S-EPA
                United States
                Environmental Protection
                Agency
               Office of
               Radiation Programs
               Washington, D.C. 20460
EPA/520/6-88-059
October 1988
                Radiation
Radon
Around the
L-Bar  Uranium
Mill Site
                  B
         • y
         •k



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                                   DISCLAIMER
     This report  has been reviewed  by  the staff from the Office  of Radiation
Programs, U.S. Environmental  Protection  Agency,  and approved  for  publication.
The  mention  of  trade  names or  commerical  products  does  not constitute  an
endorsement or recommendation for their use.
                                       ii

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                                    ABSTRACT

     Measurements of radon  concentrations  were made between November 1985  and
November 1986  1n  the  vicinity of the uranium mill  tailings pile of SOHIO L-Bar
site near Seboyeta, New Mexico.   The data  can be  used  for exposure and  risk
estimates as  discussed in  the  National Emission  Standards for Hazardous  Air
Pollutants  (NESHAP's)  for  radon-222  emission  from  licensed  uranium  mill
tailings.   Twenty-two  Passive Environmental Radon Monitors  (PERM'S)  were  used
in this  investigation.   They were placed  400, 600, and  800 meters  away  from
the  centroid  of  the  pile.   In  addition,  a background PERM  station  was
established  1200  meters  to the  north and  upwind  from the  centroid  of  the
tailings.   Radon  concentrations  were determined monthly by  analyses  of  a  pair
of thermoluminescent dosimeters  (TLD's) located in each PERM.   Results  of the
data show that radon  concentrations decreased with distance from  the centroid
of the tailings pile.  During the year  the  average radon concentrations  ranged
                    -3                  -3
between  14.9  Bq  m    and  35.6  Bq  m    at  the  400  m  interval,  between
         -3                -3                                                 3
6.20 Bq m    and  18.8  Bq  m   for  600  m,  and  at  800  m between  1.80  Bq  m
               _3
and  9.80 Bq m  .   The annual net radon concentrations at  600 and 800  meters
                         3
were less than 18.5 Bq m  .
                                      iii

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                                ACKNONLEDGMENTS
     Sample collection  1s always  the  unglamourous  part of  any study, but  1n
reality Is  the most  Important  aspect of  an  Investigation.    The  authors  are
most  appreciative  and  Indebted  to  those  persons   who,   despite   Inclement
weather, collected the  samples  for  analysis.   They are Dr.  Paul  Hahn,  Edith
Boyd, Shirley  Duran,  Robert  Lyon,  and Roger Shura, who  are  staff  members from
the Office of Radiation Programs at the Las Vegas Facility.

     Ne  also  thank  the  State  of  New   Mexico,  Environmental   Improvement
Division,  for the support provided at the L-Bar site.

     A  special acknowledgment 1s  accorded  to Hayne Bliss,  Director of ORP-LVF,
for his strong support in this type of work.
                                       vi

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                                     FIGURES
Number                                                                     Page

  1.     Map of locations of the uranium mills in New Mexico	    5
  2.     Map of the locations of the PERM stations at the L-Bar Site  ...    8
  3.     Average net radon concentrations and iso concentration
            contours for the first quarter.
            (Numbers expressed in Bq m  )	12
  4.     Average net radon concentrations and iso concentration
            contours for the second quarter.
            (Numbers expressed in Bq m  )	13
  5.     Average net radon concentrations and iso concentration
            contours for the third quarter.
            (Numbers expressed in Bq m  )	14
  6.     Average net radon concentrations and iso concentration
            contours for the fourth quarter.
            (Numbers expressed in Bq nf )	15
  7.     Average net radon concentrations and iso concentration
            contours for the entire study (11/15/86 to 11/10/86).
                                       3
            (Numbers expressed in Bq m  )	16
  8.     Gross monthly average radon concentrations at sampling
            locations at the 400 m, 600 m, 800 m, and 1200
            meter distances	18
                                      TABLES

Number                                                                     Page

  1.     Monthly radon concentration at L-Bar
            (November 1985 to November 1986) 	         10
  2.     Average annual radon concentration at
            L-Bar (Bq m~3)	         11

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                                    CONTENTS

                                                                           PAGE
Disclaimer	    ii
Abstract	111
List of Figures and Tables	     v
Acknowledgements 	    vi
Introduction 	     1

Method 	     7

Results and Discussion 	     7

References	    19
                                       iv

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                                  INTRODUCTION

     The   United    States    Environmental    Protection    Agency    (EPA)    on
January 13, 1977 (42  FR  2858)  published its response to public comments on the
proposed  "Environmental   Radiation  Protection  Standards  for  Nuclear  Power
Operations."  It was  noted  "...that doses resulting from exposure to radon and
its daughters which  are  discharged from a mill  site,  or result  from  material
which has  been  discharged,  are excluded..." from these  standards.   The EPA on
the  same  day  promulgated  standards  (42  FR  2860)  under Title  40,  Code  of
Federal  Regulations  Part  190,  Section  190.10  which  exempted  from  control,
radon and its decay products.

     On September 30, 1983, the Agency issued standards  under  the Uranium Mill
Tailings Radiation  Control  Act (UMTRCA) (40 CFR 192, Subparts D and E) for the
management  of  tailings  at  active mills  licensed  by  the Nuclear  Regulatory
Commission (NRC) or the  States under Title II of the UMTRCA.  These standards
do  not  specifically  limit radon-222  emissions  until  after  closure  of  a
facility;  however,   they   require  as  low  as   reasonably  achievable  (ALARA)
procedures for  radon-222 control,  and the  NRC  does consider  ALARA procedures
in  licensing  a mill.  When the UMTRCA standards were  promulgated,  the Agency
stated  that  it would issue an  Advance   Notice  of  Proposed   Rulemaking  with
respect  to control  of  radon-222  emissions from  uranium tailings piles during
the operational period of a uranium mill.

     On April  6,  1983, emission radionuclide standards  for  NRC licensees were
proposed  under  the  Clean   Air  Act  (48   FR  15076, April  6,  1983);  however,
uranium  fuel-cycle facilities, which  included operating  uranium  mills,  were
excluded  because  these  sources  are subject  to  EPA's 40 CFR  Part  190 and 192
environmental health  radiation standards.  During  the  comment period  for the
Clean Air  Act standards, it was noted  that radon-222 emissions  from operating
uranium mills  and  tailings piles  were  not subject  to any current  or  proposed
EPA standards,  and  that  such emissions could pose significant risks.

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     On  October  31,  1984,  EPA  published  an  Advance  Notice   of  Proposed
Rulemaking  (ANPR)  in  the  Federal   Register.   49  FR  43916,   for  radon-222
emissions from  licensed  uranium  mills.   The notice stated  that  the Agency  is
considering  emissions  standards  for  licensed  uranium mills  and  solicited
information in the following areas:

     - Radon-222  emission  rates  from uranium  mills  and  associated  tailings
       piles

     - Local and  regional  impacts due  to emissions of  radon-222  from uranium
       mills and associated tailings  piles prior to permanent disposal

     - Applicable  radon-222  control   options  and  strategies,  including  work
       practices

     - Feasibility and cost of radon-222 control options  and strategies

     - Methods of  determining  compliance  with a work practice type of standard
       to control radon-222 emissions

     - Impact of radon-222 control on the uranium industry.

     Prior  to  the  publishing  of  this  ANPR,   the  New Mexico  Environmental
Improvement   Division  (NMEID)   conducted   a   2-year  indoor/outdoor   radon
concentration monitoring program 1n 1978 to 1980 in the  Ambrosia Lake  -  Grants
mineral  belt area  (Buhl  et al.  1985).   Additional  sampling  was  done  by the
NMEID between March 1983 and May 1985 (NMEID 84,  unpublished  data).   The NMEID
asked the Office  of Radiation Programs-Las Vegas  Facility (ORP-LVF)  to  assist
in surveying  for  radon 1n the environs of uranium mill  sites  in  this  State.
At their request and 1n support  of  the  Clean Air Act the ORP-LVF undertook a
study  to measure  the Rn-222  concentration  in the  vicinity of  SOHIO  L-Bar
uranium mill site.

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     Radon 1s released  at  the mill  site  during the crushing  and grinding of
the ore, as  well  as the extraction,  recovery and concentration stages  In  which
the "yellowcake"  1s  produced.   The ore storage area 1s  an  additional  way  for
radon to emanate.   However,  the releases of radon from these sources are  small
relative to the tailings (EPA86) and will not be discussed In this report.

Tailings Disposal

     With  the exception  of  the  uranium  extracted during  milling,  the  dry
weight  of  the tailings  represents  the total  dry weight of  the  processed  ore.
Ore contains  only about 0.1  percent uranium;  therefore*  the  tailings  consist
of 99.9 percent  of the ore, Including all the radioactive decay products.   The
tailings  discharge  1s  composed of  three  fractions:   (1)   the sands,  which
consist of  solids  larger than  200 mesh;  (2)  the slimes,  which consist of
solids  smaller than  200-mesh;  and  (3)  the  liquid solution  containing  milling
reagents and dissolved ore  solids.  Dry tailings from an acid  leach  mill  are
typically composed of 20 to 37 percent slimes by weight  (NRC80).   Tailings  are
discharged from  the  mill  as a slurry  at  an average ratio,  by weight,  of  about
1:1 (solids  to  liquids)  and are  sent to an  impoundment,  where the  tailings
settle.

     Approximately  10  percent  of  the uranium-238  and  virtually  all  of  the
other  radionuclides  in the ore  are  contained  in  the  tailings.   Tailings
represent  the largest  and  longest lasting source of  radon-222  emissions  from
licensed conventional uranium mills because of the large exposed  areas  and  the
significant  presence of concentrated  radium-226.  The fraction  containing  the
fine  slimes  makes up  the  majority of the rad1um-226 in  the tailings (up  to
80 percent)  (NRC80K   The  sand   fraction  contains radium-226  concentrations
from 26 to 100 pd/gram (NRC80), and the tailings  liquid  (raffinate) of 1.7 to
35,000  pC1/liter for  radium-226 and 50  to 250,000 pd/liter  for thorium-230
(EPA83).

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L-Bar Mill

     The  SOHIO L-Bar  uranium mill  is  located  in  the  northwestern  part  of
New Mexico, near Seboyeta  in  Cibola County.   The mill  site in an area of hilly
terrain is about 71  km (44  miles)  west of  Albuquerque  and  16  km (10  miles)
north  of  Laguna,  New Mexico.   The general  location of  L-Bar  is  seen  from
Figure  1  of  the  different  mills  in  New Mexico.   Ore  is  obtained  from  an
underground  mine  in   the  Jackpile  sandstone  formation.   The  mill  used  an
acid-leach process and began  operations  in 1976, but  since May  1981   has  been
on standby status  (NRC84).   The ore processing capacity  of the mill is 1500 mt
(1650 tons) per day.   Ore reserves  are adequate  to provide for  10  to 15 years
of  operation.   The   ore  grade  varies  from  0.05   to  0.30  percent   ILOg  and
averages 0.225 percent (NRC84).   Size  reduction of  the ore is  accomplished by
semi autogenous grinding.

     Mill tailings are contained in a single  tailings impoundment.   The L-Bar
tailings  dam  was one  of the  last dams permitted in the  industry in  which  the
upstream  construction method  was  used  (Jo80).   The  tailings  impoundment is
built  above  grade  with  an earthen  starter   dam to  the  west  that  keys  into
natural   topography   on   the  north  and  south.   A  smaller  saddle  dam  is
constructed  to the east.   Tailings have  been  discharged  to the  Impoundment
from  a single pipe  that was  moved along the dam.  Coarse sands  settled near
the dike  with the  slimes deposited in the interior area.   Hater was decanted
and  pumped back  to  the  mill.   During  operations, the  edge of the tailings
solution  was  maintained  about 60 m (200  feet) from the  dam  crest.   A  light-
track  pressure dozer  was  used to construct raises with the sand tailings.  The
total  site  area covers  72 ha  (180 acres) of  which 51.8  ha (128  acres)  are
tailings  (NRC84).   Approximately  11.3  ha  (28  acres)  of  the tailings  are
covered with  tailings solution  (EPA85).  The  impoundment consists   of about
1.5 x  106  mt  (1.6   x  106  tons)  of  tailings  (,
reported  to contain 500 pCi/g of radium-226 (EPA83).
     During operations, ore is stockpiled at  the  mill  on an ore  pad  and apron
feeder.   However,  since 1981 when  the  plant  went to a  standby  status,  no ore
has been stored in these areas except for a short supply which hui>  been  stored
north of the tailings area (NM85).

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                         SANTA FE
                     •ALBUQUERQUE
                         s
UE




•• •
X


J


                                      •
                                    ROSWELL
1  Sohio
    L-Bar Mill

2  United Nuclear Corp.
    Churchrock Mill
3  Anaconda Minerals Co.
    Bluewater Mill

4  Kerr-McGee Nuclear Corp.
    Quivira Mill

5  Homestake Mining Co.
    Homestake Mill
  Figure 1.  Map of locations of the uranium mills in New Mexico.
                         5

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     The  surrounding  area  is  sparsely  populated.    The  results  of  a  1983
population survey showed no individuals lived within  a 3-km (1.9 mi)  radius  of
the tailings  impoundment,  while 42 and  129 people resided between 3  and  4-km
(1.9 and  2.5 mi)  and  between 4  and  5-km  (2.5  and  3.1  mi)  away from  this
impoundment, respectively (PNL84).

Estimating Emissions

     Estimates of  radon-222  emissions are  based on  an  assumed emission  rate
                                                           2
that  equals  the   specific   flux   of  1   pCi   radon-222/m  s  for   each   pCi
radium-226/g of dry  tailings  times  the dry  area  (NRC80).  It has  been assumed
that tailings which  are  either  saturated with or covered  by  tailings solution
do  not  emit radon-222.  These  assumptions  were  applied to  the  site-specific
data to estimate emissions.

     The L-Bar tailings pile consists  of  51.8 ha (128 acres) of which  11.3  ha
(28 acres)  are  ponded,  22.3 ha  (55   acres)  wet,  and 18.2  ha (45 acres)  dry
beach.   In  the  Background  Information Document (EPA86), it was estimated  that
the release of Rn-222 was between 3-4 kCi/yr.

     The  dam  for  the  impoundment  area of  this mill  site is constructed  from
coarse  tailings  material.   The  total  tailings  surface  area is  51.8  ha  (128
acres)   with  an  average  activity  of 500  pCi/g  of  Ra-226  (EPA83).   It  was
predicted  that  11  kCi/y of  Rn-222  is   released  from  a  57  ha   (140  acres)
tailings  pile  that  contained  1.9  x  10   mt material  lined with  natural clay,
and an  annual  rainfall and  evaporation  of  8"  and 56", respectively (EPA86).
This predicted scenario closely approximates the L-Bar site.

Study Objective

     This  study  was made to  determine  the concentration  of  radon-222 in the
vicinity of a  licensed uranium mill tailings pile.   The data can  be  used  for
exposure  and  risk estimates  as  discussed  in  the National Emission  Standards
for Hazardous  Air Pollutants  (NESHAPs)  for  radon-222 emission from  licensed
iM\iriium mill tailings.

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                                     METHOD
     The L-Bar  mill  site was selected as  the  study area because of  Its  small
tailings size (51.8ha) and readily measureable  radium activity  (500 pC1/g).   A
description of the site 1s discussed earlier 1n this report.

     Twenty-two  Passive  Environmental  Radon  Monitors  (PERM'S)  (Ge77,  Ho84)
were  placed  1n  the   area  of the  tailings  pile  of L-Bar  (Figure  2).    The
sampling design was   a  circular one  with  the  PERM'S  located  at distances  of
400, 600,  and  800 meters away from  the  centroid of  the pile.  Five  samplers
were  located  at  the  400 meter distance  at equal  intervals from one another.
Seven samplers were equally spaced at the 600 meters distance  and ten samplers
were  placed  at  the  800  meters  distance.   Thus   the  samplers  were  placed
approximately the same arc length from one another.   Each PERM was housed  in a
protective structure  and  placed  at a height of one-meter above the  ground.  An
additional  pair  of  PERM'S was  used  for  the  background  station  which  was
established  1200 meters  to  the  north  and upwind  from the  centroid of the
tailings.  During the  period of  this  study,  two  extra  PERM'S  were  placed
adjacent to  the previously established stations.  These additional  PERM'S were
for quality assurance (QA).  The availability of PERM'S  dictated the  extent of
the QA program for this study.

     Radon  concentrations  were  determined  monthly by  analyses of a  pair of
thermoluminescent dosimeters  (TLD)  located in  each  PERM.   There were  500 TLD
measurements  made  during  the  period  of  the  study  from  November   1985  to
November  1986.    Over 300  soil  and  tailings  samples   were   taken  and  gamma
counted  primarily for  radium-226  activity.  The discussion of the analytical
results of the  soil and tailings samples will be presented in other reports.
                             RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

     In our  discussion,  radon and radon-222 are  considered  synonymous  and the
former shall be used whenever concentration values are presented.

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                                                           A
                                                           N
 ©

            .Site boundary
  .Roads
   	Tailings boundary
©PERM stations
            Scale:  1 inch equals approximately 340 ne-ters



Figure 2.  Map :••* the locations  of the PERM stations at the L-Bar site.
                              8

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     The radon  concentration  values  (Bq  m  ),  the distance and the  azlmuthal
direction of the Individual  sampling location are given  In Table 1.   The  radon
values are  for each  month  of the  study  which  began  on 11/15/85 and ended  on
11/20/86.  The distance  and  azlmuthal  directions of  each  location were  taken
from the centrold  of the tailings pile.   The annual and net annual  averages  of
radon values are presented 1n Table 2.  At the 1200-meter distance, the  annual
average  radon  value was  11.8  Bq m   (0.32  pC1 1  ).   The  radon  value  of
           3               1
30.0  Bq  m    (0.81  pC1  1  )  at this  sample location  during the  period  of
November  15  to  December 17,  1985,  1s  unusually high  compared  to  the  other
values obtained at this  location during  the course  of  the study.   This  data
point  which  is  greater  than  3s  (standard  deviation)   above   the  average
background value is considered an outlier and is not  used in our discussion  of
the radon concentrations for the L-Bar site.

     The  data  of   net  radon  concentrations  are contour  plotted  using  the
Surface II program and are presented 1n Figures  3 to  7 for the four  different
sampling quarters  as well as  the entire  year's study.   All contour  plots  are
in the same  direction and scale as  Figure 2.   Generally,  the  data  1n all  of
these figures  indicated  higher radon activity in the  two sampling  locations  on
the  south  end of  the tailings  pile than  at  the  northern  locations  at  the
400 meter  interval.   It should  be  stated  that four  of  the five  sampling
stations at  the 400 meter distance are on the  edge  of  the tailings; and  the
depth of the tailings material  ranged from about 6" (15 cm)  in  the northern
part to  about  50'  (15 m) 1n the  south.   Thus this difference in  radon  values
may be related  to  a larger volume of tailings resulting 1n a greater  emanation
of radon.

     Also  in these  figures,   the isoconcentration values  of radon  show  an
elongation  toward   the  northeastern portion  of  the tailings pile  which  is
usually the direction of  the  prevailing  diurnal  wind.  On  the  other  hand,  the
elevated  radon level  in the  southwestern direction  1s  due  to the  nocturnal
drainage or  gravity flow from the  pile  to  the  lower terrain  surrounding  the
site.

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                                           TABLE 1.  MONTHLY RADON CONCENTRATION AT L-BAR  (Nov. 1985 - Nov. 1986)
                                                                          (Bq m-3)
              1985
                       1985-1986
                                      1986
                                                                             1986
             1986
19»6
1986
                                                 1986
                                                                                                                                        1986
                                                1986
Location   11/15-12/17 12/17-1/16   1/16-2/19
4/23-5/23  5/23-6/24   6/24-7/25   7/25-8/26   8/26-9/25    9/25-10/26  10/26-11/20
40CTO-E
400ra-SSE
400m-SSW
400ID-NW
400m-N
600m-E
600ro-SE
OTOm-SN
600m--.?.J
600m-v.*
600n*&*r
600ro-.l~™
600W-NE
800m-E
800m-SE
800m-SE
800ro-S
800m-SSW
80Cto-WSH
BOOm-W
800m-WNH
800D-W
SOOro-NNE
800m-NE
1200m-NNE
1200nH«E
27.4
40.0
55.1
30.7
36.6
20.7
—
19.2
26.6
22.2
15.2

25.9
12.2
24.4

10.7
17.4
23.7
20.7
30.0
14.1
23.3
27.4
30.0
14.8
41.4
44.0
49.6
65.9
54.0
36.6
66.6
28.1
57.4
35.5
2U.4

32.2
21.5
44.8

23.7
24.4
33.7
32.2
20.7
22.9
25.5
29.2
16.3
15.9
27.4
40.3
47.0
13.0
20.7
20.0
27.0
21.8
26.6
18.5
16.7

26.3
—
31.1

24.4
18.5
22.6
13.7
14.1
17.8
16.3
19.2
13.0
10.7
24.8
24.4
23.7
20.0
13.0
14.4
17.4
8.1
12.6
5.6
8.1

17.8
8.5
13.0

4.1
8.9
13.3
13.0
14.1
7.8
14.8
15.5
5.9
7.0
20.4
40.3
41.4
18.1
24.8
16.7
20.0
10.0
31.1
10.4
—

. 30.0
11.8
4.1

7.0
10.7
15.9
14.4
5.2
8.9
9.6
12.6
6.7
8.9
	
28.5
15.9
24.1
13.3
13.7
10.7
10.7
11.1
8.5

29.2
11.5
—

14.1
11.1
13.0
10.0
—
8.1
10.0
12.6
6.3
5.9
29.2
36.3
—
12.2
24.1
15.5
25.2
12.2
17.0
15.2
10.4
—
31.1
12.2
—
—
11.8
19.2
15.9
12.6
—
10.0
9.3
15.9
11.1
14.8
21.8
48.8
74.0
45.5
24.1
17.0
20.0
13.3
26.3
18.1
11.1
—
28.5
14.1
—
—
12.6
9.6
18.9
16.7
' —
9.3
15.5
20.4
9.6
—
27.8
45.1
49.2
23.3
28.5
—
21.1
19.6
22.6
16.7
12.6
3.7
—
—
12.6
13.3
10.7
15.5
18.5
—
9.3
13.7
—
27.8
9.3
—
31.1
56.2
48.8
38.5
37.0
—
48.8
18.9
31.5
16.7
15.2
11.5
22.9
12.2
14.8
19.6
14.1
15.2
18.9
18.1
18.9
16.7
15.5
22.6
8.5
—
32.9
54.0
64.8
41.1
14.4
—
24.8
18.9
21.8
19.2
12.2
12.2
24.1
10.4
19.2
— .
11.5
20.4
31.8
24.4
16.3
14.1
13.7
15.9
15.5
—
39.6
32.9
14.1
34.0
12.2
15.5
27.4
32.9
37.7
23.7
17.0
18.9
26.6
21.5
21.5
—
13.3
21.5
26.3
21.5
23.3
20.4
15.9
18.5
17.8
13.3

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TABLE 2.  ANNUAL AVERAGE RADON CONCENTRATION AT L-BAR (Bq m-3)

Location
400m-E
400m-SSE
400m-SSW
400m-NW
400m-N
600m-E
600m-SE
600m-SW
600m-WSW
600m-NW
600m-NNW
600m-NE
800m-E
800m-SE
800m-S
SOOin-SSW
800m-WSW
800m-W
800m-WNW
800m-NW
800m-NNE
800m-NE
1200m-NNE
Annual
Average
29.6
42.2
.45.1
29.2
26.6
18.9
28.5
17.8
26.6
17.8
13.3
26.6
13.7
22.6
13.3
15.9
21.1
17.8
17.0
13.7
15.5
19.6
11.1
Net Annual
Average
18.5
31.1
34.0
18.1
15.5
7.8
17.4
6.7
15.5
6.7
2.2
15.5
2.6
11.5
2.2
4.8
10.0-
6.7
5.9
2.6
4.4
8.5
Bkgd
                              11

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                                  •7.40
         4.00
                     •3.20^
                                               • 11.00
                                                           N
                                                     • 1.40
                                         Cf
       Scale:  1 inch equals approximately 340 meters
Figure 3.  Average net radon concentrations and isoconcentration contours
         for the first quarter.  (Numbers expressed  in Bq m~3)


                           12

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                                       • 4.70
          • 1.50
                                                        6.80
          • 2.20
• 2.50
                                                     • 8.00
5.70
N
                                                            • 3.80
   • 7.30
                                               10.20
                                                 • 1.40
              • 3.40
           Scale:  1  inch equals approximately  340 meters

   Figure 4.  Average net radon concentrations  and isoconcentration contours
             for the second quarter.  (Numbers expressed  in Bq m-3)
                                13

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                                        • 1.10
            • 0.40
  •0.00
           • 6.00
• 3.40
A
N
                                                             • 1.80
     • 7.10
                                                  •3.70
                • 6.20
                               •1.10
            Scale:  1  inch equals approximately 340 meters
     Figure  5.  Average net radon  concentrations and isoconcentration  contours

               for the third quarter.  (Numbers expressed  in Bq m-3)
                                   14

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                                       • 1.80
          • 3.90
                           1.30
                 A
                 N
                                                      • 5.80
• 6.30
•11.30
                                                    • 0.00
                                                            • 1.50
                                                 • 6.10
                               0.00
         Scale:  1 inch equals approximately 340 meters
 Figure 6.  Average net radon concentrations and isoconcentration contours

           for the fourth quarter.  (Numbers expressed in Bq m-3)
                               15

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                                        • 4.00
           • 2.40
A
N
                           • 1.40
                                                        • 8.60
                                           -w  .17.70
                                           0       '  •7.60
                                                             • 2.20
•6.50
                                                    9.10
                                • 1.90
            Scale:  1 inch  equals approximately 340 meters
     Figure 7.  Average net  radon concentrations and  isoconcentration contours

               for the entire study (11/15/85 to 11/20/86).  (Numbers expressed
               in Bq m-3)
                                  16

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     In Figure 7,  entire  year's  study,  the radon  concentrations  decreased  with
distance from the centrold of  the  uranium  tailings  pile.   There Is a  decrease
In  radon   activity by  about  a  factor  of 2  between the  400  and  600 meter
Interval,   about  a factor  of 4 between  the 400  and  800 meter  distance,   and
about a factor of 2  between the 600  and 800  meter  Intervals.   During  the  year
the average  radon concentrations  at  the  different  sampling  distances  ranged
betweeen  14.9 Bq m"3   (0.40 pC1  I'1)   and  35.6 Bq  m"3  (0.96  pCI  I'1)  at
the 400 m  Interval,  between  6.20 Bq  m"3  (0.17  pC1   I'1)  to  18.8  Bq   m~3
(0.51   pC1   I"1)   for  600  m,  and   between 1.80  Bq  m~3  (0.05  pC1   I"1)   and
9.80 Bq m~3 (0.26 pC1  I"1) at 800 meters (Figure 7).

     In Figure  8,  the average  radon  concentrations  at  400,   600,  800,   and
1200 meters  are  graphically presented  for each month of the  study,  beginning
November 15,  1985 and  ending  November 20,  1986.  The data  show the  highest
radon activity  occurred  1n  the  first sampling quarter, followed  by the third
and fourth quarters  which  had similar patterns  of activity,  and the  lowest
activity In  the  second quarter.   Also,  there 1s a definite decrease  of radon
concentration with Increasing distance from the centrold of the tailings pile.

     Earlier  In our discussion,  we stated  that most of  the  PERM stations  at
the 400 meter distance  were established on the edge of the mill  tailings pile,
whereas those at 600 and  800 meters were not  near the edge.  In fact, several
were  located as  far  away as the perimeter  of the  site  boundary.   The  net
                                                                              o
annual radon  concentrations  as seen  in Figure 8 were less  than  18.5  Bq  m
(0.5 pC1 I"1) at the 600 and 800 meter Intervals.
                                       17

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              59.2

              55.5

              51.8

              48.1

              44.4

              40.7

              37.0

              33.3
     Rn-222
      Bq/m3
00
25.9

22^

18.5

14.8

11.1

 7.4

 3.7

  0
                                                                                           	400m
                                                                                           	600m
                                                                                           	800m
                                                                                           	1200m
                                      _L
 _L
                                                                          JL
                              _L
                                                                                               _L
                      11/15-
                      12/17
                       1985
                        1/16-
                        2/19
                        1986
3/20-
4/23
1986
                        1st Quarter
                                2nd Quarter
5AJ3-           7/25-
6/24           8/26
1986           1986
 3rd Quarter
9/25-
10/26
1986
                                      4th Quarter
                                                                                                                     A

                                                                                                                     •
                   Figure  8.  Gross  monthly  average  radon concentrations at sampling locations at
                               400m,  600m, 800m, and  1200 meter distances.
  Annual    Net
        Annual
    Average
    11/15/85 to
    11/20/86

the

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                                  REFERENCES

Bu85     Buhl, T., J. Mil lard, D. Baggett,  and S. Trevathan.  "Radon  and  Radon
         Decay  Product  Concentrations  in  New Mexico's  Uranium  Mining  and
         Milling  District."   New Mexico Environmental  Improvement  Division,
         Radiation Protection Bureau,  1985.

EPA83    U.S.  Environmental   Protection  Agency,  "Final  Environmental   Impact
         Statement  for Standards for  the  Control  of  Byproduct Material  from
         Uranium  Ore  Processing."  EPA  520/1-83-008-1,  Office  of  Radiation
         Programs, U.S. EPA,  Washington,  DC,  September  1983.

EPA85    U.S. Environmental  Protection Agency,  Draft Document -  "Estimates  of
         Population  Distributions  and Tailings  Areas  Around Licensed  Uranium
         Mill Sites,"  Office of Radiation  Programs, U.S. EPA,  Washington,  DC,
         November 1985.

EPA86    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Background Information Document
         Final  Rule   for  Radon-222   Emissions  from   Licensed  Uranium  Mill
         Tailings," EPA  520/1-86-009,  Office of Radiation Programs,  U.S.  EPA,
         Washington, DC. September 1986.

Ge77     George,  A.C.,   "A   Passive  Environmental   Radon  Monitor,"   Radon
         Workshop, U.S. ERDA Report, HASL-325, February 1977.

Ho84     Hopper,  R.D.,  and   A.R.  Sparks,  "A  Microcomputer  Data  Management
         System for  Passive  Environmental  Radon Monitors."  Proceedings of the
         17th Midyear  Topical  Symposium  of the Health  Physics  Society,  Pasco,
         Washington, February 5-9, 1984.
                                      19

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Jo80     Johnson, T.D.,  "SOHIO  Western  Mining Company Tailings Dam, In:  First
         International  Conference on  Uranium  Mine  Disposal,"   C.O.   Brawer,
         editor. Society of Mining Engineers of AIME,  New York,  1980.

NMEID84  New Mexico  Environmental Improvement  Division,  Radiation  Protection
         Bureau, Unpublished Laboratory Analysis Results,  September 1984.

NM85     State of New Mexico, Radiation Protection  Bureau,  Correspondence with
         PEI Associates, Inc., January 1985.

NRC80    Nuclear  Regulatory  Commission,   Office  of  State  Programs,   "Final
         Generic   Environmental   Impact    Statement   on   Uranium  Milling,"
         NUREG-0706,  September 1980.

NRC84    Nuclear  Regulatory Commission, Office  of State Programs,  "Directory
         and Profile  of  Licensed Uranium-Recovery  Facilities,"  NUREG/CR-2869,
         Washington,  DC, March 1984.

PNL84    Pacific  Northwest  Laboratory,  "Estimated  Population   Near   Uranium
         Tailings,"  PNL-4959, January 1984.
                                      20

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