Uranium mill tailings backfill management. Final report
Backfilling, the disposal of spent uranium mill tailings in empty mine stopes, has been practiced in the Grants Mineral Belt of New Mexico for nearly 20 years. The principal objective of backfilling is the prevention of roof collapse and hydraulic connection with overlying aquifers, increasing mine dewatering requirements. Backfilling is accomplished by gravity feed of a slurry of sand-fraction tailings and treated mine water into the slope. The effects of backfilling on surface discharge of mine wastewater are negligible due to the small fraction of the total flow represented by slurry decant. Furthermore, quality of the decant is not significantly below that of other mine waters. Groundwater effects of backfilling may be classified as short-term (while the mine is operational) and long-term (after dewatering operations have been terminated). Short-term effects are insignificant because of rapid and continuous flow to the mine sump. Long-term effects on aquifer water quality are predicted to be minimal due to (1) the small amount of slurry liquor present after drainage, (2) the precipitation of SO/sub 4/ and CO/sub 3/ phases, and (3) the reestablishment of reducing conditions and subsequent precipitation of major contaminants including U, As, Mo, Se, and V. 28 references, 19 figures, 9 tables.
- Research Organization:
- New Mexico Univ., Albuquerque (USA). Dept. of Civil Engineering
- OSTI ID:
- 5225747
- Report Number(s):
- NMERDI-2-69-1107; ON: DE84900740
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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053000* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Environmental Aspects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
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58 GEOSCIENCES
580100 -- Geology & Hydrology-- (-1989)
AQUIFERS
BACKFILLING
CHEMISTRY
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
FEDERAL REGION VI
GEOCHEMISTRY
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROLOGY
MANAGEMENT
MILL TAILINGS
MINES
NEW MEXICO
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
SOLID WASTES
TAILINGS
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
URANIUM MINES
USA
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
WATER
WATER QUALITY