DRC-2013-004488 - 0901a06880416f95

Midnite Mine - Water Treatment
Plant Sludge
DRC-2013-004488
November 8, 2012 © io: 30 <w
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MIDNITE
MINE SITE
Midnite Mine
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Sludge Physical Characteristics
Initially - 100 to 250 dry tons
-350 to 850 total tons
Long-term -10 -15 years - 1/6 initial volume
No free water
Compliance with NRC's Alternate Feed
Criteria
1. Is the feed material "ore"?
2. Does it contain hazardous waste ?
3. Is it being processed primarily for its source material
content?
4. Do the effects fall within the envelope of effects
addressed in the existing Environmental Report(s)
for the Mill?
Is the Material Ore ?
Contains 1.2 % U-nat (dry basis)
Uranium level is comparable to natural ores from
Arizona Strip
Daughters are significantly lower than Arizona
Strip ores and most other alternate feeds
Does It Contain Hazardous Waste ?
• Exempt from RCRA because it's source
material/ore (> 0.05% U)
• Even though it's exempt from RCRA, due
diligence assessment indicates:
• It has no RCRA characteristics and
• It is not/does not contain RCRA listed waste
Per NRC alternate feed guidance:
- Residues from water treatment may not possess RCRA
characteristics
- Other alternate feeds may posses RCRA characteristics
Does It Contain Hazardous Waste ?
The material is a residue from water treatment, but
has no RCRA characteristics:
• Not corrosive
• Not reactive
• Not ignitable
• No toxicity (passes TCLP for VOCs, SVOCs,
organo-chlorine pesticides, chlorinated herbicides,
inorganics, metals, mercury)
Does It Contain Hazardous Waste ?
• NO RCRA listings:
• Known product under the control of the
generator
• None of the metals result from RCRA listed
sources (all result from water contact with ore
or from water treatment)
• 5 trace organics introduced by lab influences
• No F, K, U or P RCRA listings associated with
the material
CF
Will It Be Processed Primarily for
Uranium Recovery?
• Uranium is in recoverable form.
• Can be fed with natural ores (does not need
to be accumulated for a campaign).
• The Mill will not recover any other minerals.
CF
En vironmental En velope
Transportation and Storage
• Shipped as Radioactive LSA-1
• Covered end-dump or side-dump haul trucks
• Average 35 trucks/yr., peak 73 trucks/yr.
(0.25% increase in SH 191 traffic load at peak)
• Does not leak bound moisture - no free water
• Does not pulverize when mounded (no dusting)
En vironmental En velope
Processing
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• Compatible with leach acid and all reagents
• Can be processed with natural ores - does not
need to be accumulated for separate campaign
• No protective measures beyond those already in
place at the Mill
En vironmental En velope
Radionuclide Content
• U-nat 1.2% dry basis
• Daughters very low relative to U-nat content
• Th-232 0.05% dry basis
• Ra-226 24.1 pCi/g
• Th-230 20.7 pCi/g
• Pb-210 33.3pCi/g
En vironmental En velope
Tailings Compatibility
• No components incompatible with cell liners
• All constituents are known to be or can be
assumed to be already present in tailings
• Barium will precipitate with sulfate as solid
En vironmental En velope
Groundwater
• Calcium and Manganese are already monitored under
the Mill's Groundwater Discharge Permit
Barium is not monitored
In sulfate form in tailings - immobile
• Has very high KD (100 to 150,000 L/kg) relative to
calcium (5 to 100 L/kg)
Calcium is an effective indicator for barium
Schedule
Disposal at Dawn Millsite through 2013.
Need disposal option April 2014
-White Mesa Mill
Other option
- Install IX on site
• Design - March 2013
• Construct - May-Sept 2013
• Operate April 2014