Methods of minimizing ground-water contamination from in situ leach uranium mining. Final report

Technical Report · Fri Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:5833637

Deutsch, W J; Martin, W J; Eary, L E; Serne, R J

This is the final report of a research project designed to study methods of minimizing ground-water contamination from in situ leach uranium mining. Fieldwork and laboratory experiments were conducted to identify excursion indicators for monitoring purposes during mining, and to evaluate effective aquifer restoration techniques following mining. Many of the solution constituents were found to be too reactive with the aquifer sediments to reliably indicate excursion of leaching solution from the ore zone; however, in many cases, the concentrations of chloride and sulfate and the total dissolved solids level of the solution were found to be good excursion indicators. Aquifer restoration by ground-water sweeping consumed large quantities of ground water and was not effective for the redox-sensitive contaminants often present in the ore zone. Surface treatment methods such as reverse osmosis and electrodialysis were effective in reducing the amount of water used, but also had the potential for creating conditions in the aquifer under which the redox-sensitive contaminants would be mobile. In situ restoration by chemical reduction, in which a reducing agent is added to the solution recirculated through the ore zone during restoration, can restore the ore-zone sediment as well as the ground water. This method could lead to a stable chemical condition in the aquifer similar to conditions before mining. 41 figures.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 5833637
• Report Number(s): NUREG/CR-3709; PNL-5319; ON: TI85010011
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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053000* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Environmental Aspects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
520200 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ALKALI METALS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
AQUIFERS
ARSENIC
CALCIUM
CHALCOGENIDES
CONTAMINATION
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IRON
LEACHATES
MAGNESIUM
METALS
MINING
MIXTURES
MOLYBDENUM
NONMETALS
ORES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PH VALUE
POLLUTION ABATEMENT
SEDIMENTS
SELENIUM
SEMIMETALS
SODIUM
SOLUTION MINING
SOLUTIONS
SULFATES
SULFIDES
SULFUR
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
URANIUM ORES
WATER
WATER POLLUTION ABATEMENT
WATER QUALITY