An aerial radiological survey of the Durango, Colorado uranium mill tailings site and surrounding area. Date of survey: August 1980

Technical Report · Mon Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981

OSTI ID:10146302

Hilton, L K

An aerial radiological survey of Durango, Colorado, including the inactive uranium mill tailings piles located southwest of the town, was conducted during August 25--29, 1980, for the Department of Energy`s Environmental and Safety Engineering Division. Areas of radiation exposure rates higher than the local background, which was about 15 microrentgens per hour ({mu}R/h), were observed directly over and to the south of the mill tailings piles, over a cemetery, and at two spots near the fairgrounds. The rapidly changing radiation exposure rates at the boundaries of the piles preclude accurate extrapolation of aerial radiological data to ground level exposure rates in their immediate vicinity. Estimated radiation exposure rates close to the piles, however, approached 30 times background, or about 450 {mu}R/h. Radiation exposure rates in a long area extending south from the tailings piles were about 25 {mu}R/h.

• Research Organization: EG and G, Inc., Las Vegas, NV (United States). Remote Sensing Lab.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC08-88NV10617
• OSTI ID: 10146302
• Report Number(s): EGG--10617-1186; ON: DE92014285; IN: EP-U-003
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540230
ABANDONED SITES
AERIAL SURVEYING
BACKGROUND RADIATION
COLORADO
FEED MATERIALS PLANTS
GAMMA RADIATION
MILL TAILINGS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS MONITORING AND TRANSPORT
RADIOMETRIC SURVEYS
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
URANIUM ORES