Biological processes for concentrating trace elements from uranium mine waters. Technical completion report

Technical Report · Tue Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7015082· OSTI ID:7015082

Brierley, C. L.; Brierley, J. A.

Waste water from uranium mines in the Ambrosia Lake district near Grants, New Mexico, USA, contains uranium, selenium, radium and molybdenum. The Kerr-McGee Corporation has a novel treatment process for waters from two mines to reduce the concentrations of the trace contaminants. Particulates are settled by ponding, and the waters are passed through an ion exchange resin to remove uranium; barium chloride is added to precipitate sulfate and radium from the mine waters. The mine waters are subsequently passed through three consecutive algae ponds prior to discharge. Water, sediment and biological samples were collected over a 4-year period and analyzed to assess the role of biological agents in removal of inorganic trace contaminants from the mine waters. Some of the conclusions derived from this study are: (1) The concentrations of soluble uranium, selenium and molybdenum were not diminished in the mine waters by passage through the series of impoundments which constituted the mine water treatment facility. Uranium concentrations were reduced but this was due to passage of the water through an ion exchange column. (2) The particulate concentrations of the mine water were reduced at least ten-fold by passage of the waters through the impoundments. (3) The sediments were anoxic and enriched in uranium, molybdenum and selenium. The deposition of particulates and the formation of insoluble compounds were proposed as mechanisms for sediment enrichment. (4) The predominant algae of the treatment ponds were the filamentous Spirogyra and Oscillatoria, and the benthic alga, Chara. (5) Adsorptive processes resulted in the accumulation of metals in the algae cells. (6) Stimulation of sulfate reduction by the bacteria resulted in retention of molybdenum, selenium, and uranium in sediments. 1 figure, 16 tables.

• Research Organization: New Mexico Inst. of Mining and Technology, Socorro (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7015082
• Report Number(s): WRRI-140; ON: DE83900302
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050300 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Mining-- (-1987)
052001* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Processing
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
550700 -- Microbiology
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ACTINIDES
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
BACTERIA
BIODEGRADATION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DATA
DECOMPOSITION
ELEMENTS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FEDERAL REGION VI
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
ION EXCHANGE
LIQUID WASTES
MANAGEMENT
METALS
MICROORGANISMS
MINES
MOLYBDENUM
NEW MEXICO
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
POLLUTION
POLYMERS
PRECIPITATION
PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
RADIUM
REMOVAL
RESINS
SEDIMENTATION
SEDIMENTS
SELENIUM
SEMIMETALS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
URANIUM
URANIUM MINES
USA
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTE WATER
WASTES
WATER
WATER POLLUTION
WATER TREATMENT