Re: Public land closed due to old Uranium Mines

[Brian Rees <brees@LANL.GOV>]

And also in the article: "The highest readings were found at the Lisbon Mine, where radiation near the mouth of the mine measured 2

                  rems per hour, said Chuck Ward, a BLM ranger. "  

WOW, looks like another Oklo!!!!  



I have no idea what "the exposure duration exceeding an hour and a half" is about. 



OK, it's probably closer to 2 mrem/hr at the entrance - not common, but not uncommon either in the presence of good ore bodies.  



The point they're missing is that it IS the natural background for that area.  They put the mine there BECAUSE of the uranium!  



At least the article quoted an EPA person talking about a real issue: "Russell said although abandoned uranium mines are common across the West, they don't pose as great a health threat to the public as abandoned hardrock mines, which are more numerous and lack funds for cleanup." 



(Obviously) my own personal opinion.



Brian Rees





At 10:07 AM 8/18/2003 -0700, you wrote:





	Received this link from another group and found it very interesting. Can anyone verify the max dose figures? Also, what is "15 millirems a year when the exposure duration exceeds an hour and a half."

	Is the closing of this area to the public just another exaggeration on the part of a government agency?

	       Ron

	 

	http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2003/08/17/build/local/35-uranium.inc

	 

	>>>High levels of radioactivity found at abandoned uranium mines in the Pryor Mountains has prompted the Custer National Forest to close one area and the Bureau of Land Management to consider closures at other nearby sites. "What we're showing is radiation background levels that far exceed natural levels," said Pat Pierson of the Beartooth Ranger District. At the Sandra Mine, the Forest Service found readings that ranged from 1.8 times the natural background level to 369 times. The Environmental Protection Agency's recommended maximum dose limit is 15 millirems a year when the exposure duration exceeds an hour and a half. A chest X-ray equals about 10 millirems and would be in addition to the normal annual dose. 



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