ML20128G507
| ML20128G507 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 06/17/1985 |
| From: | Haisfield M NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | Higginbotham L NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| References | |
| REF-WM-39 NUDOCS 8507090213 | |
| Download: ML20128G507 (9) | |
Text
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~J0 Bunting Dccht No' i -RE Browning PDR " MJ Bell WM39/MH/85/06/07
_[PDR M Haisfield D:dribut.:cn:
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B Jagannath l _ _ _ _I S Smykowski peturn to WI.1, 623-53) ._ T Johnson pj7j/g ~ ~ -~ M Larson K Westbrook J Valdes l MEMORANDUM FOR: Leo B. Higginbotham, Chief PJustus Low-Level Waste and Uranium GN Gnugnoli Recovery Projects Branch Division of Waste Management FROM: Mark Haisfield Low _ Level Waste and Uranium Recovery Projects Branch Division of Waste Management
SUBJECT:
TRIP REPORT TO UMTPAP SITES - AMBROSIA LAKE, TUBA CITY, MONUMENT VALLEY, MEXICAN HAT, AND SHIPROCK.
DATES: May 6-10, 1985
Participants:
Phil Justus Bosiljevac, DOE '
Jose Valdes Garcia, DOE Kristin Westbrook Evans, DOE Mark Larson Carlson, DOE Ted Johnson Dubois, TAC Steve Srnykowski Parker, TAC Banad Jagannath Reis, TAC Dan Gillen Kennedy, TAC Mark Haisfield Betsill, TAC Mulford, TAC Mason, TAC Knight, TAC Darr, TAC Stepp, TAC Hobbs, TAC Smith, TAC Oldham, RAC Wathen, RAC
- DOE, TAC, and RAC personnel at Albuquerque meeting, and/or site visits. Not all personnel participated at each site.
l 8507090213 850617 l PDR WASTE
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WM-39 PDR FC :WMLU:rb :WMLU :WMEG :WMEG :WMGT :WMGT :WMGT b____:____________:____________:____________:____________: ___________:____________:___________
NAME :M Haisfield :DM Gillen :B Jagannath :S Smykowski :T Johnson :M Larson :K Westbrook p____:____________:____________:____________:____________:____________:____________:___________
DATE :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/
WM39/MH/85/06/07
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Purpose:
To visit and familiarize NRC staff with the four new sites that DOE expects to submit to NRC during the fall of 1985, and to observe site preparations activities at Shiprock.
Discussion: On May 6, a general overview of the sites was presented. The material which includes history, maps, general information, and aerial photographs is attached. The following portion of this report is organized by site and discipline. In addition, more generalized geology coments and concerns are contained within a separate Geology-Geophysics Section trip report.
Ambrosia Lake, NM: - May 6, 1985 Surface water The purpose of this site visit was to assess the hydrologic and erosion conditions which could affect the conceptual design of the remedial action plan. Accompanied by personnel from Jacobs Engineering Group, DOE, and M-K, we first observed the immediate tailings pile area. We walked on the top drea of pile, which offered a good view of the surrounding drainage areas. It was noted that the existing pile partially blocks the drainage path for runoff from a drainage area of 3.8 square miles (DOE's estimate). This runoff will probably have to be diverted around the remediated pile in a rock-protected diversion channel and may present design problems if the slope of the channels are steep. Examination of topographic maps of the site area indicates that the ground slope is approximately 1% in the immediate site area.
We then observed portions of the upstream drainage area. These areas were sparsely vegetated, and portions of the upper drainage areas were very steep.
The existence of deep gullies and arroyos were noted, indicating the potential for heavy runoff during a major storm event.
Ground water The Ambrosia Lake tailings pile is located in the Grants Mineral Belt area approximately 80 miles west of Albuquerque. Of technical interest at the site was the ponded water on top of the pile as well as a subsidence area near the pile. Previous underground mining has left a large network of tunnels in the area. The UMTRAP pile is dwarfed by the Kerr-McGee " active" pile located 11 miles to the west.
For additional information on ground water at Ambrosia Lake, see Mike Weber's May 5-8, 1985 trip report.
Geology The site is located in the Ambrosia Lake Valley approximately 20 miles north of Grants, New Mexico. The valley is bordered on the north by San Mateo Mesa (7,100 ft elevation) and on the southwest by Mesa Montanosa (7,300 ft elevation). The site lies on the pediment /bajada that slopes southwestward 0FC :WMLU:rb :WMLU :WMEG :WMEG :WMGT :WMGT :WMGT O____:____________:____________:____________: ___________:____________:____________:___________
NAME :M Haisfield :DM Gillen :B Jagannath :S Smykowski :T Johnson :M Larson :K Westbrook TATE :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/
WM39/MH/85/06/07 from the base of San Mateo Mesa. The underlying Mancos Shale bedrock dips l gently to the northeast, opposite to the direction of surface drainage. At the May 6 briefing on the Ambrosia Lake site, Mr. Gary Parker mentioned planned seismic monitoring, planned holes and test pits, and plans to get boring logs for nearby mines from mining companies. Many boxes of labelled cores are stored in the abandoned mill buildings and could perhaps be used as additional sources of subsurface information. It was stated by Jacobs that logs of these cores are available for review.
Brian Hobbs, 00E TAC geologist, guided NRC geologic personnel around the pile and answered questions about the geology and status of geologic characterization work at the site. In general, Hobbs indicated that no site-specific geologic work has been undertaken at the Ambrosia Lake site. NRC staff inquired about the potential activity of various normal faults, some with reported displacements of 100 ft or more, occurring within a few miles of the site. Such features would need to be considered for long-term stability analysis and groundwater flow analysis.
NRC personnel also inquired about the possibility of subsidence at the site given the presence of abandoned subsurface mine workings. Hobbs stated that, on the basis of the plots of the underground workings that have been compiled up to the present, it appears that only one corner of the pile would have to be moved due to potential subsidence hazards. It appears, however, that the TAC's information about the extent and location of the underground cavities is currently incomplete. A surface depression was evident adjacent to the southwestern corner of the pile that is apparently due to collapse of underground workings.
We agree with Mr. Hobbs that these geological matters should continue to be pursued:
a) subsurface geology and correlations of geophysical data; b) extent and age of faulting in the vicinity of the pile.
However, we are not in a position to agree that geomorphic hazards are not of much concern at this site.
The presence of numerous mine vent holes in the area and alledgedly under the pile, presence of extensive underground mine workings, evidence of surface subsidence adjacent to the existing pile, reported occurrence of recent seismicity that had some impact on underground openings, and reports of closely-spaced faults in mines in the vicinity of the site, all appear to be appropriate concerns for focusing site characterization plans and activities at the Ambrosia Lake site.
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- WMLU:rb :WMLU :WMEG :WMEG :WMGT :WMGT :WMGT
$'FC NAME :M Haisfield :DM Gillen :B Jagannath :S Smykowski :T Johnson :M Larson :K Westbrook e____:____________:____________:____________:____________:____________:____________:___________
DATE :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/
WM39/MH/85/06/07 Engineering The staff walked the tailings pile and the adjoining mill site and noted the following items:
o There is local ponding on top of the tailings pile and the rain water does not drain through the pile. This indicates the presence of low permeability and possibly low strength tailings in that vicinity.
o There were numerous erosion gullies on the side slopes on the pile, and the perimeter dike was breached at two locations.
o The TAC is planning to corrmence site characterization activities during the month of May 1985.
o There are other tailing piles (larger in size) in the general vicinity which are not scheduled for stabilization. The mining activity is still going on in this area, and the effect of these should be considered in developing the remedial action plan.
o The borrow source, tentatively identified for the radon barrier cover, is about i mile northeast of the site. The borrow material is expected to be sandy silt to silty sand.
o Mining operations west of the tailings pile has resulted in surface subsidence - approximately 200 feet in diameter and 6 feet in depth. This subsidence is approximately 200 to 300 feet beyond the site boundary; but, may require relocating portions of the tailings away from this zone.
Tuba City, Arizona - May 7, 1985 Surface water The purpose of this site visit was to assess the hydrologic and erosion conditions which could affect the conceptual design of the remedial action plan. Accompanied by personnel from Jacobs Engineering Group, DOE, and M-K, we first observed the immediate tailings pile area. We walked on the top area of the pile, which offered a good view of the surrounding drainage areas.
It was noted that the existing pile partially blocks the drainage for runoff from a presently undefined drainage area and is also located such that runoff from upslope drainage areas will probably have to be diverted around the remediated pile in a rock-protected diversion channel. The runoff may present design problems if the slope of the diversion channels are steep. We then observed portions of the upstream drainage area. These areas were sparsely vegetated, and portions of the upper drainage areas were very steep.
We then drove to Greasewood Lake, a potential source of borrow material for the pile. No unusual surface water hydrology features were noted.
0FC :WMLU:rb :WMLU :WMEG :WMEG :WMGT :WMGT :WMGT NAME :M Haisfield :DM Gillen :B Jagannath :S Smykowski :T Johnson :M Larson :K Westbrook 2____: ___________:____________:____________:____________: ___________: ___________:___________
DATE :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/
I WM39/MH/85/06/07 We then drove to a potential alternate site. We noted that two drainages (of undefined size) are located on either side of the proposed site. These drainages appeared to possibly present a future problem due to head cutting of gullies and/or slope recession. However, it appears that the erosion could be prevented by currently available technology.
Ground Water The site sits on a slope leading down to Moenkopi Wash which contains a perennial stream. TAC personnel stated that ground water contamination has been detected below the pile and to the southeast, between the pile and the Wash. More wells are planned to delineate the extent of contamination and the rate and direction of ground water movement.
Geology The site is located approximately 5 miles east of Tuba City, Arizona, on a gently sloping area that drains into Moenkopi Wash, 1.5 miles to the south. The tailings are reported to rest on loose sand derived by eolian erosion of the Navajo Sandstone bedrock. The Kayenta Fomation (a silty mudstone. sandstone unit) underlies the Navajo Sandstone.
Dave Betsill, DOE TAC hydrologist, guided the NRC geologic staff around the site and surrounding areas. The staff was taken to within a few hundred yards of Greasewood Lake, the candidate source area for radon cover material for the pile. Located approximately one mile northeast of the pile, Greasewood Lake appeared as a dry, closed drainage topographic feature filled with apparently sandy-silty sediments. The origin of the feature was reported to be in doubt, and it may represent a playa lake, sand blowout, or pipe breccia-related depression.
Outcropping of Navajo and Kayenta rocks several miles southeast of the site, near Moenkopi Wash, were visited. A large number of parallel joints at least 15-20 feet long were visible on a flat erosional surface on the Kayenta Fomation. The reported Navajo-Kayenta contact trace is characterized by the presence of springs, indicated by vegetation growth. Locally, Moenkopi Wash and its tributaries are well-incised streams.
Engineering The tailings appear to be coarse grained in that there was no The potential borrow site p(onding Greasewoodon the surface Lake) of the for radon pile. earth cover material, is reddish brown, barrier fine silty sand. The borrow source for the rock cover material has not yet been identified. The team drove around the site and also drove down to the valley, south of the site, to witness the contact horizons of rock formations underlying the site.
1FC :WMLU:rb :WMLU :WMEG :WMEG :WMGT :WMGT :WMGT NAME :M Haisfield :DM Gillen :B Jagannath :S Smykowski :T Johnson :M Larson :K Westbrook DATE :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/
WM39/MH/85/06/07 Mor;ument Valley, Arizona: -
May 8, 1985 Surface Water The purpose of this site visit was to assess the hydrologic and erosion conditions which could affect the conceptual design of the remedial action plan. Accompained by personnel frcen Jacobs Engineering Group, DOE, and M-K, we first observed the immediate tailings pile area. It was noted that the existing pile is located downslope from an undefined drainage area. This runoff will probably have to be diverted around the remediated pile in a rock-protected diversion channel and could present design problems.
In addition, depending on the location of the toe of the pile, protection and/or diversion of runoff may be needed to protect the toe from erosion due to runoff in the adjacent stream channels.
We then observed portions of the upstream drainage area. These areas are sparsely vegetated, and portions of the upper drainage areas were rocky and very steep. The existence of deep gullies and arroyos were noted.
Ground Water The site is located in Cane Valley, immediately to the east of Monument Valley, approximately 5 miles south of the Arizona-Utah border.
According to the TAC, ground-water contamination has been detected between the pile and Cane Valley Wash. One resident lives directly between the pile and the Wash and obtains water from a well. Future work planned by the TAC is dependent on the results of detailed water quality analyses.
Geology Cane Valley is a strike-valley developed on shale members of the Chinle Formation. The valley is bordered on the west by cuestas of the Shinarump Member of the Chinle Formation and on the east by Comb Ridge, a hogback of resistant Triassic-Jurassic sandstones associated with the Comb monocline.
Paul Darr, DOE TAC geologist, accompanied the NRC geologic staff around the site and adjacent regions. A source area of Honaker Trail limestone for potential rip-rap use was visited. Given that the exposed limestone joint-blocks were fissile parallel to bedding, the suitability of these rocks for rip-rap was not apparent. The abandoned open pit uranium mines west of the site were also visited. It was suggested that these mined areas might provide a suitable site for relocating the tailings. Geomorphic stability problems at the current site include those resulting from the fact that the pile is directly in the path of a channel originating on the western side of the valley.
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=____:____________:____________:____________:____________:____________:____________:___________
DATE :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/
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WM39/MH/85/06/07 Engineering The old tailings area contains the residue of the original heap leach process tailings. The new tailings pile is composed mostly of coarse-grained sand and small pebbles that were never processed. The piles appeared to be dry which can be expected since the site is located in a very dry area. Contaminated windblown material to the northeast of the new pile and to the west of the old pile may be difficult to clean up since it is dispersed in rocky terrain. A thin layer of contaminated material covers an area of the road to the north of the site. The level of this contamination should be assessed to determine if remedial action is required. Presently, the radon barrier material and the rock cover material have not been identified. The DOE may have some difficulty locating sufficient quantities of these materials in the area.
Mexican Hat, Utah: -
May 8, 1985 Surface water The purpose of the site visit was to assess the hydrologic and erosion conditions which could affect the conceptual design of the remedial action plan. Accompanied by personnel from Jacobs Engineering Group, DOE, and M-K, we first observed the immediate tailings pile area. We walked on the top area of the pile, and viewed the surrounding drainage areas. It was noted that the existing pile partially blocks the drainage path for surface runoff in a steep gullied arroyo having a currently undefined drainage area. This runoff will probably have to be diverted around the remediated pile in a rock protected diversion channel and may present design problems if the slope of the channels are steep.
In the immediate site area, the presence of numerous gullies and arroyos were noted. It appeared that these gullies have the potential to migrate upstream and possibly affect the pile and that head cutting will need to be considered in the erosion protection design at this site.
We then observed portions of the upstream drainage area. These areas were sparsely vegetated, and portions of the upper drainage areas were very steep.
The existence of deep gullies and arroyos were noted, indicating the potential for heavy runoff during a major storm event.
Ground Water The Mexican Hat tailings pile is located in an arroyo which does not contain a perennial stream. According to the TAC, groundwater is first encountered at a depth greater than 150 feet in an artesian aquifer. In drilling these wells, the TAC encountered hydrogen sulfide gas and oil. A small zone of saturated material was reported by the TAC as occurring directly beneath the pile. The alluvium in the arroyo is very thin and the bedrock (mostly fire-gained sedimentary rocks) is notably fractured.
0FC :WMLU:rb :WMLU :WMEG :WMEG :WMGT :WMGT :WMGT NAME :M Haisfield :DM Gillen :B Jagannath :S Smykowski :T Johnson :M Larson :K Westbrook DATE :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/
WM39/MH/85/06/07 Geology The site is located approximately 1 mile southwest of the town of Mexican Hat, Utah, in a wash area that drains toward the north into the San Juan River. The tailings directly overlie outcrops of the Halgaito Siltstone Tongue of the Cutler Formation. These strata dip eastward toward the axis of the Mexican Hat syncline.
Paul Darr accompanied the NRC geologic staff to the site. The unnamed wash originating near the northeastern part of the lower tailings pile presents significant geomorphic stability problems for the site. Outcroppings of the Halgaito along the bottom of this wash downgradient from the site reveal the presence of extensive jointing in this unit. David Betsill inferred that fracture flow of groundwater is important at this site based on preliminary observation of higher water recovery occurring in zones of high fracture density. He hiicated that there are artesian systems at depths of 100 and 200 feet. Oil and hydrogen sulfide were discovered in a lower elevation well. He indicated that geologic understanding of the site is in an early phase.
Engineering The site consists of 3 piles (2 upper and I lower) and several original plant buildings. These piles are coated with a crust of tailings material approximately 1 to 1 inch thick. The tailings were not deposited uniformly which resulted in finer material being deposite1 in the middle of the
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ponds and sandier material at the outer edges.
A significant amount of tailings have been carried away by wind and water erosion. Extensive accumulations of windblown tailings are located northwest of the lower pile in the dry washes leading to the San Juan River and may be difficult to clean up due to the rocky terrain. The rock cover material is expected to be limestone. Although we observed at an outcrop of the limestone approximately 5 miles from the site, the exact location of the rock borrow site has not been identified. Presently, the radon barrier material has not been identified.
Shiprock, NM: -
May 9, 1985 The Shiprock site visit was of a different nature than the pre-RAP visits to the other four sites. Conditional NRC concurrence in the Shiprock RAP has been issued, and initial site preparation activities have begun. On May 9, 1985, we toured tha site to briefly view the work that has been done and to discuss surface water hydrology and geotechnical engineering concerns with DOE and M-K personnel. Fences have been constructed, borrow areas have been cleared, and the waste water retention basin has been nearly completed. When questioned about the retention basin's liner, M-K personnel indicated that the clay liner has not yet been placed. We observed the rock cover borrow area and the eroded arroyos adjacent to the pile that are to be filled in as part of the design.
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IAME :M Haisfield :DM Gillen :B Jagannath :S Smykowski :T Johnson :M Larson :K Westbrook DATE :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/
WM39/MH/85/06/07 '
One test pit was open and the staff examined the borrow material intended for the radon barrier cover and the rock cover. The material designated for the the consists of both sandy silt and silty sand and therefore will require careful selection or processing of the material by the contractor. Other geotechnical aspects observed at the site were as presented in the remedial action document.
Open issues related to the seismotectonic stability of the site were discussed with Leon Stepp, DOE TAC Project Manager for Shiprock. T. R. Wathen, of the DOE Remedial Action Contractor (RAC), had earlier provided the NRC geologic personnel with discussion documents presenting the RAC's view on the seismic issues at Shiprock and also of the RAC's preliminary position on generic seismic characterization at UMTRAP sites. Follow-up discussions on the subjects of seismotectonic stability and seismic hazard analysis in the near future are anticipated.
May 10, 1985 Steve Smykowski and Banad Jagannath met with Bill Mason (JEC),
Kathy Carlson (DOE) and John Smith (Weston) to discuss the methodology the DOE is using to determine the radon flux from the UMTRA site piles. The meeting was conducted by John Smith who presented slides from a paper that he had presented at the most recent Symposium on Uranium Mill Tailings Management at CSU. Items that were discussed included the EPA criteria for limiting radon flux from inactive tailings piles and the radiological input parameters that are used in the RAECOM model. The meeting was predominantly an informative session for the staff rather than one to discuss specific issues.
Mark Haisfield Low-Level Waste and Uranium Recovery Projects Branch Division of Waste Management WMGT
- WMGT
- JValdes PJustus 85/06/ 85/06/
(Please see previous concur'rences) 0FC :WMLU:rb * :WMLU * :WMEG * :WMEG * :WMGT * :WMGT * :WMGT
- iNAME :M Haisfield :DM Gillen :8 Jagannath :S Smykowski :T Johnson :M Larson :K Westbrook e ___:____________:____________:____________:____________:____________:____________:--_________
DATE :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/ :85/06/