IAEA-TECDOC-1419 Treatment of liquid effluent from uranium mines and mills Report of a co-ordinated research project 1996–2000 October 2004 IAEA-TECDOC-1419 Treatment of liquid effluent from uranium mines and mills Report of a co-ordinated research project 1996–2000 October 2004 The originating Section of this publication in the IAEA was: Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Materials Section International Atomic Energy Agency Wagramer Strasse 5 P.O. Box 100 A-1400 Vienna, Austria TREATMENT OF LIQUID EFFLUENT FROM URANIUM MINES AND MILLS IAEA, VIENNA, 2004 IAEA-TECDOC-1419 ISBN 92–0–112304–3 ISSN 1011–4289 © IAEA, 2004 Printed by the IAEA in Austria October 2004 FOREWORD Increased environmental awareness has made control and treatment of liquid effluents generated during mining and processing an integral part of all uranium operations, both during production and reclamation/decommissioning. Their potential to negatively impact aquatic ecosystems and drinking water resources necessitates that all effluents either be recycled back to processing circuits for reuse or treated prior to disposal or release to the environment. Uranium production occurs in diverse physical and climatic settings, which, when combined with different production technologies, necessitate unique combinations of effluent control and treatment. However, though each uranium operation has unique environmental protection issues, they also share many problems in common. Therefore, in 1996, the IAEA initiated a coordinated research project (CRP) to facilitate exchange of ideas and experience among Member States in the expanding field of control and treatment of liquid effluents generated by uranium production facilities. During their production phase, uranium mining and processing operations typically use active liquid effluent treatment. Water treatment systems are integrated into operations to treat effluent from processing circuits and liquids from tailings management facilities and waste rock storage areas. The transition to reclamation and decommissioning is usually accompanied by increased use of passive effluent treatment techniques, which include construction of wetlands, natural geochemical attenuation, permeable reactive walls and use of micro-organisms. Both active and passive treatment techniques are based on a solid body of science and both have been extensively field-tested. At the same time, effluent treatment technology continues to evolve, as mining operations look for better treatment strategies to control costs and still meet increased environmental requirements. This CRP, which was completed in November 2000, provided a forum in which case histories from active mining operations and effluent treatment research could be discussed and documented. The case histories provide examples of how individual mining operations have dealt with effluent control and treatment under a wide range of operating conditions. Documentation of effluent treatment research offers operational personnel access to new ideas and technologies that could potentially apply to their operations. The IAEA wishes to express its appreciation to all participants in the CRP. Special gratitude is extended to R. Ring (Australia), J. Jarrell (Canada) and M. Csövári (Hungary) who provided advice and guidance to the CRP. The IAEA staff member responsible for the CRP was J.-P. Nicolet of the Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology. The IAEA officers responsible for this publication are C. Ganguly and K. Wenrich of the Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology. EDITORIAL NOTE The papers in these proceedings are reproduced as submitted by the authors and have not undergone rigorous editorial review by the IAEA. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the IAEA, the governments of the nominating Member States or the nominating organizations. The use of particular designations of countries or territories does not imply any judgement by the publisher, the IAEA, as to the legal status of such countries or territories, of their authorities and institutions or of the delimitation of their boundaries. The mention of names of specific companies or products (whether or not indicated as registered) does not imply any intention to infringe proprietary rights, nor should it be construed as an endorsement or recommendation on the part of the IAEA. The authors are responsible for having obtained the necessary permission for the IAEA to reproduce, translate or use material from sources already protected by copyrights. CONTENTS SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................... 1 Treatment of liquid effluent from uranium mines and mills during and after operation........................................................................................................................ 7 R.J. Ring, P. Holden, J.K. McCulloch, G.J. Tapsell, D.E. Collier, R. Russell, S. Macnaughton, K. Marshall, D. Stimson Liquid effluent treatment initiatives at the Key Lake uranium mine, Saskatchewan, Canada, 1996–2000..................................................................................... 45 J.P. Jarrell Study on the technology for the development of macroporous resin adsorption for high purification of uranium effluent............................................................................. 75 Zhang Jianguo, Chen Shaoqiang, Qi Jing, Rao Song Barium chloride precipitation-sludge recycle to treat acidic uranium industrial effluent........ 89 Zhang Jianguo, Chen Shaoqing, Rao Sun, Qi Jing Analysis and evaluation of water coming from several uranium processing areas ................. 95 Zhang Jianguo, Chen Shaoqing, Rao Sun, Qi Jing Research on the removal of radium from uranium effluent by air-aeration hydrated manganese hydroxide adsorption ...................................................................................... 107 Zhang Jianguo, Chen Shaoqing, Qi Jing Remediation options and the importance of water treatment at former uranium production sites in eastern Germany ................................................................................. 127 G. Kiessig, R. Gatzweiler, A.T. Jakubick Treatment of liquid effluents from uranium mines and mills during and after operation............................................................................................................. 145 M. Csövári, I. Benkovics, Zs. Berta, J. Éberfalvy, J. Csicsák, Zs. Lendvai Biogenic treatment of uranium mill effluents ........................................................................ 169 A.K. Mathur, V.K. Murthy Radiogeochemical characterization of groundwater in Kazakhstan uranium province, prediction of influence of uranium ISL well fields on groundwater and environment ..... 177 B.R. Berikbolov, P.G. Kayukov, L.S. Vyatchennikova, I.A. Shishkov, Yu.V. Popov Geohydrological risks associated with abandoned uranium mines: The case of Cunha Baixa mine (Central Portugal)............................................................ 211 M.J. Matias, M.O. Neves Treatment of liquid effluent from uranium enterprises in Ukraine........................................ 245 A. Molchanov, Y. Soroka, N. Isayeva List of Participants ................................................................................................................. 267 SUMMARY 1. Introduction Treatment and control of liquid effluents are required throughout the uranium production and reclamation cycle. Effluents generated during uranium mining and processing contain radioactive and non-radioactive elements and compounds that, if not properly contained, can contaminate drinking water resources or enter the food chain, potentially harming the environment and endangering the health and well being of human populations. Accordingly, regulatory standards have been established that set maximum levels of contaminants that can be released to the environment. The objective of effluent treatment and control is to ensure that these limits are met so that uranium mining operations and reclamation sites do not endanger surrounding populations. Effluent treatment and control is a concern of every mining operation, and a large body of science and experience has been built up around these activities. As regulatory requirements become more rigorous, however, improved technologies will be required. In addition to being driven by the regulatory environment, new technologies will also focus on cost containment and water conservation. Uranium mining takes place in a variety of physical and climatic conditions, which necessitate design of site specific effluent control and treatment systems. At the same time, the chemical and physical characteristics of the effluents from operation to operation are broadly similar, which means that uranium production facilities worldwide share many common control and treatment problems. Therefore, the purpose of this co-ordinated research project (CRP) was to facilitate exchange of ideas and experience in the field of treatment and control of liquid effluents generated during uranium mining and processing. Representatives from ten countries participated in the CRP: Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Hungary, India, Kazakhstan, Portugal, Turkey and Ukraine. This TECDOC includes research results compiled from these countries along with case histories of operating experience with various treatment and control technologies. 2. Effluent characterization Liquid effluents are generated at all stages of the uranium production cycle