URANIUM MILL TAILINGS MANAGEMENT. PROCEEDINGS OF THE FIFTH SYMPOSIUM December 9-10, 1982

Transcription

1 URANIUM MILL TAILINGS MANAGEMENT PROCEEDINGS OF THE FIFTH SYMPOSIUM December 9-10, 1982 Organized by the Geotechnical Engineering Program Civil Engineering Department Fort Collins, Colorado TIB/UB Hannover

2 li / TABLE OF CONTENTS SlSSION 1 - TAILINGS MANAGEMENT AND DESIGN Page Matthews, Mark L. Department of Energy "Status of the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Project (UMTRAP) 3 Leiter, Andrew J. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency "A Benefit-Cost Methodology for Developing Environmental Standards for Uranium Mill Tailings Disposal" 11 Brookins, Douglas, Longmire, Patrick, Thomson, Bruce University of New Mexico "Early Diaagensis of Uranium Mine Stope Backfill" Jeyapalan, Jey K. Texas A&M University "Dam-Break Studies for Uranium Mill Tailings Impoundments" 39 Robertson, A. Mac G., Fisher, J. W. and van Zyl, Dirk Steffen, Robertson and Kirsten, Vancouver "The Production and Handling of Dry Uranium and Other Tailings" 55 SESSION 2: SURFACE STABILIZATION Mishima, J. "Long Term Stabilization of Uranium Mill Tailings Pile Surfaces, Project Overview" 73 Lindsey, C. G., Mishima, J. and King, S. E. "Evidence for the Long-Term Stability of Uranium Mill Tailings: Survivability of Large Ancient Man-Made Earthen Structures" 77 Elmore, M. R.; Li, C. T.; and Hartley, J. N. "Interim Stabilization of Uranium Mill Tailings" iii-

3 Lindsey, C. G.; Doesburg, J. M. and Vallario, R. W. "A Review of Long-Term Rock Durability: Implications for Survivability of Riprap used to Protect Uranium Mill Tailings" 101 Walters, W. H. "Riprap Design Considerations for Long-Term Protection of Uranium Mill Talings" 117 Parker, Graham B. "Handbook for the Design, Selection and Construction of a Rock Cover for Retired Uranium Mill Tailings" 127 SESSION 3: RADIOLOGICAL ASPECTS Smith, W. J. II and Schiager, K. J. "Simple Field Method for Determining Compliance with EPA Land Cleanup Standards" 135 Ibrahim, Shawki; Flot, Shawna and Whicker, F. Ward "Concentrations n and Biological Availability of """U and ""Th in the Environs of a Uranium Milling Operation" 149 Yuan, Y. C. and Chee, P. C. Argonne National Laboratory "Estimation of Radiological Impact from Transportion of Uranium Mill Tailings. Part II. Dispersion and Dosimetry" 165 Fontana, Perry H. Woodward Clyde Consultants "Acquiring Metrological Data for Siting and Licensing of Uranium Mills and Tailings Disposal Facilities" 175 Van De Steeg, G. E.; Coe, M. D.; Shelley, W. J. and Cleveland, J. E. Kerr-McGee Corporation Kerr-McGee Nuclear Corporation "Radioactive Composition of Airborne Particulates at Ambrosia Lake, New Mexico" 187 Smith, A. and Moed, B. Lawrence Berkeley Laboratories "Recent Radiochemistry Data from the Riverton and the Maybell Tailings Pile" 205 -IV-

4 SESSION 4: SESSION 5: CONTAMINANT MIGRATION Bush, Kathryn J. and Markos, Gergely GEC Research,, Inc. "Statistical Evaluation of Contamination from Uranium Mill Tailings by Physical Transport and Chemical Migration" 225 Shepherd, Thomas A. and Brown, Stephen E. Water, Waste and Land, Inc. and "A Generic Model of Contaminant Migration from Uranium Tailings Impoundments" 241 Markos, Gergely and Bush, Kathryn J. GEC Research, Inc. "Thermodynamic Calculations and Phase Diagrams In Evaluating Tailings-Soil-Water Interactions" Colbert, Thomas and Kleesman, Ronald W. Gibbs and Hill Inc. "Evaluation of Radionuclide and Trace Metal Migration Beneath an Inactive Tailing Impoundment" 275 White, A. F. and Delaney, J. Lawrence Berkeley Laboratories "Chemical Transport Beneath a Uranium Mill Tailings Pile, Riverton, Wyoming" 295 Longmire, Patrick and Brookins, Douglas New Mexico Environmental Improvements University of New Mexico "Trace Metal, Major Element, and Radionuclide Migration in Groundwater from an Acid Leaching Uranium Tailings in the Grants Mineral Belt, New Mexico" 315 Erikson, R. L. and Sherwood, D, R. "Interaction of Acidic Leachate with Soils Materials at Lucky Me Pathfinder Mill, Gas Hills, Wyoming" 335 RADON CONTROL AND COVERS Nielson, K. K., Rogers, V. C. and Mauch, M. L. Hartley, J. N. and Freeman,'H. 0. Rogers & Associates Engineering Corp. "Radon Emanation Characteristics of Uranium Mill Tailings" 355 -v-

5 Rogers, V. C, Nielson, K. K., and Rich, D. C. Rogers & Associates Engineering Corp. "Measurements and Calculations of Radon Flux Attenuation by Western U.S. Soils" 369 Baker, E. G., Freeman, H. D. and Hartley, N. J. "Cost and Effectiveness of Radon Barrier Systems" Beedlow, P. A.; Cadwell, L. W. and McShane, M. C. "A Systematic Approach to Designing Surface Covers for Inactive Uranium Mill Tailings" 397 Kirham, R. R.; Beedlow, P.A.; and Gee, G. W. "Effect of Rock Cover on Multilayer Radon Barrier Effectiveness" 409 Hinton, T. and Whicker, F. W. Pathfinder Mines Corporation "A Field Experiment on Tailings Reclamation: Radon Flux versus Earthen Cover Depth" 421 Barnes, S. M. and Buelt, J. L. "Accelerated Aging of Catalytically Airblown Asphalt Membranes Under Simulated Uranium Mill Tailings Impoundment Conditions" 433 SESSION 6: SEEPAGE AND LINERS I Champlin, Jerry B. F. Woodward-Clyde Consultants "Use of Scientific Calculators and Pocket Computers for Evaluation of Seepage and Contaminant Transport" 443 Tokunaga, T. and Narasimhan, T. N. Lawrence Berkeley Laboratories "Recent Hydrologic Observations from the Riverton and the Maybell Tailings Piles" 463 Winter, Gerry V., Bloomsburg, George, Williams, Roy E., and Stewart, Bill Roy E. Williams & Associates, Inc. University of Idaho U.S. Bureau of Mines "Horizontal Pipe Drain Design for Existing Mill Tailings Embankments" vi-

6 Bentel, D., Robbertze, J., Smith, A.C.S. and van Zyl, Dirk Steffen, Robertson and Kirsten, Johannesburg "The Use of Geotextiles in Uranium-Gold Tailings Impoundment in South Africa" 489 SESSION 7: SEEPAGE AND LINERS II Relyea, J. F. and Martin, W. J. "Evaluation of Inactive Uranium Mill Tailings Sites for Liner Requirements: Characterization and Interaction of Tailings, Soil and Liner Materials" 507 van Zyl, Dirk Department of Civil Engineering The University of Arizona "Design, Construction and Field Testing of a Heap Leach Clay Pad" 521 The following paper, presented in Session 1, Tailings Management and Design, was received too late for inclusion with the papers in that session: Taylor, Michael J.; Ng-A-Qui, Norman T. and Jenkins, W. E. D'Appolonia Consulting Engineers "Reclamation of Uranium Tailings - A Critical Assessment of Current Practice" 539 INDEX TO AUTHORS 557 -vii-