DRC-2021-021643 - 0901a06880fc8af0

TO: Phil Goble
FROM: Dean Henderson
DATE: November 17, 2021
1/ PR
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
17/70-7 f D RC-2021-02164-3
//47- 2 61 I
SUBJECT: Review of the November 8, 2021, Installation and Hydraulic Testing of Perched Well
TW4-43 White Mesa Uranium Mill, near Blanding, Utah (As-Built Report)
On November 8, 2021, the Division of Waste Management and Radiation Control ("Division") received
Energy Fuels Resources (USA) Inc. ("EFRI") submission of the 2021 Installation and Hydraulic Testing
of Perched Well TW4-43 White Mesa Uranium Mill near Blanding (As-Built Report) ['Report]
Summary of Compliance
The review was based on White Mesa Uranium Mill Ground Water Discharge Permit No. UGW370004
("Permit") Part I.F.6.
Permit Part I.F.6 requires as-built reports for new groundwater monitoring wells shall be submitted for
Director approval within 60 calendar days of well completion.
The Report documented that the new well TW4-43 was drilled and installed the week of September 13,
2021, and the Division received the Report on November 8, 2021. Therefore, the Report was submitted
with in 60 days of well TW4-43 completion and is compliant with Permit Part I.F.6.
Permit Part I.F.6(a) requires that geologic logs detail all soil and rock lithologies and physical
properties of all subsurface materials encountered during drilling. Said logs shall be prepared by a
Professional Geologist licensed by the State of Utah, or otherwise approved beforehand by the Director.
Appendix A of the Report documented the geologic log for the boring of new well TW4-43 that showed
all soil and rock lithologies and physical properties of all subsurface materials encountered during the
drilling. The Report documented that the boring was logged by D. Kapostasy and T. Boam employees
of EFRI under the approval and direction of Stewart J. Smith a licensed professional geologist with the
State of Utah (5336166-2250). EFRI appears to be in compliance with Permit Part I.F.6(a).
DRC-20 195 North 1950 West • Salt Lake City, UT
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 144880 • Salt Lake City, UT 84114-4880
Telephone [phone] • Fax [phone] • T.D.D. [phone]
www.deq.utah.gov
Printed on 100% recycled paper
Page 2
Permit Part I.F.6(b) requires a well completion diagram that detail all physical attributes of the well
construction.
In figure 2 of the Report is the new well TW4-43 as-built construction schematic that shows total depth
and diameters of boring, depth, type, diameter, and physical properties of well casing and screen,
including well screen slot size, depth intervals, type and physical properties of annular filterpack and
seal materials used, design, type, diameter, and construction of protective surface casing. In Table 1 the
Report documents survey coordinates, including horizontal coordinates and elevation of water level
measuring point, as measured to the nearest 0.01 foot. EFRI appears to be in compliance with Permit
Part I.F.6(b).
Permit Part I.F.6(c) requires aquifer permeability data including field data, data analysis, and
interpretation of slug test, aquifer pump test or other hydraulic analysis to determine local aquifer
hydraulic conductivity in each well.
The Report documents aquifer hydraulic testing procedures and hydraulic test data analysis for new well
TW4-43. Slug test consisted of a sealed, pea-grave-filled, schedule 80 PVC approximately three feet
long that displaced approximately 3/4 gallons of water. A data logger was deployed below the static
water column in the well and used to measure the change in water level during the test. As a backup,
hand water level data was also measured and recorded. Test data was analyzed by the computer
program AQTESOLV. In Table 3 of the Report documents the results of the analyses. Estimates of
hydraulic conductivity range from approximately 4.37 x io cm/s to 5.76 x 10 cm/s using the
automatically logged data, and from approximately 5.84 x 10 cm/s to 6.4 x 10 cm/s using the hand-
collected data. Hydraulic conductivity estimates are within the range of previously measured at the site.
EFRI appears to be in compliance with Permit Part I.F.6(c).
Conclusions on Compliance with the Permit
Per the Division review it appears that the Report complies with Permit. Therefore, a letter will be
drafted notifying EFR of the review and closing out of for the November 8, 2021, Installation and
Hydraulic Testing of Perched Well TW4-43 White Mesa Uranium Mill near Blanding (As-Built Report).
Page 3
References
EFRI, November 8, 2021, Energy Fuels Resources (USA) Inc., 2021 Installation and Hydraulic Testing
of Perched Well TW4-43 White Mesa Uranium Mill near Blanding (As-Built Report)
EFRI, Ground Water Quality Discharge Permit No. UGW370004 ("Permit"). Permit version that was
signed on March 19, 2019.