Summary of ground-water quality impacts of uranium mining and milling in the Grants mineral belt, New Mexico. Technical note (final)
Ground-water contamination from uranium mining and milling results from the infiltration of radium-bearing mine, mill, and ion-exchange plant effluents. Radium, selenium, and nitrate were of most value as indicators of contamination. In recent years, mining has increased radium in mine effluents from several picocuries/liter (pCi/1) or less, to 100-150 pCi/1. The shallow aquifer in use in the vicinity of one mill was grossly contaminated with selenium, attributable to the mill tailings. Seepage from two other mill tailings ponds averaged 67,400,000 liters/year and, to date, has contributed an estimated 1.1 curies of radium to ground water. At one of these, an injection well was used to dispose of over 3,400,000,000 liters of waste from 1960-1973. The wastes have not been properly monitored and have apparently migrated to more shallow, potable aquifers. No adverse impacts on municipal water quality in Paguate, Bluewater, Grants, Milan, and Gallup were observed. (GRA)
- Research Organization:
- Environmental Protection Agency, Las Vegas, Nev. (USA). Office of Radiation Programs
- OSTI ID:
- 7137436
- Report Number(s):
- PB-247282; ORP/LV-75-4; TRN: 77-002501
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
GROUND WATER
WATER POLLUTION
URANIUM ORES
MINING
AQUIFERS
NEW MEXICO
RADIATION HAZARDS
RESIDUAL FUELS
FUEL OILS
FUELS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
NORTH AMERICA
OILS
ORES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
POLLUTION
SOUTHWEST REGION
USA
WATER
520301* - Environment
Aquatic- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- Water- (1987)