IAEA Uranium Production Legacy Site Support Uranium Mining

IAEA Uranium Production Legacy Site Support Uranium Mining and Remediation Exchange Group (UMREG) 7 -8 November 2012 Russel Edge Decommissioning and Remediation Unit Division of Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety Vienna, Austria IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency

Overview of the TC Projects • Since 2005, 8 TC projects on uranium production legacy sites including 3 regional and 5 national (Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan) • The overall objective of the projects has been to develop national capacity to the point such that the participating Member States can implement a risk-based remediation process consistent with international standards and good practices. IAEA 2

Tasks of the TC Projects To achieve these objective the projects were designed to address the following topical areas: • Enhanced regulatory framework • Enhanced monitoring programs • Enhanced analytical capabilities (including QA/QC) • Appropriate risk assessment methodology • Use of Institutional Controls and appropriate stewardship measures • Risk communication/ Public Information IAEA 3

Technical Cooperation Projects on Uranium Legacy Sites Regional Project Number RER/9/122 (2012 -2015) Approved Budget Project Title Supporting Safe Management of Uranium Production Legacy Sites Target countries: BUL, HUN, KAZ, KIG, RUS, SLR, SRB, TAD, UKR, UZB + SLO, POL (12) RER/3/010 (2009 -2011) Supporting Preparation for Remediation of Uranium Production Legacy Sites € 583, 500 € 900, 901 Target countries: KAZ, KIG, RUS, TAD, UKR, UZB + CZR, SLO (8) RER/9/086 (2005 -2008) Safe management of Residues from Former Mining and Milling Activities in Central Asia Target countries: KAZ, KIG, TAD, UZB (4) $1, 013, 641 (€ 796, 722 @0. 786/Nov’ 04) Total Budget, € € 2, 281, 123 IAEA 4

Technical Cooperation Projects on Uranium Legacy Sites National Project Title Approved Budget KIG/9/003 (2005 -2007) Establishment of a Radioecological Monitoring and Assessment Network $265, 292 KIG/9/004 (2007 -2008) Assessment of the Radiation Situation and Public Exposure at the Former Uranium Mining Sites of Minkush $139, 986 KIG/7/002 (2009 -2012) Enhancing Radio-ecological Monitoring TAD/9/002 (2005 -2006) Application of International Safety Standards on the Management of Uranium Milling Residues $258, 850 TAD/9/003 (2007 -2009) Establishment of the Radiation Monitoring System Around Open Radioactive Wastes of Northern Tajikistan $162, 711 Project Number $560, 000 (+$80. 230 CZR) Total Budget, $ (€) IAEA $1, 386, 839 (€ 1, 116, 405) 5

Equipment and services • • • • Dosimeters Radiometers Gamma spectrometers Alpha beta spectrometer and radiation monitors X-ray spectrometer Atomic absorption spectrometer Scintillation beta/gamma spectrometer Liquid scintillation counter Risk modelling software Radon sampling, measuring and monitoring equipment Water, soil, air sampling equipment, pumps, other field equipment Various lab hardware (balances, mortars, glassware, ph meters, etc) Drilling observation wells and analysis of environmental samples IAEA 6

Safety Assessment Methodology & Application Six uranium production legacy site characterization studies have been initiated and draft Safety Assessment reports were prepared: TAD (Taboshar, Degmai, Adrasman) UZB (Charkesar, Yangiabad, Angren) KIG (Mailuu -Suu) KAZ ( Koshkar Ata) IAEA 7

Exposure Pathways Evaluated in Safety Assessment • External exposure caused by soil contamination for • • reference persons inside and outside buildings; Exposure through contaminated aerosols inside and outside buildings; Radiation exposure from locally grown foodstuff; Exposure through the direct ingestion of soil and water; Determination of activity concentration in foodstuff; and Exposure from the inhalation of Rn-222 and its short lived progeny Dose calculations were only performed for the radionuclides: 238 U, 234 U, 230 Th, 226 Ra, 210 Po, 210 Pb and 228 Th This may lead to slight underestimation of the doses IAEA 8

Selected Results of Safety Assessments • Taboshar, Tajikistan • external and inhalation : 1 -7 m. Sv/y • Water consumption : 1 -2 m. Sv/y • Degmai, Tajikistan • All sources (primarily external): 1 -8 m. Sv/y • Yangiabad, Uzbekistan • Primarily radon : 2 -15 m. Sv/y • Pridneprovsky Chemical Plant, Ukraine • Primarily External and radon: 1 -35 m. Sv/y IAEA 9

QA/QC Analytical Procedures Reference material (RM) and QA/QC Guides • The following RM were prepared: • Soils with typical mixed uranium decay series materials • Soils with Ra-226 with typical concentrations expected at former uranium mine and mill sites • Water samples (3 levels of spiked radionuclides, containing U, Ra, Po, Pb) • RM were prepared in 2009, Ready to be dispatched 2010, • In fact received by the counterpart laboratories in 2011 -2012 (pending Kyrgyzstan) IAEA 10

Participating Laboratories – up to 15 Kazakhstan JSC "Volkovgeologia" Radioecological Analytical Laboratory/Al-Farabi University Stepnogorsk Ore Mining and Chemical Combine Kyrgyzstan Chui Ecological Laboratory Institute of Biology and Soil Science of the Nat. Acad. of Sciences Department of State Sanitary Epidemiological Control Russia State Enterprise Research & Production Association "Typhoon" Ros. RAO or All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Radiology and Agroecology (To be confirmed) JSC Hydrometallurgical Plant ALMAZ (Withdrawn) Tajikistan State Enterprise "Vostokredmet“ Ukraine Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Institute Marzeev Institute Hygiene and Medical Ecology State Enterprise "Barrier“ Uzbekistan IAEA Institute of Nuclear Physics/Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan State Company "Geology of Uranium and Rear Earth Metals” (Withdrawn) 11

Risk Communication /Public Information • • • Assessment of existing situation and needs through the use of questionnaire and fact finding missions Project Planning Meeting (utilizing “pilot site” concept) • Identify key stakeholders • Organize working group • Discuss subsequent activities and meetings • Strategy and Expected Results • Development of Country Specific Work Plans Workshop and Training Implementation Final Assessment and Lessons Learned IAEA 12

GC Safety Resolutions • • 65. Encourages relevant Member States to participate in a multilateral initiative to remediate the uranium mining legacy sites in Central Asia, supports the Agency’s involvement in this international initiative as technical coordinator and requests the Secretariat to report on further developments; notes the conclusions of the International Conference on Remediation of Land Contaminated by Radioactive Material Residues in Kazakhstan in May 2009, and supports, as recommended by the conference, the development of an international working forum for the regulatory supervision of legacy sites; [GC(53)/RES/10, 18 September 2009] 54. Notes the successful completion of the baseline document that identifies the need and priorities for environmental impact assessments at legacy uranium production sites in Central Asia, encourages interested Member States to participate in a multilateral initiative to remediate those sites, supports the Agency’s involvement in this international initiative as technical coordinator, encourages Member States to participate in the technical meeting to launch an international working forum for the regulatory supervision of legacy contaminated sites in October 2010, and requests the Secretariat to report on further developments; [GC(54)/RES/7, September 2010] 55. “Notes the baseline document that identifies the need and priorities for environmental impact assessments at legacy uranium production sites in Central Asia, encourages interested Member States to participate in a multilateral initiative to remediate those sites, supports the Agency’s involvement in this international initiative as technical coordinator, and encourages Member States to participate in the international working forum for the regulatory supervision of legacy contaminated sites that was launched in October 2010; ” [GC(55)/ RES/9, September 2011] 64. “Requests the Secretariat to provide technical coordination for multilateral initiatives to remediate legacy uranium production sites, notably in Central Asia; ” [GC(56)/ RES/9, September 2012] IAEA

Engaging External Partners • Technical Baseline Document developed in cooperation with the EC and CA countries • Provides recommendation to the Governments and International Funding Agencies regarding prioritizations and strategies for the regional solutions IAEA 14

Engaging External Partners • Worked with other international organizations combining resources to • • • provide analytical equipment and training Provided technical assistance to the World Bank through the panel of experts and joint missions Provided technical assistance to OSCE by recommending experts and provision of available data to support their efforts Provided technical expertise to the EC and participated in joint missions Participated as an observer in NRPA bi-lateral program to enhance regulatory performance. Attended UNDP awareness raising events increase the visibility of the issues of legacy sites IAEA 15

Engaging External Partners (cont. ) • One of the outcomes of the IAEA outreach so far are the Terms of Reference (To. Rs) for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Feasibility Study (FS) for selected high priority sites in need of remediation in various countries. IAEA has produced such documents for 6 sites in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Five of these were adopted by the EC for funding the EIA/FS activities (up to € 7 million worth of work including support of relevant legislative and regulatory framework) on a bilateral basis with the countries concerned. • IAEA 16

Coordination Group for Uranium Legacy Sites CGULS IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency

Need for Technical Coordination • Multiple sites with common or • • • similar problems. Multiple potential national approaches. Multiple potential facilitators. Multiple potential donors. Consistency in analysis and consistency in solutions provided. Efficient deployment of resources. Application of the Basic Safety Standards IAEA

Coordination Group for Uranium Legacy Sites (CGULS) • Proposal developed in response to IAEA Member States and international organizations to identify and prioritize activities needed to address the legacy problems and provide technical coordination IAEA

CGULS • Coordination group comprised of national and international stakeholders • Provide forum for information exchange • Support project planning and implementation issues • Address radioactive waste management issues • Coordination mechanism to avoid duplication of efforts and optimize resources • Technically supported by IAEA secretariat IAEA

Status • Regional Meeting held in June 2012 -Vienna • To. R presented and adopted by participants • IAEA to provide secretariat • Rotating chairperson from affected MS’s • Establishes coordination body • Coordination Meetings • Provides a mechanism for targeted technical support • Presented at International Conference: Uranium Mill Tailings in Central Asia: Joint Efforts in Risk Reduction. Bishkek 24 -25 October 2012 IAEA

CGULS Regional Meeting • • • Member States IAEA ENVSEC UNDP NATO OSCE BGR EC EBRD World Bank NRPA ROSATOM IAEA 22

Coordination Group for Uranium Legacy Sites IAEA

Proposal for Modalities • Revolving chairmanship of member countries • Secretariat: facilitating body, consensus-based – IAEA provides technical leadership and coordination – UN Resident Coordinator of Kyrgyzstan (also represents RCs of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) member of Secretariat (from Bishkek): One UN and stakeholder coordination function – Organize and support Working Groups • Meetings: – Secretariat meets quarterly (videolink with RC Office in Bishkek) – Membership meets annually – Specific thematic/coordination meetings involving relevant members in interim IAEA

Knowledge Management • Platform: service provided by Secretariat • Unified or linked network of platforms • Confidential data accessible only to CGULS • Mapping/inventory of initiatives and capacities IAEA

International Forum for the Regulatory Supervision of Legacy Sites (RSLS) IAEA

Objective of RSLS • The overall objective of the RSLS is to promote effective and efficient regulatory supervision for the management of legacy sites, consistent with the IAEA Fundamental Principles, Safety Standards and good international practices. IAEA

Scope of Work and Associated Activities • The scope of RSLS activities includes all types of nuclear legacy sites • Support development of regulations and guidance through technical exchange on topics such as: • Licensing • Monitoring • Environmental Impact Assessment • inspection and compliance monitoring, and • Long term surveillance and maintenance IAEA

Activities to Deliver RSLS Objectives • Professional • • Development of Regulatory Staff Support Development of International Guidance Technical exchange Scientific visits Technical Meetings IAEA

Topical Areas for RSLS • Operational radiological protection for workers; • Radiation protection of the public and the environmental • • protection; Environmental and source monitoring; Control of effluents discharge; Emergency preparedness and response; Radioactive waste management ; Clearance of radioactive materials from regulatory control; Criteria for site release and termination of activities; and Long term surveillance and monitoring IAEA

Participation • RSLS participants are: • Members: appointed from Authorities responsible for regulation , and/or supervision of radiation and environmental safety at legacy sites; and • Other stakeholders in legacy site management, such as international organisations, site operators, technical support organisations. • Each regulatory authority may nominate a principle member who will serve as the point of contact for RSLS coordination purposes. • Other stakeholders may nominate observers and points of contact. IAEA

Funding • IAEA has limited regular budget funds to support the annual TM and will seek extra budgetary funding sources for additional activities (including in-kind support). • Participating organisations are responsible for obtaining their own support for all RSLS activities • RSLS activities may be supported through IAEA’s Technical Cooperation Program. IAEA

Organization • RSLS convenes an annual Technical Meeting. The first was held in October 2010. Most recently October 8 -12, 2012 • A Steering Committee has been established on a volunteer basis during the first Technical Meeting. The Steering Committee is responsible for planning of the next Technical Meeting and other activities, including coordination of Task Groups, based on the outcome of Technical Meetings and executing the workplan. • The RSLS is led by a Chair-person in charge of communication and coordination matters, and who will also Chair the Steering Committee. The Chairperson was elected by the RSLS members, for an initial period of three years. The Chairperson will be assisted by a Secretariat provided by the IAEA

Activities 2012 • Scientific Visits to USA • Workshop USA • TM in Vienna October 8 -12, 2012 IAEA

Scientific Visit / International Workshop to USA (Colorado and Utah) • • IAEA/USDOE/USNRC 28 participants from 20 IAEA Member States August 13 -24, 2012 Site Visits • White Mesa Uranium Mill • Moab Uranium Mill Tailings Remediation Project • Several remediated sites with long term surveillance and monitoring programs Four Day Workshop in Grand Junction Colorado IAEA 35

White Mesa Uranium Mill • Energy Fuels Corp • Only operating • . conventional uranium mill in the US • Acid leaching and solvent extraction • Uranium and vanadium • Approx. 430, 000 lbs of U 3 O 8 and 500, 000 lbs of V 2 O 5 IAEA 36

Moab Remedial Action Project IAEA 37

Process Cycle IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency 38

Moab UMTRA Project IAEA 39

New Rifle, Co. Processing Site (Before) IAEA

New Rifle, Co. Processing Site (After) IAEA

Rifle Mill Tailings Disposal Site IAEA 42

RSLS Group IAEA 43

Conclusions § Future activities of IAEA projects will focus on: § Comprehensive Safety Assessment of the former uranium facilities and Assistance in Prioritization of the Remediation Planning (TC) § Enhancing regulatory frame work and establishing adequate exemption criteria and licensing for remediation , (RSLS) § Templates for Environmental Impact Assessments, Remedial Action Plans, and Long Term Surveillance and Monitoring Plans (TC) § Development of effective site specific monitoring programs and QA/QC practice, (TC) § Enhancing Institutional control & improving risk communication (TC) § Supporting Coordination of ULS activities (proposed CGULS) § Technical support IAEA 44

Thank-You for Your Attention ! IAEA 45