Assessment of Health and Environmental Impacts of Uranium Mining and Milling Five-year Plan Grants Mining District, New Mexico


NEWMEKICO
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Contact for more information...
Lisa Price, Grants Mining District Coordinator
Region 6 EPA (6SF-TR)
1445 Ross Avenue
Dallas, TX 75202
214.665.6744 or 1.800.533.3508
Price.Hsa@epa.gov
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AGENCY FOR TOXIC SUBSTANCES
AND DISEASE REGISTRY
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March 2011
Assessment of Health and
^Ptnvironmental Impacts of
Uranium Mining and Milling
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ar Plan Grants Mining District, New Mexico
United States
Environmental
Agency
Photo courtesy of Brenda Cook
Protection

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Assessment of Water Supply for
Contamination
Background
Residents within the Ambrosia Lake and Laguna sub-
districts primarily rely on private wells for residential-
domestic, stock-watering, and agricultural uses. Legacy
uranium mining and milling operations generated liquid
wastes that included water produced from mine dewatering
operations and process waters from milling operations. The
New Mexico Environment Department and the
Environmental Protection Agency continue to assess
impacts to regional ground water.
Accomplishments
•	Developed an Uranium Legacy Environmental Portal,
which allows state and federal agencies to manage
and share data.
•	Since 2005, NMED sampled 128 existing wells and
found that 81 exceeded federal/state primary drinking
water standards and/or state ground water standards.
•	Convened workgroup with representatives from state
and federal agencies in October 2010 to develop work
plans for investigations in the area between the
Bluewater Mill and Homestake Mining Company site
to ensure protection of public water supplies.
Next Steps Planned
•	Develop a ground water investigation plan within the
context of a comprehensive Grants Mining District
investigation.
Assessment and Cleanup of
Legacy Uranium Mines
Background
The Grants Mining District comprises an area of 100 miles
by 25 miles where primary uranium extraction and
production activities occurred in New Mexico from the 1950s
until late into the 20th century. There are 97 legacy uranium
mines in the district with the potential for physical hazards
such as open adits and shafts, and for potential releases to
soii, surface water, and ground water.
Accomplishments
•	Completed 58 site screenings of legacy uranium
mines in the Grants Mining District.
•	Completed an Engineering Evaluation and Cost
Analysis for the San Mateo Mine located on United
States Forest Service land.
•	Created a technical workgroup with representatives
from state and federal agencies to develop a
characterization protocol for legacy uranium mine
sites and cleanup criteria.
Next Steps Planned
•	Complete site screenings for the remaining 39 legacy
uranium mines by September 2011.
•	Complete more detailed assessment on at least 4
previously screened mines collecting soil and/or
ground water samples to determine impact from
mining activities.
•	Assess radiation levels at 2 mine sites located on
Bureau of Land Management property.
•	Conduct emergency action at mine sites when
warranted due to releases to the environment or
physical hazards.
•	Prioritize all remaining sites and determine
appropriate action.
•	Finalize characterization protocol and cleanup criteria
including solicitation of comments from stakeholders.
Contaminant Assessment,
Cleanup, and Long-Term
Management of Former Uranium
Milling Sites
Background
There are 5 legacy uranium mill sites within the Grants
Mining District. Four are located in Ambrosia Lake sub-
district and one in the Laguna sub-district. The Homestake
Mining Company site and the Ambrosia Lake-Rio Algom Mill
sites are currently under the jurisdiction of the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission until reclamation is complete. The
Department of Energy is responsible for the long-term
surveillance, maintenance and ground water monitoring at
the Ambrosia Lake-Phillips Mill site, the Anaconda Bluewater
Mill site, and the L-Bar Mill site since reclamation activities
have been completed.
Accomplishments
•	DOE developed a plan for ground water investigations
at the Ambrosia Lake-Phillips Mill and the Bluewater
Mill sites, in coordination with NMED.
•	EPA initiated a human health risk assessment
(HHRA) at the Homestake Mining Company site that
identifies way to improve remediation efficiencies.
•	EPA completed a Remedy System Evaluation (RSE)
for the Homestake Mining Company site that identifies
ways to improve remediation efficiencies.
Next Steps Planned
•	Complete ground water investigations at the Ambrosia
Lake-Phillips Mill and the Bluewater Mill sites,
including installation and sampling of additional
monitoring wells.
•	Complete the HHRA at the Homestake Mining
Company site.

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Assessment and Cleanup of
Contaminated Structures
Background
The Grants Mining District has been inhabited since the 12th
century, therefore, structures can date back to those early
days. More recent dwellings may be constructed of
materials unearthed during mining activities or built on or
near high uranium content lands. Based on the results of
the Airborne Spectrophotometric Environmental Collection
Technology (ASPECT) Gamma Emergency Mapper and
residential radiological survey, the Environmental Protection
Agency has been surveying structures and properties
potentially affected.
Accomplishments
•	Completed an ASPECT survey over villages on
Pueblo of Laguna, in the Cebolleta Land Grant, and
San Mateo.
•	Screened 458 structures/properties on the exterior for
potential gamma and elemental uranium
contamination.
•	Based on the exterior screening, identified 209
structures for further evaluation to determine if
unacceptable levels of alpha, gamma radiation or
radon exist.
Next Steps Planned
•	Complete testing on all structure.
•	Implement radon abatement at residences, as
warranted.
•	Cleanup contaminated soil at residences, as needed.
•	Cleanup contaminated structures, as needed.
^j Jackpile Mine on Laguna Pueblo
Background
The Jackpile Mine, once the world's largest open pit uranium
mine, is located on the Pueblo of Laguna near the village of
Paguate and operated from 1953 to 1982. A Record of
Decision was adopted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the
Bureau of Land Management in 1986 with the objective of
reclaiming and stabilizing the mine site. The Environmental
Protection Agency is conducting investigations to determine
the extent of residual risk from legacy activities.
Accomplishments
•	Finalized CERCLA Preliminary Assessment Report that
documents impacts to ground water and soil.
•	A draft CERCLA Site Inspection report was developed
and is currently under review by the Pueblo of Laguna.
Next Steps Planned
•	Finalize the CERCLA Site Inspection report.
•	An Expanded Site Inspection will be conducted Spring
2011 to investigate the ground water to surface water
pathway at Jackpile Mine site.
*>EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Public Health Surveillance
Background
Historical releases from legacy uranium sites throughout the
Grants Mining District are documented. Area residents
requested health screenings and studies to evaluate health
impacts from uranium mining and milling in the area.
Accomplishments
•	In June 2010 the Agency for Toxic Substances and
Disease Registry and the New Mexico Department of
Health hosted a presentation on the physical and
chemical science of uranium with discussion of indoor
radon for New Mexico health care providers in Gallup
for the Navajo Nation, in Grants, and in Albuquerque,
New Mexico.
•	The New Mexico Department of Health conducted an
assessment to gauge the current public exposure to
environmental uranium in the Grants area.
o Exposure assessment surveys were completed
o Urine samples were tested for uranium
o Water samples were tested for uranium
•	On November 23, 2010, the New Mexico Department
of Health gave a presentation to the Pueblo of Laguna
Council, The presentation summarized results of
uranium in urine and water, as well as exposure
assessment survey results for Pueblo of Laguna
residents.
•	The New Mexico Department of Health produced a
report titled "Grants Mineral Belt Uranium
Biomonitoring Project Summary." This report is
available on the New Mexico Environmental Public
Health Tracking website:
https://nmtracking. unm. edu/environ_exposure/exposu
re-assess/
Next Steps Planned
•	The New Mexico Department of Health will be
presenting results from the Health Assessment to the
public in Grants/Milan/San Mateo and the Pueblo of
Laguna, providing recommendations for residents in
areas with high uranium concentrations, which include
raising community awareness about potential sources
of exposure to uranium and how to reduce this
exposure.

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