Phase II, Title I engineering assessment of inactive uranium mill tailings, Vitro Site, Salt Lake City, Utah
As a result of a preliminary survey (Phase I) completed in October 1974, ERDA identified some 18 sites in the states of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming for which practicable remedial measures are to be evaluated. Most of these mills produced by far the greatest part of their output of uranium under contracts with the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission during the period 1947 through 1970. After operations ceased some companies made no attempt to stabilize the tailings, while others did so with varying degrees of success. In recent years there has developed a growing concern about the possible adverse effects to the general public from long-term exposure to low-level sources of radiation. Much attention has been focused on the growing accumulation of wastes containing radium and thorium at uranium ore processing mills in the western United States. To date, the studies of radiation levels in the vicinity of these sites have been limited in scope. The factual data available were insufficient to permit an assessment of risk to people with any degree of confidence in the conclusions reached. In addition, information on practicable measures to reduce radiation exposures and estimates of their projected costs are completely lacking. The purpose of this study is to develop the necessary information to provide a basis for decision making for appropriate remedial action. This report is the first of a series to be made on inactive uranium mill sites in the western United States. The site of the former Vitro Chemical Company mill in Salt Lake City, Utah, was selected for the first study since it includes a large unstabilized mill tailings pile, is located in a major metropolitan area, and involves most of the problems expected to be encountered at other locations. The effort required to complete the engineering analysis of the remaining sites and to prepare reports is expected to require about a year.
- Research Organization:
- Ford, Bacon and Davis Utah, Inc., Salt Lake City (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- E(05-1)-1658
- OSTI ID:
- 7154507
- Report Number(s):
- TID-27118; TRN: 76-020722
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
URANIUM ORES
ORE PROCESSING
CONTAMINATION
ENVIRONMENT
GROUND WATER
MILLING
RADIOACTIVITY
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
SOILS
STABILITY
UTAH
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MACHINING
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
NORTH AMERICA
ORES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION
USA
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WATER
053000* - Nuclear Fuels- Environmental Aspects
050400 - Nuclear Fuels- Feed Processing
510301 - Environment
Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- Soil- (-1987)