Assessment of Underground Disposal of Tailings

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Assessment of Underground Disposal of Tailings INFO 0558 CA9600086 27 10 Atomic Energy Commission de contrôle Control Board de l'énergie atomique INFO-0558 I 1 i Assessment of the Underground Disposal I of Tailings 1 by Nora M. Hutt and Kevin A. Morin B^Éi-: Morwijk Enterprises Ltd. and Normar Enterprises 1 : • Prepared for the Atomic Energy Control Board under its Regulatory Research and Support Program Ottawa, Canada AECB Project No. 5.147.1 June 1995 Atomic Energy Commission de contrôle Control Board de l'énergie atomique Canada I \ - 111 ASSESSMENT OF THE UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL OF TAILINGS A report by Nora M. Hutt and Kevin A. Morin, Morwijk Enterprises Ltd. and Normar Enterprises, under contract to the Atomic Energy Control Board. ABSTRACT The Atomic Energy Control Board (AECB) of Canada is facing the issue of long-term disposal of uranium tailings. One option that has not been examined in sufficient detail for the AECB is the retrieval of tailings from surface impoundments and subsequent placement of those tailings in underground workings of mines. In order to examine the issue of underground disposal in greater detail, the AECB commissioned this study. It is based on a detailed literature review and a questionnaire distributed to knowledgeable people. The literature review involved a search of 34 computerized databases and libraries, identifying thousands of potentially relevant titles. An evaluation of abstracts and retrieved documents led to a selection of approximately 250 for inclusion in this report. Forty-one people responded to the questionnaire, providing valuable references, contacts, suggestions, and most importantly their thoughts and concerns on underground disposal of tailings. This report is structured like a catalogue of facts and information, with each paragraph presenting some concept, concern, theory, or case study involving the retrieval or placement of tailings. All relevant information, findings, interpretations, conclusions, and recommendations gathered during the course of this study are included. The Table of Contents illustrates the striking number of relevant topics and acts like a "flowchart" or checklist to ensure that an underground-disposal submission by a mining company has addressed relevant topics. As explained in the report, the underground disposal of uranium tailings is not a reasonable alternative for many uranium mines. This stems primarily from one fact: for many mines, all tailings generated by the operation cannot be returned underground. As rock is mined and processed, it "swells" in volume so that a cubic meter, for example, of intact ore rock becomes 1.5 or more cubic meters of tailings. Therefore, some tailings would remain on the surface at many minesites. The report explains in detail the implications of disturbing surface-impounded tailings for the purpose of placing only some of the volume underground. The cumulative environmental, safety, and monetary liabilities of such a partial scheme can be discouraging in some cases. IV The major conclusion drawn from this study is that partial retrieval of surface-impounded tailings and subsequent placement in underground workings is justified only if one or more key "intangible costs" are lessened significantly. Examples of such costs are long-term environmental impacts and concerns over long-term impoundment stability, which from another viewpoint could become tangible costs for future generations. RÉSUMÉ La Commission de contrôle de l'énergie atomique (CCEA) du Canada est aux prises avec le problème de l'évacuation à long terme des résidus d'extraction de l'uranium. Une solution, selon la CCEA, n'a pas été suffisamment étudiée, soit le retrait des résidus des réservoirs de retenue et leur enfouissement dans des mines souterraines. La présente étude, commandée par la CCEA, a pour but d'examiner plus en détail la question du stockage souterrain. Elle est fondée sur une recherche documentaire approfondie et sur un questionnaire distribué à des personnes bien informées. Pour la recherche documentaire, on a consulté 34 bibliothèques et bases de données informatisées, ce qui a permis de relever des milliers de titres possiblement pertinents; après avoir évalué les résumés et les documents retenus, on en a choisi environ 250 pour l'étude. Quant au questionnaire, il a été rempli par 41 personnes, qui ont fourni des références intéressantes, indiqué des personnes ressources, fait des propositions et, plus important encore, exprimé leur point de vue et leurs préoccupations relativement au stockage souterrain des résidus. Le rapport se présente comme un catalogue de faits et de renseignements; dans chaque paragraphe, on retrouve un concept, une préoccupation, une théorie ou une étude de cas concernant le retrait ou l'enfouissement de résidus. Tous les renseignements ainsi que toutes les découvertes, les interprétations, les conclusions et les recommandations recueillies au cours de l'étude y sont mentionnés. La table des matières donne une idée du très grand nombre de sujets pertinents et peut servir de diagramme de processus ou de liste de vérification pour s'assurer qu'une demande de stockage souterrain présentée par une société minière traite des sujets pertinents. Comme il est mentionné dans le rapport, le stockage souterrain des résidus d'extraction de l'uranium ne constitue pas, pour beaucoup d'exploitants de mines d'uranium, une solution raisonnable, surtout parce qu'il leur est impossible d'enfouir sous terre tous les résidus produits. Quand le minerai est extrait et traité, son volume augmente; ainsi, un mètre cube de minerai intact, et donc compact, donne, après transformation, au moins 1,5 mètre cube de résidus en vrac. Dans de nombreux sites miniers, certains résidus doivent donc rester à la surface. Dans le rapport, on explique en détail ce qui se produit lorsqu'on retire une partie des résidus d'un réservoir de retenue pour les enfouir sous terre. Les responsabilités financières et environnementales, auxquelles s'ajoutent celles sur le plan de la sécurité, peuvent parfois s'avérer très décourageantes. La principale conclusion qui se dégage de l'étude est que le retrait d'une partie des résidus des réservoirs de retenue et leur enfouissement ne sont justifiables que s'ils entraînent une réduction substantielle d'au moins l'un des principaux «coûts intangibles». Parmi ces coûts figurent les conséquences environnementales à long terme et les préoccupations concernant la stabilité à long terme des réservoirs, qui risquent par ailleurs de se transformer en coûts tangibles pour les générations à venir. DISCLAIMER The Atomic Energy Control Board is not responsible for the accuracy of the statements made or opinions expressed in this publication and neither the Board nor the authors assume liability with respect to any damage or loss incurred as a result of the use of the information contained in this publication. NEXT PAGBS) left BLANK.] Vil TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT iii LIST OF TABLES x LIST OF FIGURES xii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS xiii 1. INTRODUCTION, OBJECTIVES, AND METHODOLOGY 1 2. THE TAILINGS DILEMMA AND RELATED CONCERNS 5 2.1 The Dilemma 5 2.2 The Primary Concerns 9 2.3 Advantages and Disadvantages of Surface Disposal of Tailings 14 2.4 Advantages and Disadvantages of Underground Disposal of Tailings 22 3. RETRIEVAL OF TAILINGS FROM A SURFACE IMPOUNDMENT 28 3.1 Chemical/Physical Characteristics of Uranium Tailings and the Disturbance of Stable/Pseudo-Stable Conditions in the Surface Impoundment 28 3.1.1 Acceleration or re-start of metal leaching and/or acid generation . 29 3.1.1.1 Radioactive contaminants 32 3.1.1.2 Non-radioactive contaminants 34 3.1.2 Degradation of surface-water quality in the tailings pond and effluent 35 3.1.3 Change in water flows and volumes (hydrology and hydrogeology) 42 3.1.4 Degradation of groundwater quality 46 3.1.5 Change in geotechnical stability of dams, containment structures and tailings 54 3.1.6 Degradation of air quality 60 3.2 Technical Aspects of Retrieval 68 3.2.1 Methods of retrieval 68 3.2.1.1 Excavation 70 3.2.1.2 Dredging 71 3.2.1.3 Slurrying 72 3.2.2 Reprocessing 74 3.2.3 Transportation to underground workings 78 3.2.4 Final cleanup and reclamation 81 3.3 Costs 88 Vlll 4. PLACEMENT OF TAILINGS IN UNDERGROUND WORKINGS 93 4.1 Effects on Existing Conditions in Underground Mines 94 4.1.1 Change in reactivity of tailings or wall rock during/after placement 95 4.1.2 Degradation of water quality in placed tailings and surrounding groundwater system 97 4.1.2.1 Retardation 100 4.1.2.2 Natural analogs 102 4.1.2.3 Sorption and ion exchange 102 4.1.2.4 Mineral precipitation/dissolution 107 4.1.2.5 Diffusion 113 4.1.2.6 Case studies in Elliot Lake and at the Stripa Mine in Sweden 114 4.1.2.7 Modelling 116 4.1.3 Change in groundwater flow through/from mines 120 4.1.3.1 Stages of mine flooding 125 4.1.3.2 Fractures 127 4.1.3.3 Studies at the Stripa Mine in Sweden 131 4.1.3.4 Studies at AECL's Underground Research Laboratory ... 133 4.1.3.5 Studies at Elliot Lake, Ontario 138 4.1.3.6 Modelling 142 4.1.4 Degradation of air quality in mines 143 4.2 Technical Aspects of Placement 150 4.2.1 Technical Issues 150 4.2.1 A Preparation and maintenance of underground workings . 150 4.2.1.2 Maximization of tailings volume 152 4.2.1.3 Coordination with active mining operation 154 4.2.1.4 Detoxification of tailings 155 4.2.1.5 Stabilization of underground workings and placed tailings 157 4.2.1.6 Handling of water 161 4.2.1.7 Air-phase requirements 162 4.2.1.8 Sterilization of ore 164 4.2.1.9 Length of time to complete placement 165 4.2.2 Methods of placement 165 4.2.2.1 Dry placement by hauling 168 4.2.2.2 Dry placement by pneumatic transport 171 4.2.2.3 Wet placement as slurry 173 4.2.2.4 Wet placement as paste 185 4.3 Costs 186 IX 5.
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