Long Term Care and Maintenance at the Closed Uranium Mines in - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Long Term Care and Maintenance at the Closed Uranium Mines in Elliot Lake Presented to Regulatory Supervision of Legacy Sites Workshop IAEA/CNSC Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada May 1, 2014 RSLS Workshop - Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada - May

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SLIDE 1

Long Term Care and Maintenance at the Closed Uranium Mines in Elliot Lake

Presented to Regulatory Supervision of Legacy Sites Workshop IAEA/CNSC – Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada May 1, 2014

RSLS Workshop - Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada - May 2014

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SLIDE 2

Outline

  • History
  • Decommissioning Plan Processes and selected plans

for Denison Facilities

  • Operating, Care and Maintenance Components
  • Care and Maintenance Activities
  • Costs

2

RSLS Workshop - Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada - May 2014

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SLIDE 3

Uranium Mining in Elliot Lake

  • 12 mines and 11 mills constructed between 1955 &

1958 following discovery of uranium.

  • Most uranium produced under contracts with the

U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.

  • Following cancellation of the contracts most mines

in the area closed in the 1960s.

  • Denison Mine operated continuously supplying

uranium to Ontario and Japan until closure in 1992.

  • Diminishing ore grades resulted in the closure of the

Denison Mine.

  • The last remaining uranium mine in Elliot Lake was

the Stanleigh Mine (Rio Algom) which closed in 1996.

3

RSLS Workshop - Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada - May 2014

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SLIDE 4

RSLS Workshop - Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada - May 2014

Denison Tailings 63 M tonnes 271 ha

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SLIDE 5

Denison Property

  • 16 km north of Elliot

Lake.

  • Developed in 1950s and

ran from 1957-1992.

  • Milled 63 million tonnes
  • f ore.
  • Consisted of

underground mine, mill and two tailings management areas.

5

  • TMA-1: 235 ha, 60 M tonnes tailings
  • TMA-2: 36.3 ha, 3.3 M tonnes tailings

RSLS Workshop - Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada - May 2014

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SLIDE 6

Stanrock Property

  • 21 km NE of Elliot Lake.
  • Stanrock: underground

mine, mill and one tailings management area.

  • Operated from 1957-

1964; recovery of uranium from mine water 1964-1970 and late 1970s-1983.

  • Can-Met: underground

mine and mill.

6

  • Tailings from Stanrock and Can-Met both discharged into
  • ne tailings basin (52 ha, 5.7 M tonnes tailings).

RSLS Workshop - Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada - May 2014

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SLIDE 7

Denison and Stanrock Decommissioning

Water cover option selected for Denison TMAs. Projects included:

  • Relocation of ~4 million tons of

tailings

  • Reconstruction of dams to meet long

term requirements

  • New treatment plant constructed
  • Other activities:
  • hazardous materials abatement,
  • demolition of facilities,
  • remediation of historical spills,
  • capping mine openings,
  • landscaping and site remediation to meet

gamma targets.

RSLS Workshop - Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada - May 2014

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SLIDE 8

Denison and Stanrock Decommissioning

In-situ management plan selected for the Stanrock site. Projects included:

  • Construction of 4 low permeability dams to contain tailings and

raise water table; rebuilding other dams; spillway construction

  • Construction of new treatment plant
  • Re-vegetation of tailings
  • Cleanup of historical spills
  • Capping of mine openings

RSLS Workshop - Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada - May 2014

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SLIDE 9

Denison and Stanrock Decommissioning

  • Some decommissioning activities began concurrent

with EA (FEARO) process

  • Key issues arising from EA Hearings:
  • Control of acid generation
  • Long term management and risk of catastrophic

failure

  • Mitigation measures
  • Cumulative impacts on ecosystem
  • Long term responsibility
  • Ownership (Surrender of Title)
  • Land use

RSLS Workshop - Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada - May 2014

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SLIDE 10

Operating, Care & Maintenance at Closed Mine Sites

RSLS Workshop - Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada - May 2014

  • Site Security and Public Health & Safety
  • Inspections
  • Maintenance of Site Infrastructure
  • Water Treatment
  • Environmental Monitoring
  • Data Management, Review & Reporting
  • Emergency Response
  • Health & Safety
  • Public Communication
  • Permitting
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SLIDE 11

Site Security and Public Health & Safety

RSLS Workshop - Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada - May 2014

  • Signage
  • Gates, fencing & barricades
  • Frequent site visits
  • 24 hour alarm intrusion monitoring
  • Public communication
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SLIDE 12

Inspections

RSLS Workshop - Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada - May 2014

  • Performed to ensure proper operation
  • f all facilities
  • Allows for early identification of non-

routine maintenance requirements

  • Inspection programs include:
  • TMA & Surface Facility Inspections
  • Treatment plants, dams, berms, spillways,

culverts, channels, ditches, staff gauges, flow meters, dam instrumentation, roads, fences/gates, signage, electrical infrastructure, pipelines, etc.

  • Annual Geotechnical Inspections
  • Performed by Geotechnical Engineer
  • Capped and Backfilled Openings

Inspections

  • Inspections are documented and

follow a prescribed frequency

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SLIDE 13

Maintenance of Site Infrastructure

RSLS Workshop - Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada - May 2014

  • Grading/clearing of access roads

in all seasons

  • Vegetation control on dams/roads
  • Clearing of debris from water

collection systems and spillways

  • System maintenance for water

treatment plants

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SLIDE 14

Water Treatment

  • Addition of BaCl2 for treatment of Ra,

and lime/caustic soda for treatment of acidity

  • Ensure compliance with water quality

discharge limits & manage Source/Receiver water level/flow

  • Operational activities
  • Plant inspections
  • Checks/calibration of key process

control instrumentation (e.g. pH probes, flow meters)

  • Pump/system maintenance and repair
  • Reagent management
  • Adjustment of operational settings to

suit conditions

Pic of inside

  • f one of the

plants?

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SLIDE 15

Water Treatment

  • Response to upset

conditions (e.g. weather events)

Pic of inside

  • f one of the

plants?

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SLIDE 16

Water Treatment

RSLS Workshop - Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada - May 2014

  • Remote Monitoring
  • Use a Supervisory Control

and Data Acquisition (SCADA) System

  • Remote ETP monitoring

network using cell telemetry 24-hrs/7 days per week

  • Monitor and control of key
  • perating parameters
  • Critical alarm dial-out

system

  • Operator interface for remote

monitoring and response

  • Useful for site security and

treatment plant operation

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SLIDE 17

Environmental Monitoring

In 1997 DMI and RAL implemented a comprehensive network of monitoring programs which have developed

  • ver time and now consist of the following:
  • 1. TMA Operational Monitoring Program (TOMP) – tracks

TMA performance and provides operational information

  • 2. Source Area Monitoring Program (SAMP) – monitors

water quality and quantity discharged from the TMAs

  • 3. Serpent River Watershed Monitoring Program (SRWMP)

– evaluates cumulative effects on the receiving environment (chemical and biological)

17

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SLIDE 18

Data Management, Review & Reporting

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Data Management

  • Achieved using emLine

environmental database software, which allows for:

  • Scheduling of monitoring
  • Automated flagging of data
  • Customizable reports

Reporting

  • Monthly Operations and

Maintenance Reports

  • Monthly SAMP, TOMP and SRWMP

Reports

  • Operating, Care and Maintenance

Annual Report

  • Serpent River Watershed Annual

Water Quality Report

  • 3rd Party Reports – SOE, SRWMP

Interpretive Reports, DSR, Geotech

Data Review

  • Comprehensive review

program which includes:

  • Review of effluent data –

comparison to:

  • Internal Investigation Limits
  • Action Limits
  • Compliance Limits
  • Data validation – comparison

to high/low assessment values

  • Data assessment – comparison

to effects-based environmental guideline/objective or background concentration

  • Quality control - comparison
  • f quality control data to data

quality objectives

  • High quality dataset provides

reliable risk management tool

RSLS Workshop - Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada - May 2014

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SLIDE 19

Emergency Response

  • Maintenance of Emergency Response Plans in case of:
  • Poor effluent quality
  • High rates of seepage
  • Tailings solids/liquid releases
  • Significant event – ie earthquake
  • Emergency response plans elements include:
  • Potential failure scenarios and mitigation measures
  • Equipment/personnel requirements
  • Planning/implementation responsibilities
  • Communication plan (internal, regulatory, community, general

public/media)

  • Reporting requirements
  • Staff trained in emergency response

19

RSLS Workshop - Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada - May 2014

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SLIDE 20

Public Communication

  • Semi-annual presentations to Elliot

Lake City Council (Offer also to SRFN)

  • Annual newsletter
  • Public bus tours of Closed Mines

around the Canada Day weekend to coincide with the Uranium Heritage Festival weekend

  • Special request tours of closed

mines

  • Elliot Lake Waterfront Owners

Association

  • Ontario Nature
  • Sault College

20

  • Web site and Library with annual reports.
  • Regular meetings with City Staff – Waterfront Development

RSLS Workshop - Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada - May 2014

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SLIDE 21

Health & Safety

Comprehensive Worker Health and Safety Program

  • Worker Orientations
  • Safety Meetings
  • Workplace Inspections
  • Job Observations
  • Incident Accident Reporting
  • Hazard Protection:
  • Radiation
  • Working Alone
  • Confined Space
  • Lock-Out Tag-Out
  • Excavation
  • Hot Work
  • Burning
  • Hazardous Materials

21 Couple of health and safety pics?

RSLS Workshop - Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada - May 2014

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SLIDE 22

Permitting

Licences and Permits

Federal

  • Uranium Mine Decommissioning Licences (UMDL’s) issued

by CNSC – one each for Denison and Stanrock

  • Update of licences from UMDL to Waste Facility Operating

Licence (WFOL) and accompanying Licence conditions handbook (LCH). Provincial

  • Certificates of Approval (CofA/ECA) – Operation of Effluent

Treatment Plants Municipal

  • Building Permits

Internal (Client or Denison requirements)

  • Safety permits – Lock out/Tag out; Working at heights.

22

RSLS Workshop - Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada - May 2014

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SLIDE 23

Costs

Capital Costs

  • Capital cost to decommission Denison, Stanrock and

Can Met sites - $50 million (1992 – 1998)

  • Demolition
  • Tailings relocation
  • Dam construction
  • Site landscaping
  • Capping of mine openings
  • Administration
  • Regulatory (EA hearings)
  • Ongoing treatment costs during decommissioning

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RSLS Workshop - Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada - May 2014

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SLIDE 24

Costs

Operating Costs

  • Annual care and maintenance cost – variable. Includes:
  • Labour
  • Fuel and Utilities (gasoline, propane, electricity)
  • Reagents and Chemicals (Lime, Barium Chloride, Caustic

Soda, Soda Ash)

  • Operating and maintenance supplies
  • Analytical fees
  • Professional Services
  • Regulatory fees (CNSC)
  • Capital (non-routine)
  • Total annual cost - $750,000

24

RSLS Workshop - Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada - May 2014

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SLIDE 25

Questions?

25

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SLIDE 26

Questions?

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SLIDE 27

Questions?

27