DRC-2013-001822 - 0901a06880360bf9

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
MEMORANDUM
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
Phil Goble, Section Manager -^^^
Dean Henderson, Hydrogeologis^^
M.ch25,2oi3 DRC-2013.00 1822
Drilling Activities Nitrate Contamination Investigation in the vicinity of Monitor
Wells TW4-12 and TW4-27 at the White Mesa Uranium Mill near Blanding. Utah
Energy Fuels Resources (USA) Inc. ("EFR")
On March 5,2013 Division of Radiation Control ("DRC") staff Dean Henderson observed the
drilling for the boring of monitor well TWN-30 (see photograph in Figure 1 belov^^). Prior to
arrival monitor wells TW4-28 and TW4-29 (see photograph in Figure 2 below) had been drilled
and installed the day before. The monitor well installation activities are part of a nitrate
contamination investigation at monitor wells TW4-12 and TW4-27 at the White Mesa Uranium
Mill near Blanding Utah. Observations are described below.
FffiLD OBSERVATIONS
Site Personnel
The DrilUng Company was Bayles Exploration. The driUing crew was Randy Bayles, Dave
Perkins, Hansen Perkins, and Jake Chee. The method to drill the borings was accomplished with
the use of an air rotary drilling rig using tri-cone drill bits. The borings were logged by Mr. Larry
Casebolt. Tanner Holliday represented EFR in the field.
Drilling Activities ^
The soil overburden at the ground surface above bedrock in the two borings ranged fi^om 5 to 7
feet. The first 10 feet of each boring was drilled with the use of a 12 inch OD tri-cone bit.
Thereafter, this bit was removed fi-om the boring and a 10 foot section of 8" OD schedule 80 PVC
pipe casing was inserted into the boring. This PVC casing would prevent the soil overburden
fi-om falling or washing down the boring. After the casing was installed, the 12 % inch OD tri-
cone bit was replaced with a 5 inch OD tri-cone bit and drilling continued until the final boring
depth was achieved. To aid in the boring cuttings to be air lifted out of the boring, the drillers
introduced water into the boring. The water was from Recapture Reservoir.
195 North 1950 West • Salt Lake City, UT
Mailing Address. P.O Box 144850'Salt Lake City, UT 84114-4850
Telephone [phone] • Fax [phone] 'TDD [phone]
www deq Utah gov
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Page 2
Bore Hole Logging
The boring was logged by observing the boring cuttings. Beginning at the ground surface a
sample of the cuttings were taken on 2.5 foot depth intervals and were placed in piles on the
ground (see photograph in Figure 2). From each pile of boring cuttings Mr. Casebolt would grab
a portion of the cuttings, washed and placed them in plastic bags and in a plastic container after
recording his findings.
Monitor WeirTW4-29 ,
As stated above this will had been drilled and installed the day prior to DRC staff arrival. Total
depth of this well was 91 feet. At 88 feet Mr. Casebolt determined that the Brushy Basin Member
of the Morrison Formation ("Brushy Basin") had been encountered. Static water level was
measured at 70 feet.
Boring for TW4-30 Details
There was approximately 5 to 7 feet of soil overburden before the bedrock of the Dakota
Formation was encountered. To aid in the air lifting of the boring cuttings, at 50 feet the drillers
introduced water into the boring. As stated above the water was from Recapture Reservoir. At 70
feet the drilling crew indicated that formation water may have been encountered. At 86 feet Mr.
Casebolt determined that the Brushy Basin had been encountered. The final boring depth was
based on the depth of the Burrow Canyon Brushy Basin contact. The final boring depth for TW4-
30 was 96 feet. DRC Staff was not present to observe well completion.
DRC COMMENTS
On March 6, 2013 in an e-mail (see Attachment 1 below) sent to EFR representative Jo Ann
Tischler, the DRC Director allowed EFR to use unhydrated bentonite or any other material
described in Utah Administrative Code R655-5-15.2.5 for well seal material above the sand filter
pack for monitor well construction at the White Mesa Uranium Mill.
Mr. Casebolt provided adequate skills in logging borings TW4-30. The air rotary drilling method
using tri-cone drilling bits to the drill borings was adequate.
.55 feeF
40 feet
^ Boring cuttings
Figure 1. Drilling boring for monitor well TW4-30. Boring cuttings collected and piled representing
approximately 2.5 foot boring depth intervals.
Figure 2. Just completed monitor well TW4-29 foreground and approximately 200 feet south of
monitor well TW4-27 seen in background.
Page 3
Attachment 1
Utah Division of Radiation Control e-Mail to Energy Fuels Resources
3/25/13 ,
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Monitor Well Construction
, :J Dean Henderson <dhenderson@utah gov>
to Jo, Phillip, Rusty
Jo Ann,
Mar 6 ifr
As per our phone conversation on March 5, 2013 conceming the use of unhydrated bentonite for
monitor well construction According to the Utah Administrative Code R655-5-15 2 5 (see below)
unhydrated bentonite may be used as a seal matenal above the sand filter pack for monitor wells
(see in bold below) Therefore, the Director of Utah Division of Radiation Control will allow Energy
Fuels Resources (USA) Inc to use unhydrated bentonite or any other matenal descnbed in Utah
Administrative Code R655-5-15 2 5 for well seal matenal above the sand filter pack for monitor
well constmction at the White Mesa Uranium Mill
Ifyou have any questions Please contact me at 1 801 536-0046
Thanks
Dean Henderson
Utah Administrative Code R655 15.2.5 Annular Seal
Ail monitor wells constructed shall have a continuous surface seal, v^ich seals the annular
space between the borehole and the pennanent casing, in accordance with the provisions in
Section R655-4-11 The surface seal depth requirements of Section R655-4-11 do not apply to
monitor wells The surface seal may be more or less than 50 feet depending on the
screen/perforation and/or gravel pack interval Seals shall also be constructed to prevent
interconnection and commingling of separate aquifers penetrated by the well, prevent migration of
surface water and contaminations into the well and aquifers, and shall provide casing stability
The seal shall have a minimum diameter of four inches larger than the nominal size of the
pennanent casing, and shall extend from land surface to the top of the filter pack After the
pennanent casing and filter pack (optional) has been set in final position, a layer of bentonite or
fine sand (e g, mortar sand) shall be placed on top of the filter pack to maintain separation
between the seal matenal and the screened interval in order to insure that the seal placement will
not interfere with the filter pack The remaining annular space shall be filled to land surface
in a continuous operation with unhydrated bentonite, neat cement grout, sand- cement
grout, or bentonite grout Only potable water should be used to hydrate any grout or sluny
mixture The completed annular space shall fully sunvund the pennanent casing, be evenly
distnbuted, free of voids, and extend from the pennanent casing to undisturbed or recompacted
soil All sealing matenals and placement methods shall conform to the standards in Section
R655^2 and Subsection R655-4-11(11 4) The well dnller shall ensure that a bndge or voids do
not occur in the annular space dunng the placement of the seal
People (3)
Jo Ann Tischler
jtischler@energyfiiels com
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