Record Display for the EPA National Library Catalog

RECORD NUMBER: 1 OF 4

Main Title Effects of Uranium Mining and Milling on Ground Water in the Grants Mineral Belt, New Mexico.
Author Kaufmann, Robert F. ; Eadie, Gregory G. ; Russell., Charles R. ;
CORP Author Office of Radiation Programs, Las Vegas, Neb.
Year Published 1977
Stock Number PB-262 819
Additional Subjects Uranium ore deposits ; Water pollution ; New Mexico ; Industrial wastes ; Ground water ; Mining ; Radium ; Selenium ; Inorganic nitrates ; Water analysis ; Tailings ; Beneficiation ; Sources ; Radioactive isotopes ; Uranium industry ; Grants Mineral Belt ; Mine wastes ; Water pollution sampling
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NTIS  PB-262 819 Some EPA libraries have a fiche copy filed under the call number shown. 07/26/2022
Collation 14p
Abstract
Ground-water contamination from uranium mining and milling results from the infiltration of mine, mill, and ion-exchange plant effluents containing elevated concentrations of radium, selenium, and nitrate. Available data indicate that radium concentrations in the discharge waters of a producing mine tend to increase substantially as the ore body is developed. Whereas natural background radium concentrations are generally about several picocuries/liter (pCi/l), 100 to 150 pCi/l appear in the effluents of operating mines. The discharge of such highly contaminated mine effluents to streams and seepage from tailings ponds, creates a long-lived source of ground-water contamination. Seepage of mill tailings at two active mills ranges from 126,000 to 491,000 cu m/yr and, to date, has contributed an estimated 2400 Curies of uranium, radium, and thorium to the ground-water reservoir. Radium, selenium, nitrate and, to a lesser extent, uranium, are of most value as indicators of ground-water contamination.