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Title: Liner evaluation for uranium mill tailings. Final report

Abstract

The Liner Evaluation for Uranium Mill Tailings Program was conducted to evaluate the need for and performance of prospective lining materials for the long-term management of inactive uranium mill tailings piles. On the basis of program results, two materials have been identified: natural foundation soil amended with 10% sodium bentonite; catalytic airblown asphalt membrane. The study showed that, for most situations, calcareous soils typical of Western US sites adequately buffer tailings leachates and prevent groundwater contamination without additional liner materials or amendments. Although mathematical modeling of disposal sites is recommended on a site-specific basis, there appears to be no reason to expect significant infiltration through the cover for most Western sites. The major water source through the tailings would be groundwater movement at sites with shallow groundwater tables. Even so column leaching studies showed that contaminant source terms were reduced to near maximum contaminant levels (MCL's) for drinking water within one or two pore volumes; thus, a limited source term for groundwater contamination exists. At sites where significant groundwater movement or infiltration is expected and the tailings leachates are alkaline, however, the sodium bentonite or asphalt membrane may be necessary.

Authors:
 [1]
  1. comp.
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
5797223
Report Number(s):
DOE/UMT-0216; PNL-4842
ON: DE84001253
DOE Contract Number:  
AC06-76RL01830
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES; 11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; LINERS; EVALUATION; MATERIALS TESTING; RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL; MILL TAILINGS; ASPHALTS; CLAYS; CONCRETES; FIELD TESTS; GROUND WATER; LEACHING; PERFORMANCE; RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION; SCREENING; BITUMENS; BUILDING MATERIALS; DISSOLUTION; ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT; HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS; MANAGEMENT; MASS TRANSFER; MATERIALS; ORGANIC COMPOUNDS; OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS; OXYGEN COMPOUNDS; SEPARATION PROCESSES; SOLID WASTES; TAILINGS; TAR; TESTING; WASTE DISPOSAL; WASTE MANAGEMENT; WASTES; WATER; 052002* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage; 053000 - Nuclear Fuels- Environmental Aspects; 520301 - Environment, Aquatic- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- Water- (1987)

Citation Formats

Buelt, J L. Liner evaluation for uranium mill tailings. Final report. United States: N. p., 1983. Web. doi:10.2172/5797223.
Buelt, J L. Liner evaluation for uranium mill tailings. Final report. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/5797223
Buelt, J L. 1983. "Liner evaluation for uranium mill tailings. Final report". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/5797223. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/5797223.
@article{osti_5797223,
title = {Liner evaluation for uranium mill tailings. Final report},
author = {Buelt, J L},
abstractNote = {The Liner Evaluation for Uranium Mill Tailings Program was conducted to evaluate the need for and performance of prospective lining materials for the long-term management of inactive uranium mill tailings piles. On the basis of program results, two materials have been identified: natural foundation soil amended with 10% sodium bentonite; catalytic airblown asphalt membrane. The study showed that, for most situations, calcareous soils typical of Western US sites adequately buffer tailings leachates and prevent groundwater contamination without additional liner materials or amendments. Although mathematical modeling of disposal sites is recommended on a site-specific basis, there appears to be no reason to expect significant infiltration through the cover for most Western sites. The major water source through the tailings would be groundwater movement at sites with shallow groundwater tables. Even so column leaching studies showed that contaminant source terms were reduced to near maximum contaminant levels (MCL's) for drinking water within one or two pore volumes; thus, a limited source term for groundwater contamination exists. At sites where significant groundwater movement or infiltration is expected and the tailings leachates are alkaline, however, the sodium bentonite or asphalt membrane may be necessary.},
doi = {10.2172/5797223},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5797223}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1983},
month = {Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1983}
}