DRC-2024-007031

Salt Lake City, UT
-4880
Telephone (801) 536-Fax (801) 536-T.D.D. [phone]
www.deq.utah.gov
Printed on 100% recycled paper
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: File
THROUGH: Adam Wingate
Chris Leahy
FROM: Dean Henderson
DATE: September 9, 2024
SUBJECT: 2024 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 and split sampling for the 2024 Annual Tailings System Wastewater Monitoring event (2024
Event) that was completed on August 27, 2024, 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 2024 monitoring event by December 1, 2024. The 2024 Event was inspected against the following
enforcement documents:
White Mesa Uranium Mill Ground Water Quality Assurance Plan (QAP).
Revision 7.7, dated February 15, 2022.
Groundwater Discharge Permit No. UGW370004 (Permit). Permit version that was signed on
March 8, 2021.
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 18, 2024, that EFRI would be sampling the tailings cell
wastewater on August 20, 2024 (DRC-2024-006263). However, at the request of the Division staff the
split wastewater sampling and inspection was rescheduled for August 27, 2024. The letter from EFRI
provided notice prior to sampling as required in Part I.E.10(d)(6) of the Permit.
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EFRI collected tailings cell wastewater samples from Tailings Cells 1, 4A, and 4B, Tailings Cell 2
Slimes Drain, and Tailings Cells 4A and 4B Leak Detection Systems (LDS). See the photographs in
Figures 1-6 in Attachment 1 below. There was no wastewater in Tailings Cell 3 therefore no wastewater
sample was collected. The LDS for Tailings Cells 1, 2, and 3 were dry and not sampled. Division staff
Dean Henderson collected a split sample of Tailings Cell 4B LDS 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 2024 Event was completed, a close out meeting was held with the following attendees:
Division staff: Dean Henderson and EFRI staff: Deen Lyman, Tanner Holliday and Garin Palmer. In
the meeting the Division staff discussed where the samples were collected and that no problems or
concerns had been observed.

Conclusion

Based on Division staff observation of EFRI staff performing the sampling and monitoring on August
27, 2024, 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 2024 Event on or before
December 1, 2024. The Division will also review this report that will include sample analysis for this
2024 Event as part of that review to complete the inspection on the 2024 Annual Tailings System
Wastewater Monitoring event.

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References

Energy Fuels Resources (USA) Inc., February 15, 2022, White Mesa Uranium Mill Ground Water
Monitoring Quality Assurance Plan (QAP), Revision 7.7.

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, March 8, 2021, Modified Utah Ground Water Discharge
Permit No. UGW370004 issued for the Energy Fuels Resources (USA) Inc. White Mesa Uranium Mill .

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Attachment 1

Figures 1 - 6

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Figure 1. EFRI staff collecting a wastewater sample from Tailings Cell 1.

Figure 2. EFRI staff collecting a wastewater sample from Tailings Cell 2 Slimes Drain .

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Figure 3. ERFI staff collecting a wastewater sample from Tailings Cell 4A

Figure 4. EFRI staff collecting wastewater in a stainless steel bucket from Tailings Cell 4A LDS.

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Figure 5. EFRI staff collecting a wastewater sample from Tailings Cell 4B.

Figure 6. EFRI staff collecting a wastewater sample from out of a stainless steel bucket for Tailings Cell
4B LDS.