Radiological survey of the inactive uranium-mill tailings at the Spook site, Converse County, Wyoming

Technical Report · Thu May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5337390· OSTI ID:5337390

Haywood, F F; Christian, D J; Chou, K D; Ellis, B S; Lorenzo, D; Shinpaugh, W H

Results of a radiological survey performed at the Spook site in Converse County, Wyoming, in June 1976, are presented. The mill at this site was located a short distance from the open-pit mine where the ore was obtained and where part of the tailings was dumped into the mine. Several piles of overburden or low-grade ore in the vicinity were included in the measurements of above-ground gamma exposure rate. The average exposure rate over these piles varied from 14 ..mu..R/hr, the average background exposure rate for the area, to 140 ..mu..R/hr. The average exposure rate for the tailings and former mill area was 220 ..mu..R/hr. Movement of tailings particles down dry washes was evident. The calculated concentration of /sup 226/Ra in ten holes as a function of depth is presented graphically.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 5337390
• Report Number(s): ORNL-5460
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510301* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- Soil-- (-1987)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
DOSE RATES
DOSES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FEED MATERIALS PLANTS
GAMMA RADIATION
HEAVY NUCLEI
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
ISOTOPES
MILL TAILINGS
MINES
MONITORING
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEI
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION MONITORING
RADIATIONS
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIUM 226
RADIUM ISOTOPES
ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION
SOILS
SOLID WASTES
TAILINGS
URANIUM MINES
USA
WASTES
WYOMING
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES