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<br />uranium Mill Tailings <br /> <br />The tailings pile from the abandoned uranium mill adjacent <br />to the Animas River is also upstream of the Durango Pumping <br />Plant. As part of the project, the effect of these tailings, <br />including any runoff or seepage from the tailings, on <br />the quality of the river waters should be thoroughly <br />investigated. Alternatives to the Durango pumping plant <br />and/or a different sites for the pumping plant should be <br />explored. <br /> <br />The USBR has given at least brief consideration to the <br />ramifications of these hazardous problems: <br /> <br />"The present pumping plant and settling basin site is <br />located on a bench west of an existing county road and <br />the location of the new Colorado State Highway 160-550 <br />route. The bench was used as a disposal area for waste <br />solutions from a vanadium-uranium mill and contains <br />radioactive materials. The present owner of the tract, <br />Ranchers' Exploration and Development Corporation, was <br />planning to remove this material and two large piles - <br />located upstream to another location for processing <br />ofr.coverable materials; however, the corporation <br />has withdrawn its license application and has no plans <br />to move the materials. If the material and the <br />accompanying hazards would not be removed by the <br />beginning of construction, an alternative location <br />would probably be used. Different alternatives are <br />being investigated to determine the best solution to <br />the problem." <br /> <br />;~ I <br />,~. <br /> <br />, <br />;. I, <br /> <br />1_,. <br /> <br />Radium is the most hazardous radioactive element <br />contained in uranium mill wastes. Its maximum permissible <br />concentration in drinking water is exceedingly amall, and <br />its ingestion in water or in contaminated food or milk is <br />regarded as extremely dangerous. Hence, uranium mill waste <br />discharges to a stream may seriously interfere with auch <br />water uses as domestic supply, crop irrigation, and stock <br />watering. <br /> <br />The uranium mill at Durango has been in continuous operation <br />since 1948. In 1950 at the request of the interested states <br />samples of water were collected from river locations above <br />and below the mill. Dissolved radiUm amounted to 0.2 and 4.5 <br />c/l respectively. The flow in the river was 220 c.f.s. at <br />the time of sampling. <br /> <br />In 1955 a second brief survey was performed at Durango. <br />Samples of water, mud, alqae, and aquatic insecta were <br />collected from the river above and below the mill, as well <br /> <br />:!~ <br /> <br />',i-' <br />" <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />29 <br />