Uranium mill tailings remedial action program. Radiological survey of Shiprock vicinity property SH03, Shiprock, NM, July-November 1982
A comprehensive survey of the vicinity property designated as SH03 was conducted on an intermittent basis from July 26 to November 11, 1982. At the time of the survey, three structures were located on the property - a residential trailer, the main structure, and an old gas pump housing. The lands surrounding the structures were either sparsely covered with arid vegetation or paved. The assessment activities included determination of indoor and outdoor surface radiation levels, for both fixed and removable contamination, through direct instrument and smear (indoor only) surveys; measurement of ambient external penetrating radiation levels at 1-meter heights; and analyses of air, soil, and other material samples. No evidence of radioactive contamination was found inside the trailer. However, the results of the radiological assessment did indicate the occurrence of elevated levels of gamma, surface alpha, and radon daughter radioactivity within the main structure. The short-term radon daughter measurements exceeded the limit of 0.02 Working Level for average annual concentration including background. The assessment also indicated elevated levels of radioactivity in the outdoor environs, encompassing about 32,000 ft/sup 2/ of the grounds adjacent to and surrounding the main structure on the east, south, and west sides. The contamination appeared to be due to the presence of unprocessed uranium ore. Analysis of surface soil samples collected from the environs indicated radium concentrations in excess of the limit of 5 pCi/g above background specified in the EPA Standard. Subsurface soil sampling was not conducted, and thus the vertical extent of the radiological contamination is not known. Since the surface soil contamination levels exceeded the limits specified in the EPA Standard, remedial action for this vicinity site should be considered.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31-109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 6724519
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/NE-SH03; ANL-OHS/HP-84-SH03; ON: DE84014841
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products. Original copy available until stock is exhausted
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Uranium mill tailings remedial action program. Radiological survey of Shiprock vicinity property SH02 Shiprock, New Mexico, August-November 1984
Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Program. Radiological survey of Shiprock vicinity property SH15, Shiprock, New Mexico, October-November 1982
Related Subjects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
AIR
RADIOACTIVITY
MILL TAILINGS
RADIATION MONITORING
REMEDIAL ACTION
NEW MEXICO
SOILS
ABANDONED SITES
DAUGHTER PRODUCTS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
RADON
DATA
ELEMENTS
FEDERAL REGION VI
FLUIDS
GASES
INFORMATION
ISOTOPES
MONITORING
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
RARE GASES
SOLID WASTES
TAILINGS
USA
WASTES
052001* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Processing
054000 - Nuclear Fuels- Health & Safety