Contamination of Ground and Surface Waters by Uranium Mining and Milling. Volume 3. Experimental Studies and Analytical Procedures

摘要

The objective of this study was to measure the degree of retardation of the important chemical species in fluid from a uranium tailings pile as the fluid passed through cores taken from rock underlying the tailings pile. The measurements indicated that pH was the dominant control on the behavior of these species, and that the pH was affected primarily by the calcite cement in the rocks. The most appropriate species for monitoring were sulfate, chloride, and selenium. An appendix provides a description of the advantages and disadvantages of the various analytical procedures used on these high-ionic strength solutions.