Asphalt emulsion sealing of uranium mill tailings. 1979 annual report

Technical Report · Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5201004· OSTI ID:5201004

Hartley, J N; Koehmstedt, P L; Esterl, D J; Freeman, H D

Uranium mill tailings are a source of low-level radiation and radioactive materials that may be released into the environment. Stabilization or disposal of these tailings in a safe and environmentally sound way is necessary to minimize radon exhalation and other radioactive releases. One of the most promising concepts for stabilizing uranium tailings is being investigated at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory: the use of asphalt emulsion to contain radon and other potentially hazardous materials in uranium tailings. Results of these studies indicate that radon flux from uranium tailings can be reduced by greater than 99% by covering the tailings with an asphalt emulsion that is poured on or sprayed on (3.0 to 7.0 mm thick), or mixed with some of the tailings and compacted to form an admixture seal (2.5 to 15.2 cm) containing 18 wt % residual asphalt.

• Research Organization: Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 5201004
• Report Number(s): PNL-3290; TRN: 80-015155
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
MILL TAILINGS
RADIOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS
STABILIZATION
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
ASPHALTS
COST
FEED MATERIALS PLANTS
RADIATION FLUX
RADON
X-RAY FLUORESCENCE ANALYSIS
BITUMENS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
ELEMENTS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
MANAGEMENT
NONDESTRUCTIVE ANALYSIS
NONMETALS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
RARE GASES
SOLID WASTES
TAILINGS
TAR
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES
X-RAY EMISSION ANALYSIS
052001* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Processing