Radiological survey of the inactive uranium-mill tailings at the Spook site, Converse County, Wyoming

Abstract

INTRODUCTION 2. SITE DESCRIPTION 3. SAMPLING TECHNIQUES AND RADIOLOGICAL MEASUREMENTS 4. RESULTS OF MEASUREMENTS. 4.1 Background Radioactivity 4.2 Direct Gamma-Ray Exposure Rates 4 4.3 Concentration of 226 Ra in Surface Soil and Sediment Samples , 4.4 Radiochemical Analysis of Water Samples 4.5 Distribution of 226 Ra in Subsurface Soil and Tailings 15 5. SUMMARY 21 REFERENCES APPENDIX I, PHASE I, Report on Conditions of Uranium Mi 11 site and Tailings in Converse County, Wyoming 25 APPENDIX II, Soil Sampling Techniques and Radiological Measurements 39 APPENDIX III, Wate*-Sampling and Analysis 53 Hi LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1 Aerial view of the Spook site, Converse County, and surrounding area 2 Locations of background external gamma measure ments and background surface soil samples around Converse County, Wyoming 5 i External gamma exposure rates 1 m above the ground at and near the Spook site, Converse County, Wyoming 9 4 Locations and identifications of environmental samples 11 5 Locations of holes drilled at the Spook site, Converse County, Wyoming 17 6 Calculated concentration of 226 Ra in holes EXl, SW1, SW2, and EX2 18 7 Calculated concentration of 226 Ra in holes EX3, SW3, SW4, and SW5 19 8 Calculated concentration of 226 Ra in holes SW6 and SW7 20 1v LIST OF TABLES Page Background radiation levels and concentrations of radionuclides in surface soil near Converse County, Wyoming 6 Direct Measurements of gamma exposure rates 1 m above waste piles 10 Concentration of 226 Ra in soil and sediment samples 12 Radiochemical analysis of water samples 16 v Departaent of Energy, Washington, D. C., for their encourageaent and support during the field operations phase of this project; to Dr. Charles J. Barton of Science Applications, Inc. (SAI), Oak Ridge, for his diligent work in preparing, under subcontract, the drafts of this series, and to Wilaa Minor, also of SAI, for typing the aanuscripts; to the aany aeabers of the Health and Safety Research Division who provided technical reviews of the individual reports; to Jenny Vinson, Health and Safety Research Division Technical Editor, special thanks is extended for her careful review of each aanuscript, especially for helping ensure that a uniform format was followed; to Dr. Barry Berven for his assist ance in organizing the final drafts. Appreciation is extended to John G. Themelis and Frank McGinley, Department of Energy, Grand Junc tion Operations Office, for their support and advice during the conduct of this project; to Char 1 es Brunner, Bendix Field Engineering Company, Grand Junction, Colorado, for his assistance in arranging for the grind ing of approximately 1600 soil samples which were collected during the project; also to Dr. Vern Rogers and his staff, Ford, Bacon and Davis Utah Inc., for assistance during the field operations phase of this project. Finally, the authors wish to acknowledge the efforts of Mr. Ev Haldane, Department of Energy, Grand Junction, who was associated with the uranium-mill tailings program from its earliest days. Ev passed away ...