Analysis of cobbly soils for cobbles-to-fines corrections to radionuclide concentrations at the New Rifle, Colorado, processing site
A contamination depth and cobbly soil characterization study was performed in November and December 1993 at the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Projects`s New Rifle, Colorado, processing site. This study was initiated due to a concurrence by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) clarifying that the allowable residual contamination in soil should be averaged over the total mass of the soil volume, including cobbles and gravels (i.e., bulk concentration). The New Rifle processing site has a high percentage of cobbles and gravels underlying the pile and other contaminated areas, which preliminary excavation designs have identified for removal and disposal. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the relative mass percentage and radionuclide concentrations of cobbles and gravels in order to determine the bulk contamination concentrations, revise the underlying excavation design depths, and improve verification methods. Another important goal of the study was to acquire more accurate contamination depth data (profile) for the subpile material. In summary, this recharacterization study will probably reduce the volume of material for excavation/disposal by several hundred thousand cubic yards and significantly reduce the amount of ground water expected to be pumped out of the excavation during cleanup.
- Research Organization:
- Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-91AL62350
- OSTI ID:
- 10180563
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/AL/62350--127; ON: DE94018458; BR: EW2010102/EX2040010
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
054000
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540230
ABANDONED SITES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
COLORADO
COMPLIANCE
CONTAMINATION
EXCAVATION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FEED MATERIALS PLANTS
HEALTH AND SAFETY
MILL TAILINGS
RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENTS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS MONITORING AND TRANSPORT
REGULATIONS
REMEDIAL ACTION
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
SOILS
US NRC