Liner evaluation for uranium mill tailings. Final report

Technical Report · Thu Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1983

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5797223· OSTI ID:5797223

Buelt, J L ^[1]

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1. comp.

The Liner Evaluation for Uranium Mill Tailings Program was conducted to evaluate the need for and performance of prospective lining materials for the long-term management of inactive uranium mill tailings piles. On the basis of program results, two materials have been identified: natural foundation soil amended with 10% sodium bentonite; catalytic airblown asphalt membrane. The study showed that, for most situations, calcareous soils typical of Western US sites adequately buffer tailings leachates and prevent groundwater contamination without additional liner materials or amendments. Although mathematical modeling of disposal sites is recommended on a site-specific basis, there appears to be no reason to expect significant infiltration through the cover for most Western sites. The major water source through the tailings would be groundwater movement at sites with shallow groundwater tables. Even so column leaching studies showed that contaminant source terms were reduced to near maximum contaminant levels (MCL's) for drinking water within one or two pore volumes; thus, a limited source term for groundwater contamination exists. At sites where significant groundwater movement or infiltration is expected and the tailings leachates are alkaline, however, the sodium bentonite or asphalt membrane may be necessary.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 5797223
• Report Number(s): DOE/UMT-0216; PNL-4842; ON: DE84001253
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ASPHALTS
BITUMENS
BUILDING MATERIALS
CLAYS
CONCRETES
DISSOLUTION
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EVALUATION
FIELD TESTS
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LEACHING
LINERS
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
MATERIALS TESTING
MILL TAILINGS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
SCREENING
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLID WASTES
TAILINGS
TAR
TESTING
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
WATER