DRC-2022-023755 - 0901a068811347d3

State of Utah
SPENCER J. COX
Governor
DEIDRE HENDERSON
Lieutenant Governor
Department of
Environmental Quality
Kimberly D. Shelley
Executive Director
DIVISION OF WASTE MANAGEMENT
AND RADIATION CONTROL
Douglas J. Hansen
Director
MEMORANDUM
TO: PhilGoble P/2C ¾kz_
FROM: DeanHenderson /lit 1/H/-n--
DATE: September 21, 2022
SUBJECT: 2022 Annual Tailings System Wastewater Monitoring Event
Groundwater Discharge Permit No. UGW370004
For the Energy Fuels Resources (USA) Inc.
White Mesa Uranium Mill, near Blanding, Utah
This is a Utah Division of Waste Management and Radiation Control ("Division") staff summary on the
inspection of the 2022 Annual Tailings System Wastewater Monitoring event ("2022 Event") that was
completed on August 24, 2022 for the Energy Fuels Resources (USA), Inc. (''EFRI") White Mesa
Uranium Mill, near Blanding, Utah ("Mill"). EFRI is required to submit a written report of this 2022
monitoring event by December 1, 2022. The 2022 Event was inspected against the following
enforcement documents:
• White Mesa Uranium Mill Ground Water Quality Assurance Plan ("QAP").
Revision 7.3 , dated August 18, 2017.
• Groundwater Discharge Permit No. UGW370004 ("Permit"). Permit version that was signed on
January 19, 2018.
• Tailings and slimes Drain Sampling Program ("Sampling Plan") Revision 3.0 dated July 8, 2016.
Summary of Inspection
EFRI informed the Division in a letter dated July 26, 2022, that was received by the Division on July 29,
2022, that EFRI would be sampling the tailings cell wastewater on August 24, 2024. The letter from
EFR provided notice prior to sampling as required in Part I.E.10(d)(6) of the Permit.
EFRI collected tailings cell wastewater samples from Tailings Cells 1, 4A, and 4B, and Tailings Cell 2
Slimes Drain, and Tailings Cells 4B and 4B Leak Detection Systems ("LDS"). See the photographs in
Figures 1-12 in Attachment 1 below. There was no wastewater in Tailings Cell 3 therefore no
wastewater sample was collected (see Figure 2 in Attachment 1 below). The LDS for Tailings Cells 1, 2,
DRC-20 195 North 1950 West• Salt Lake City, UT
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 144880 • Salt Lake City, UT 84114-4880
Telephone (801 ) 536-0200 • Fax (801 ) 536-0222 • T.D.D. (801 ) 536-4284
www.deq.utah.gov
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DRC-2022-023755
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and 3 were dry and not sampled. Division staff Dean Henderson and Phil Goble collected a split sample
of Tailings Cell 1 and witnessed EFRI staff sample all the other wastewater sample locations. EFRI
sampled all available tailing cell wastewater sample locations as required in Part I.E.10 of the Permit
and Section 2.0 of the Sampling Plan.
It appeared that EFRI staff met the field requirements in the Permit, Part I.E.10, in the QAP, Field
Sampling Quality Assurance Methodology in Section 4.0 and Sample Documentation Tracking and
Record Keeping in section 7.0, and in the Sampling Plan, Field Sampling Procedures in section 3.0.
After the 2022 Event was completed a close out meeting was held with the following attendees: Division
staff: Dean Henderson and Phil Goble and EFR staff: Deen Lyman, Tanner Holliday and Garin Palmer.
In the meeting the Division staff discussed where the samples were collected and that no problems had
been observed.
Conclusion
Based on Division staff observation ofEFRI staff performing the sampling and monitoring on August
24, 2022, it appears that EFRI appropriately followed the field requirements in the Permit, QAP and
Sampling Plan. As stated above, EFRI will submit a written report of this 2022 Event by December 1,
2022. The Division will also review this report that will include sample analysis for this 2022 Event as·
part of that review to complete the inspection on the 2022 Annual Tailings System Wastewater
Monitoring event.
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References
Energy Fuels, White Mesa Uranium Mill Ground Water Quality Assurance Plan, Revision 7.3, August
18, 2017.
Energy Fuels, White Mesa Uranium Mill Sampling and Analysis Plan for Tailings Management System,
Leak Detection Systems and Slimes Drain, Revision 3.0, July 8, 2016.
Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Groundwater Discharge Permit No. UGW370004 Permit
version that was signed on January 19, 2018.
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Attachment 1
Figures 1 -12
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Figure 1. EFRI staff collecting a wastewater sample from Tailings Cell 1.
Figure 2. Tailings Cell 3 with no standing wastewater.
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Figure 3. EFRI staff preparing containers for the wastewater samples from Tailings Cell 2 Slimes
Drain.
Figure 4. EFRI staff collecting a wastewater sample from Tailings Cell 2 Slimes Drain.
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Figure 5. Tailings Cell 4A.
Figure 6. ERFI staff collecting a wastewater sample from Tailings Cell 4A
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Figure 7. EFRI staff collecting wastewater in a stainless steel bucket from Tailings Cell 4A LDS.
Figure 8. EFRI staff collecting wastewater samples from Tailings Cell 4A LDS from a stainless steel
bucket.
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,.
Figure 9. Tailings Cell 4B.
Figure 10. EFRI staff collecting a wastewater sample from Tailings Cell 4B.
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Figure 11. EFRI staff collecting wastewater from Tailings Cell 4B LDS in a stainless steel bucket.
Figure 12. EFRI staff collecting a wastewater sample from out of a stainless steel bucket for Tailings
Cell 4B LDS.