Long-term protection of uranium mill tailings

Abstract

u.s. Environmental Protection Agency standards for the cleanup and disposal of inactive tailings sites require that control measures for disposal of • tailings be designed to be effective for up to 1000 years if reasonably achievable, and, in any case, for 200 years at least. To control the escape of contaminants over such long periods, containment systems must be capable of adjusting to changing environmental conditions. Elements of a containment system include surface covers, biotic barriers, radon barriers, and, in some .. cases, liners. Each element of the system affects the others, and the whole system responds to the surrounding environment. Interaction is facilitated primarily by soil moisture. Consequently, the control of soil moisture is critical to the effectiveness of containment systems.

Evapotranspiration covers at uranium mill tailings sites

“…The nature-based design of ET covers means that they are likely to be more resilient to such changes. The original factors affecting long-term stability of UMTRCA covers, including surface erosion, biointrusion, soil moisture and geomorphic hazards (Beedlow & Hartley, 1984), now have compounding factors of climate change, invasive species, and soil pedogenesis to consider. Conventional waste covers, such as radon barriers, were designed to meet specific regulatory requirements.…”