[ RadSafe ] "Nukes mean mines" Article

[Dan W McCarn]

Hi Mike:

You are correct, but the author of this article failed to understand several
issues; I will only address one for lack of time.

Statement: "Dozens of more modern, underground "in-situ" mining sites are
scattered from Karnes County all the way to Laredo, along with uranium mills
and processing plants, where mined uranium is treated with acid to leach out
a refined "yellow cake.""

Answer: These modern mines use oxygen and naturally occurring bicarbonate
ion (HCO3-1) to leach the uranium from the sediments at a pH = 7.  If the
solutions become even slightly acid, they tend to mine a great deal of
calcite (CaCO3), so the pH is tightly controlled.  Also, because the
recovered solutions are kept under pressure during ion exchange, and then
re-injected, the radon release is quite low.

Dan ii

--
Dan W McCarn, Geologist
7 Likely Place
Santa Fe, NM 87508-5938
+1-505-603-5270 (Mobile - New Mexico)
+1-505-240-6872 (Skype - New Mexico) 
+33.(0).6.47.86.05.25 (Mobile - France)
HotGreenChile at gmail.com (Private email)
 
-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] On Behalf
Of Brennan, Mike (DOH)
Sent: Thursday, September 24, 2009 11:57
To: radsafe at radlab.nl
Subject: [ RadSafe ] "Nukes mean mines" Article 

This is an article from the San Antonio paper that supposedly is to
provide information, but has a slant to it.  The author seems to be
unaware of the fact than not only do "Nukes (power plants) mean mines",
but steel, copper, bricks, cement, glass, fiber optics, and gravel mean
mines (or quarries).  Generally speaking, if it isn't grown or pulled
from the sea, it's dug up, and usually processed, leaving holes and
waste.

http://www.sacurrent.com/news/story.asp?id=70530
_______________________________________________
You are currently subscribed to the RadSafe mailing list

Before posting a message to RadSafe be sure to have read and understood the
RadSafe rules. These can be found at:
http://radlab.nl/radsafe/radsaferules.html

For information on how to subscribe or unsubscribe and other settings visit:
http://radlab.nl/radsafe/