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Old Rifle Title I Processing Site, Rifle, Colorado What Are They Doing on My Site?

Explore the history, regulations, and recent developments at the Old Rifle, Colorado mill site, focusing on groundwater contamination, regulatory milestones, and strategies for uranium removal. Stay informed on the site's complexity and the latest science-backed approaches.

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Old Rifle Title I Processing Site, Rifle, Colorado What Are They Doing on My Site?

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  1. Old Rifle Title I Processing Site, Rifle, ColoradoWhat Are They Doing on My Site? Richard Bush, Rifle Site ManagerNovember 16, 2010

  2. U.S. Vanadium Company Mill—1924

  3. Union Carbide Mill—circa 1957

  4. Old Rifle Site—1967 After Umetco Cleanup

  5. Old Rifle Site—1999Post-UMTRA Cleanup

  6. Old Rifle Mill Site—Today

  7. Site Conceptual Model • Groundwater contamination from raffinate ponds and tailings • Surface cleanup standard Ra-226; metals left • Inflow of water from the north via seeps and drainage ditch contributes groundwater to site • Colorado River contributes to flushing

  8. Site Conceptual Model Diagram

  9. Regulatory History • 1996: Surface cleanup completed • 1998: Licensed • 1999: Final Site Observational Work Plan for the UMTRA Project Old Rifle Site • 2002: Ground Water Compliance Action Plan for the Old Rifle, Colorado, UMTRA Project Site meets Nuclear Regulatory Commission approval • Compliance • Natural flushing for uranium, maximum contaminant level (MCL) 0.044 mg/L • Alternate concentration limits for vanadium and selenium, higher than MCL based on background

  10. Office of Science Investigations • Two basic questions posed • Can we immobilize uranium in the groundwater? • How long will it last after amendments cease? • Can we better predict uranium removal? • Natural flushing relies on modeling • Approach – to support compliance strategy • Enhance microbial reduction of soluble uranium(VI) to precipitated or sorbed uranium(IV) • Improved reactive transport simulations to predict removal of uranium from groundwater

  11. Recent Developments, Plume Map

  12. Recent Developments, T/C Plots

  13. Groundwater Surface Map—Spring 2007

  14. Conclusions • Site not flushing as predicted • Site more complex than expected • Additional characterization/new modeling effort? • Revisit compliance strategy in light of low risk • U.S. Department of Science adding insights to uranium sequestration, cycling • Integrated Field-Research Challenge provides an outdoor lab • Leveraged funding for science and technology • Future to expand to floodplain-wide analysis?

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