Contamination of Ground and Surface Waters Due to Uranium Mining and Milling. Volume I: Biological Processes for Concentrating Trace Elements from Uranium Mine Waters

摘要

Wastewater from uranium mines in the Ambrosia Lake district near Grants, N. Mex., contains uranium, selenium, radium, and molybdenum. A novel treatment process for waters from two mines, sections 35 and 36, to reduce the concentrations of the trace contaminants was developed. Particulates are settled by ponding and the waters are passed through an ion exchange resin to remove uranium; barium chloride is added to precipitate sulfate and radium from the mine waters. The mine waters are subsequently passed through three consecutive algae ponds prior to discharge. Water, sediment, and biological samples were collected over a 4-year period and analyzed to assess the role of biological agents in removal of inorganic trace contaminants from the mine waters.