US Geological Survey research on the environmental fate of uranium mining and milling wastes

Landa, Edward R.; Gray, John R.

doi:10.1007/bf00776028

Cited by 57 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Microbial reduction of Fe(III) and Mn(IV) may also be a means for releasing contaminant metals adsorbed to Fe(III) and Mn(IV) oxides, and this process may be enhanced by humic materials or related compounds (Lovley & Coates, 1997;Lloyd et al, 2003). Bacterial Fe(III) reduction resulted in release of Mn and Co from goethite (Bousserrhine et al, 1999), Pu from contaminated soils (Rusin et al, 1993) and Ra from uranium mine tailings (Landa & Gray, 1995). Mercuric ion, Hg 2+ , can be enzymically reduced to metallic mercury by bacteria and fungi, which serves as a resistance and detoxification mechanism as Hg 0 is volatile (Gadd, 1993b;Lloyd et al, 2003;Barkay & Wagner-Dobler, 2005).…”

Section: Metal Mobilizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Metals, minerals and microbes: geomicrobiology and bioremediation

2010

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Microbes play key geoactive roles in the biosphere, particularly in the areas of element biotransformations and biogeochemical cycling, metal and mineral transformations, decomposition, bioweathering, and soil and sediment formation. All kinds of microbes, including prokaryotes and eukaryotes and their symbiotic associations with each other and 'higher organisms', can contribute actively to geological phenomena, and central to many such geomicrobial processes are transformations of metals and minerals. Microbes have a variety of properties that can effect changes in metal speciation, toxicity and mobility, as well as mineral formation or mineral dissolution or deterioration. Such mechanisms are important components of natural biogeochemical cycles for metals as well as associated elements in biomass, soil, rocks and minerals, e.g. sulfur and phosphorus, and metalloids, actinides and metal radionuclides. Apart from being important in natural biosphere processes, metal and mineral transformations can have beneficial or detrimental consequences in a human context. Bioremediation is the application of biological systems to the clean-up of organic and inorganic pollution, with bacteria and fungi being the most important organisms for reclamation, immobilization or detoxification of metallic and radionuclide pollutants. Some biominerals or metallic elements deposited by microbes have catalytic and other properties in nanoparticle, crystalline or colloidal forms, and these are relevant to the development of novel biomaterials for technological and antimicrobial purposes. On the negative side, metal and mineral transformations by microbes may result in spoilage and destruction of natural and synthetic materials, rock and mineral-based building materials (e.g. concrete), acid mine drainage and associated metal pollution, biocorrosion of metals, alloys and related substances, and adverse effects on radionuclide speciation, mobility and containment, all with immense social and economic consequences. The ubiquity and importance of microbes in biosphere processes make geomicrobiology one of the most important concepts within microbiology, and one requiring an interdisciplinary approach to define environmental and applied significance and underpin exploitation in biotechnology. Microbes as geoactive agentsMicrobes interact with metals and minerals in natural and synthetic environments, altering their physical and chemical state, with metals and minerals also able to affect microbial growth, activity and survival. In addition, many minerals are biogenic in origin, and the formation of such biominerals is of global geological and industrial significance, as well as providing important structural components for many organisms, including important microbial groups such as diatoms, foraminifera and radiolaria (Ehrlich, 1996;Gadd & Raven, 2010). Geomicrobiology can simply be defined as the roles of microbes in geological processes (Banfield & Nealson, 1997;Banfield et al., 2005; Konhauser, 2007;Ehrlich & Newman, 2009). Metalminera...

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Section: Metal Mobilizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Metals, minerals and microbes: geomicrobiology and bioremediation

2010

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“…Coprecipitation with, or sorption on, Fe/Mn hydrous oxides are modes of retention of 226 Ra in the UMT solids, neutralized acid-mill effluent, and reactive barriers (Landa and Gray, 1995). Coprecipitation with barite (BaSO 4 ) represents another important mode of 226 Ra retention in UMT (Landa, 2004).…”

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confidence: 99%

Biogeochemical aspects of uranium mineralization, mining, milling, and remediation

Campbell¹,

Gallegos²,

Landa

2015

Applied Geochemistry

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aspects of uranium mineralization, mining, milling, and remediation" (2014 U is overwhelmingly the most abundant at greater than 99% of the total mass of U. Prior to the 1940s, U was predominantly used as a coloring agent, and U-bearing ores were mined mainly for their radium (Ra) and/or vanadium (V) content; the bulk of the U was discarded with the tailings (Finch et al., 1972). Once nuclear fission was discovered, the economic importance of U increased greatly. The mining and milling of U-bearing ores is the first step in the nuclear fuel cycle, and the contact of residual waste with natural water is a potential source of contamination of U and associated elements to the environment. Uranium is mined by three basic methods: surface (open pit), underground, and solution mining (in situ leaching or in situ recovery), depending on the deposit grade, size, location, geology and economic considerations (Abdelouas, 2006). Solid wastes at U mill tailings (UMT) sites can include both standard tailings (i.e., leached ore rock residues) and solids generated on site by waste treatment processes. The latter can include sludge or ''mud'' from neutralization of acidic mine/mill effluents, containing Fe and a range of coprecipitated constituents, or barium sulfate precipitates that selectively remove Ra (e.g., Carvalho et al., 2007). In this chapter, we review the hydrometallurgical processes by which U is extracted from ore, the biogeochemical processes that can affect the fate and transport of U and associated elements in the environment, and possible remediation strategies for site closure and aquifer restoration. This paper represents the fourth in a series of review papers from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) on geochemical aspects of UMT management that span more than three decades. The first paper (Landa, 1980) in this series is a primer on the nature of tailings and radionuclide mobilization from them. The second paper (Landa, 1999) includes coverage of research carried out under the U.S. Department of Energy's Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Program (UMTRA). The third paper (Landa, 2004) reflects the increased focus of researchers on biotic effects in UMT environs. This paper expands the focus to U mining, milling, and remedial actions, and includes extensive coverage of the increasingly important alkaline in situ recovery and groundwater restoration.Ó 2014 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

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“…Risks of accidents, tuberculosis, noninfectious respiratory diseases, cirrhosis and homicide deaths are also related to the life-style associated with mining [2,3]. Increasing awareness and health and safety legislation has improved uranium mining operations in many countries, and there is a far better understanding of the environmental impact of mining waste products and mill tailings in water courses and ground spoils, leading to improved bioremediation in mining areas [4].…”

Section: Source and Supplymentioning

confidence: 99%

Ethical, green and sustainable nuclear medicine

Perkins

2013

Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging

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US Geological Survey research on the environmental fate of uranium mining and milling wastes

Cited by 57 publications

References 23 publications

Metals, minerals and microbes: geomicrobiology and bioremediation

Metals, minerals and microbes: geomicrobiology and bioremediation

Biogeochemical aspects of uranium mineralization, mining, milling, and remediation

Ethical, green and sustainable nuclear medicine

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