Geochemical investigation of UMTRAP designated site at Grand Junction, Colorado
This report is the result of a geochemical investigation of the former uranium mill and tailings site at Grand Junction, Colorado. The objectives of the investigation are to characterize the geochemistry, to determine the contaminant distribution resulting from the former milling activities and tailings, and to infer chemical pathways and transport mechanisms from the contaminant distribution. The results should be used to model contaminant migration and to develop criteria for long-term containment media, such as a cover system which is impermeable to contaminant migration. This report assumes a familiarity with the hydrologic conditions of the site and the geochemical concepts underlying the investigation. The results reported are based on a sampling of waters in two seasons and solid material from the background, the area adjacent to the site, and the site. The solid samples were water extracted to remove easily soluble salts and acid extracted to remove carbonates and hydroxides. The water extracts and solid samples were analyzed for the major and trace elements. A limited number of samples were analyzed for radiological components. The report includes the methods of sampling, sample processing, analysis, and data interpretation. Four major conclusions are: (1) trace element concentrations in shallow subsurface waters adjacent to the tailings temporally vary up to an order of magnitude; (2) the riverbank soils and borehole waters are contaminated with uranium, radium, and trace elements from discharge of tailings solids and solutions during the active time of the mill; however, the movement of contaminants toward the Colorado River does not appear to be significant; (3) the Colorado River adjacent to the tailings is not contaminated; and (4) trace metals have accumulated at both the tailings/cover and tailings/soil interface because of precipitation reactions caused by chemical differences between the two materials.
- Research Organization:
- Geochemistry and Environmental Chemistry Research, Inc., Rapid City, SD (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-82AL18797
- OSTI ID:
- 5635333
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/UMT-0231; GECR-824; ON: DE85014474
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
ACTINIDES
ALKALI METALS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ALUMINIUM
ARSENIC
BARIUM
CADMIUM
CALCIUM
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMISTRY
CHLORINE
CHROMIUM
COBALT
COLORADO
DATA
DATA ACQUISITION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FEDERAL REGION VIII
GEOCHEMISTRY
GROUND WATER
HALOGENS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
ION SELECTIVE ELECTRODE ANALYSIS
IRON
LEAD
MAGNESIUM
MANGANESE
MASS TRANSFER
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MILL TAILINGS
MOLYBDENUM
MULTI-ELEMENT ANALYSIS
NICKEL
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POTASSIUM
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
RADIUM
REMEDIAL ACTION
SAMPLING
SELENIUM
SEMIMETALS
SILICON
SILVER
SODIUM
SOILS
SOLID WASTES
SPECTROPHOTOMETRY
SPECTROSCOPY
STRONTIUM
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACE WATERS
TAILINGS
TRACE AMOUNTS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
URANIUM
USA
VANADIUM
WASTES
WATER