RE: defining 11e2 as NORM?

["Jim Otton" <jkotton@usgs.gov>]

Tristan, Radsafers,

The USEPA considers uranium mine waste as NORM (or TENORM).  In 1989 and

1993 they published assessment of NORM sources, including uranium mine

overburden and mine spoils.  A summary of the 1993 document can be found at

http://www.tenorm.com/sectors.htm  A statement from that webpage says:

"Unlike ore (source material) and mill tailings (byproduct material),

uranium overburden is not regulated by the Atomic Energy Act (AEA 1954) or

the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) program (EPA 1978), and

therefore is considered TENORM."

I cannot vouch for the accuracy of this statement



EPA has been active in this area since 1993.  A 1997 draft document was

generated, but not released. The EPA is presently assessing uranium mine

wastes in the Colorado Plateau.  One of the regions recently released a set

of CDs describing uranium mine wastes and environmental data for Navajo

lands.



Jim Otton



-----Original Message-----

From: owner-radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu

[mailto:owner-radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu]On Behalf Of

tristan@blackhat.net

Sent: Tuesday, December 03, 2002 9:54 AM

To: radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu

Subject: defining 11e2 as NORM?





Recently, I have been speaking with someone who is under the impression

that uranium mining waste is NORM, despite the clear definition of 11e2

byproduct.  I was not aware of a grey area here, since mining waste either

meets the literal definition of byproduct or it doesn't- and it seems

fairly clear to me.   I seem to remember this person saying it could be

both, which also makes little sense to me from a regulatory standpoint (one

or the other)



OIl/gas and other NORM is not in the uranium fuel cycle, so obviously

theres no question.  How does something in this part of the  fuel cycle

possibly get classed as NORM?



(I am aware of the fine line between LLW and 11e2- like enrichment wastes,

but not one with 11e2 and NORM)



Is this person nuts?

Thanks

-





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