DRC-2012-001366 - 0901a068802c997f

State of Utah
GARY R. HERBERT
Governor
GREG BELL
Lieutenant Governor
Department of
Environmental Quality
Amanda Smith
Executive Director
DIVISION OF RADIATION CONTROL
Rusty Lundberg
Director
DRC-2012-001366
MEMORANDUM
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
Phil Goble, Section Manager
Russell J. Topham, P.E. j/^^
Aprill9,2012
Inspection of Disposal of Bulk Byproduct Material April 13, 2012. Radioactive Materials
License UTl900479 (License) - Denison Mines (USA) Corp. (DUSA) White Mesa Mill,
B landing, Utah
On April 13, 2012,1 conducted an inspection at the DUSA White Mesa mill on behalf of the DRC. My
primary task was to observe placement and burial of bulk byproduct material generated at in-situ leach
facilities. DUSA is allowed to dispose this byproduct material in Tailings Cell 3 only, which is allowed by
License Condition 10.5 of the DUSA Radioactive Materials License. I also checked the status of the
wildlife ponds, and observing construction efforts for a new drum management pad for the Secondary Feed
circuit the previous day, April 12, 2012.
Bulk BvpVoduct Material
On April 2, 2012 DRC received notice that DUSA would receive 16 loads of 1 le.(2) byproduct material,
and intended to dispose of that waste in Cell 3 on April 13, 2012. Upon checking in at the White Mesa mill
on April 13, 2012 I met with Mr. David Turk. Mr. Turk shared with me the paperwork associated with the
bulk waste, including the forms specified in the applicable SOP and the mapped disposal location. I
reviewed these documents and found the work to meet expectations.
Mr. Garrin Palmer escorted me to the disposal site, and remained with me throughout the disposal process.
Mr. David Turk visited the disposal site periodically to monitor progress. Photo 1 in the attached photo log
shows one of three excavations prepared for receipt of the waste.
A team of two worked to place the waste in the excavations and to compact the waste. The waste consisted
of office equipment, counters and paperwork ifrom a decommissioned site. The team placed the waste into
the excavations, and used a backhoe to rearrange the larger pieces and compact the materials. Photos 2
through 5 detail the placement effort.
Following placement of the waste, the team placed soil to fill voids and cover the excavation. The soil
cover was wheel-walked to provide a measure of compaction. The SOP called for four passes with a piece
of heavy equipment to densify byproduct material, and one pass to densify cover material. The area
receiving the least compactive effort at any point in the backfilling process received the requisite five
passes. Photos 6 through 8 detail the placement and densification of the soil cap,
168 North 1950 West • Salt Uke City, UT
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 144850 • Salt Lake City, UT 84114-4850
Telephone [phone] » Fax [phone] • T.D.D. (801) 536^414
www.deq.utah.gov
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Page 2
It appeared that all provisions of the approved SOP were followed during placement of the bulk waste.
Wildlife Ponds
DUSA has ceased introducing water into the wildlife ponds. Piping used to fill the ponds has been cut and
capped. DUSA plans to allow evaporation to dry the ponds this summer.
Photos 9 and 10 show the southernmost pond, which is situated hydraulically cross-gradient to the mill.
This pond appeared to be nearly full. Photo 11 shows a dry middle pond, north of and hydraulically up-
gradient of the mill. Photo 12 shows a nearly-dry pond north of and hydraulically up-gradient of the mill.
New Pad for Drum Management at Alternate Feed Circuit
On April 9, 2012 the DRC extended conditional approval of plans to construct an additional concrete pad
for drum management at the alternate feed circuit. At the time of the inspection, the construction crew had
partially installed formwork for the stem wall on the north and east ends of the pad. Photo 13 shows the
excavation and partially completed formwork. Given the early stage of construction at the time of the
inspection, it was only possible to assess location of the pad. It appeared that construction was proceeding
according to the approved plan.
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