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Ucalgary 2016 Madhavan Dayal.Pdf University of Calgary PRISM: University of Calgary's Digital Repository Graduate Studies The Vault: Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2016 How to Overcome the Challenges in In-situ Decommissioning of the Above Ground Tailings Management Facility? Madhavan, Dayal Madhavan, D. (2016). How to Overcome the Challenges in In-situ Decommissioning of the Above Ground Tailings Management Facility? (Unpublished master's thesis). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB. doi:10.11575/PRISM/26396 http://hdl.handle.net/11023/3115 master thesis University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission. Downloaded from PRISM: https://prism.ucalgary.ca UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY How to Overcome the Challenges in In-situ Decommissioning of the Above Ground Tailings Management Facility? By Dayal Madhavan A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ENGINEERING GRADUATE PROGRAM IN CIVIL ENGINEERING CALGARY, ALBERTA July, 2016 © Dayal Madhavan 2016 Abstract This thesis focused on the challenges related to the in-situ decommissioning of the above ground tailings management facility (AGTMF) at Cameco’s Key Lake Uranium Milling and Mining Operations. The uranium tailings stored in the AGTMF from 1983 to 1998 could adversely affect the regional biota and public health as the tailings. Significant uncertainties also exist in regards to the ultimate long-term storage of uranium mine tailings as the timescales involved are relatively long (e.g. 10, 000 years modelling required). This study has explored the processes, challenges and lessons learned in the in-situ decommissioning and the methods on how to overcome the challenges related to decommissioning the AGTMF. The stored tailings are key areas of liability and this thesis has endeavoured to overcome the challenges by gaining insights from decommissioning activities within uranium industry globally to achieve a safe, cost effective, and environmentally sustainable decommissioning process for the AGTMF. ii Preface Decommissioning of the AGTMF at Key Lake is challenging as the primary objective is ensure the long-term geochemical and geotechnical stability of the facility. In addition to this and added challenge is to contour the tailings facility in order to better incorporate the tailings facility into the regional landscape. Mining and milling activities do change the landscape and returning the disturbed area to a sustainable landscape requires significant planning. It is a concern when theses mining/milling wastes are stored in an AGTMF as they may become a principal source term of contaminants (metals and radionuclides such as thorium, radium, radon, and lead). These elements of concern, if not properly contained, can present risk to the local biota for centuries to come. Decommissioning of tailings management facilities within the mining industry is continually being researched by various institutions in order to make decommissioning practices cost effective and workable through enhanced technologies. This requires project management practices to be effective by adopting new technology as innovation emerges with a focus on meeting or exceeding regulatory requirements. The objective of this thesis is to provide insight into project management decommissioning practices in order to meet the expectations to achieve a sustainable decommissioning process whereby protection of environment, public health and safety will be ensured through the decommissioning of the AGTMF. iii Acknowledgements Firstly, I am thankful to my guide Dr.Janaka Ruwanpura, Vice Provost (International) and Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Calgary for his continuous support of my M.Eng thesis. My sincere thanks goes out to Dr.Raafat El-Hacha, Dr.George Jergeas and Dr.Gopal Achari for providing their valuable suggestions during my thesis defense. I sincerely acknowledge Cameco Corporation, my employer for providing me an opportunity to carry out the M.Eng thesis on the in-situ decommissioning above ground tailings management facility at Cameco’s Key Lake Operation. I sincerely thank Dr.Brett Moldovan, General Manager, Key Lake Operations, Cameco Corporation for his guidance and kindly accepting to review my thesis. I would like to acknowledge my current and former supervisors at Key Lake Operation’s Superintendent, Project Planning (Wayne Williams and Jason Piche) and Key Lake Operation’s Mill Manager (Kevin Himbeault) for their long standing support. I wish to recognise and thank the valued inputs provided to me by Key Lake Operation’s SHEQ Superintendent (Daley McIntyre), Key Lake Operation’s Construction Management Team (Jason Driedger & Jim Lessard), Cameco Geo-Environmental Division’s Manager (Barry Esford), Cameco Geo-Environmental Division’s Chief Geo-Scientist (Dr.Thorsten Reszat) and Cameco’s Chief Metallurgist (Arthur Lieu). Last, but not least I sincerely express my profound gratitude to my wife Zinda and my sons Yedu, Vaishnav and Pranav for their love, patience and unconditional support provided all throughout my years of study to accomplish this goal. iv Dedication This thesis is dedicated to my beloved son Yedu Dayal (24 yrs.) whose untimely loss on April 19, 2014 from a motor bike accident on our community road has saddened all who dearly loved him. His optimism, eternal smiles, and zeal to relish life wholly will be the driving force to all who loved him dearly to move ahead cheerfully reminding us of Trent Thomas’s quote, “Do not allow the pain of loss, to stop the process of living”, v Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................... ii Preface................................................................................................................................ iii Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ iv Dedication ............................................................................................................................v Table of Contents ............................................................................................................... vi List of Tables .......................................................................................................................x List of Figures and Illustrations ........................................................................................ xii List of Symbols, Abbreviations and Nomenclature ......................................................... xiii Epigraph ........................................................................................................................... xiv INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................1 1.1 Background ................................................................................................................1 1.2 A Brief History of the Above Ground Tailings Management Facility ......................1 1.3 Purpose for Decommissioning the AGTMF ..............................................................6 1.4 Origin of Tailings Stored in the AGTMF ................................................................12 1.5 Previous Investigations ............................................................................................12 1.6 Objective ..................................................................................................................13 1.7 Scope of the Thesis ..................................................................................................14 1.8 Decommissioning Strategies....................................................................................15 1.9 Value and Originality of this Thesis ........................................................................15 1.10 Research Method ...................................................................................................16 LITERATURE REVIEW ....................................................................19 2.1 Regulatory Framework ............................................................................................19 2.1.1 Federal Regulations .........................................................................................20 2.1.2 Provincial Regulation ......................................................................................25 2.1.3 Decommissioning and Licensing Process for AGTMF ...................................27 2.2 Types of Decommissioning for Above Ground Tailings Management Facility .....29 2.2.1 Decommissioning Options for AGTMF ..........................................................29 2.2.2 In-situ Decommissioning - Experiences of Cover Capping ............................34 2.2.3 Decommissioning Options Selected for AGTMF at Key Lake Operation ......43 DECOMMISSIONING FRAMEWORK ........................................48 3.1 Technical Related Process in Decommissioning .....................................................48 3.1.1 Characterization of the Tailings ......................................................................48 3.1.2 Delineation of the Radioactivity Tailings ........................................................52
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