Research on the characterization and conditioning of uranium mill tailings. Volume 1. I. Characterization and leaching behavior of uranium mill tailings
The goal of these studies on tailings characterization was to determine the mineralogical and elemental composition of various tailings materials, as well as to evaluate their contaminant leachability and radon emanation properties. Extreme variability within and between tailings piles was noted for major, minor, and trace elements and radionuclides. The most commonly enriched contaminants found in 12 tailings site composites were As, Se, U, and V. The /sup 226/Ra content of these composites was consistently lower than the most commonly cited estimates. The most common highly leachable components of these tailings include potentially toxic trace contaminants such as U, As, Mo, and Se and major constituents such as Ca, SO/sub 4//sup -2/, Na, Mn, and V. Appreciable leachable metal ions were found for a few tailings materials. These studies have shown the necessity of complete characterization of each individual type of tailings because of differences in total and leachable constituents between tailings. A pilot study on data derived from neutron activation analysis of core samples from two tailings sites indicates that, by statistical treatments such as cluster analysis, samples can be separated into distinct classes such as tailings, contaminated soil, or background soil. This information could be very significant in determining the degree of contaminant migration beneath a tailings pile. Results on sulfuric acid leaching tests indicated that appreciable quantities of U, V, Mo, and Co could be extracted form some types of tailings. An economic analysis of reprocessing has shown that for piles requiring relocation as part of remedial action, sufficient mineral values can be extracted from some tailings to provide a net economic benefit.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 5942692
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/UMT-0263; LA-9660-UMT-Vol.1; ON: DE83015420
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products. Original copy available until stock is exhausted
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
MILL TAILINGS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
LEACHING
MATERIALS RECOVERY
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
ARSENIC
DIFFUSION
LEACHATES
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
RADIUM 226
RADON 222
SELENIUM
SOILS
URANIUM
VANADIUM
ACTINIDES
ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DISPERSIONS
DISSOLUTION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
METALS
MIXTURES
NUCLEI
PROCESSING
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIUM ISOTOPES
RADON ISOTOPES
RECOVERY
SEMIMETALS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLID WASTES
SOLUTIONS
TAILINGS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
052001* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Processing
053000 - Nuclear Fuels- Environmental Aspects
052002 - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage