained and given to Fort Lewis College, San Juan College, University of NM, NM Tech, and NMSU (WRRI).