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URANIUM MINING REMEDIATION IN ROMANIA
Lorena Pop
National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control - Romania Safeguards, Physical Protection and Radioactive Mining Compartment
Technical Meeting of the Uranium Mining Remediation Exchange Group
26 – 30 August 2013, Dolni Rozinka, Czech Republic
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Uranium Production Cycle in Romania
Main Activities and Facilities
Uranium mining (Crucea – Botusana Mine)
Decommissioning of uranium mines (Ciudanovita, Lisava, Natra in Banat area; Baita open pit, Avram Iancu, Baita Plai in Bihor area);
Uranium ore milling (Uranium Ore Processing Feldioara Plant) (Brasov area);
Uranium ore processing and UO2 sinterizable powder fabrication (Uranium Ore Processing Feldioara Plant)
Fabrication of CANDU nuclear fuel (Nuclear Fuel Fabrication Pitesti Plant)
Production of heavy water (Heavy Water ROMAG Plant)
Production of electricity using power CANDU reactors (NPP Cernavoda, Unit 1 and Unit 2)
Dry intermediate depositing of spent nuclear fuel (Spent Fuel Intermediate Repository)
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Other Main Nuclear
Facilities
VVRs Research Reactor - located in Magurele (in decommissioning stage)
TRIGA Research Reactor – located in Mioveni (in operation)
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Uranium mines group Banat area - Dobrei, Natra and Ciudanovita
(decommissioning)
Open pit Baita Plai (conserv ation)
Av ram Iancu mine (decommissioning)
Crucea-Botusana mine
(operating)
Feldioara Uranium Ore
Processing Plant
Pitesti Nuclear Fuel
Plant ROMAG Heav y Water
Plant
NPP Cernav oda
Map with the main Uranim
Sites in Romania
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Hierarchy of Nuclear Legal Basis on Decommissioning of Uranium
Contaminated Facilities (1)
Law
Regulations
Guidelines
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Hierarchy of Nuclear Legal Basis on Decommissioning of Uranium
Contaminated Facilities (2)
Law no. 111/1996 on the safe deployment, regulation,
authorization and control of nuclear activities, republished
Radiation Protection Fundamental Norms
Radiological Safety Norms for
Occupational Radiation Protection in Uranium and
Thorium Mining and Milling
Radiological Safety
Norms on the Management of the
Uranium and Thorium Mining and Milling
Radioactive Waste
Radiological Safety Norms on the
Conservation and Decommissioning of the Uranium
and/or Thorium Mining and Milling Facilities
Radiological Safety Norms – Authorization
Procedures of the Uranium and Thorium Mining and Milling
Guidelines on the recommended parameters
for the Estimation of the effective doses
on all ways of exposure
Guidelines on the Criteria of release
from authorization regime of CNCAN in order to use for other
purposes of the buildings, materials, facilities, dumps and areas
contaminated following the activities of mining and milling of
uranium and/or thorium ores
Guidelines on the technical requirements
for design, sitting, construction , operation, closing and decommissioning
of storage of uranium ore facilities and decommissioning of the uranium and
thorium milling waste disposal areas
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Law 111/1996, on the safe deployment, regulation, authorization and control of nuclear activities, republished in 2006, states:
Chapter I, General Provisions, art. 2 b)
The provisions of the present law shall apply to the following activities and sources:
design, possession, sitting, construction-assembly, commissioning operation, conservation and decommissioning of the mining and milling facilities for uranium and thorium ores and of the waste management facilities of the waste resulted from the mining and milling thorium ores.
Chapter II, Authorization conditions, art. 8 paragraph (1)
The activities and sources stipulated under Article 2 require an authorization issued by the Commission in compliance with the authorization procedure typical of each kind of activity or source, and with the provisions of Art. 5
Hierarchy of Nuclear Legal Basis on
Decommissioning of Uranium Contaminated
Facilities - Provisions on decommissioning in
ROMANIAN NUCLEAR LAW
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Based on the Art. 5 (1) provisions of Law 111/1996 on the safe deployment, regulation, authorization and control of nuclear activities, republished in 2006, the National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control issued a group of Radiological Safety Norms for Uranium and Thorium mining and milling, as it follows:
1.Radiological Safety Norms on Occupational Radiation Protection in Uranium and Thorium Mining and Milling
2.Radiation Safety Norms on the Management of the Radioactive Waste Resulted from Uranium and Thorium Mining and Milling
3.Radiological Safety Norms on Decommissioning of Uranium and Thorium Mining and Milling Facilities
4.Radiological Safety Norms – Authorization Procedures for Uranium and Thorium Mining and Milling
Hierarchy of Nuclear Legal Basis on Decommissioning of Uranium Contaminated
Facilities - Regulations
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Hierarchy of Nuclear Legal Basis Decommissioning of Uranium Contaminated
Facilities - Guidelines (1)
1. Guidelines on the recommended parameters for the estimation of
the effective doses on all ways of exposure
2. Guidelines on criteria for release from CNCAN authorization regime for use in other purposes of buildings, materials, facilities, dumps and lands contaminated by mining and milling of uranium and thorium ores
3. Guidelines on technical requirements for design, sitting, construction, operation, closing and decommissioning of storage of uranium ore facilities and decommissioning of the uranium and thorium milling waste disposal areas
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Hierarchy of Nuclear Legal Basis Decommissioning of Uranium Contaminated Facilities - Guidelines in elaborated drafts
1. Guide to drawing-up a Radiological Assessment Report for Uranium
Tailings Ponds
2. Guide on measurement of alpha activity surface contamination on scrap using beta measurements devices
3. Guide on methodology for inspection and assessment of long term stability of closed tailing ponds and dumps
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LEGAL RESPONSABILITY
The Uranium National Company S.A. was set up by the Government΄s Decision No. 785/1997, modified by Government΄s Decision No. 729/2004 and is responsible for administrating the uranium mineral resources existing in Romania, related to uranium mining exploitation, uranium ore processing and uranium concentrates conversion to UO2 sintered powder .
By the same Government΄s Decision No. 729/2004 the geological activities for
uranium are transferred to a new company named “Radioactiv Mineral Magurele S.A.”
Annex no. 3 at Government΄s Decision No. 729/2004 contains the list of all sites where the Uranium National Company carried out geological research for uranium
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ASSURANCE OF REMEDIATION
FUNDS (1)
By the Government΄s Decision 158/2004 was set up a new trading company named “CONVERSMIN S.A.” which has as main activity object:
a) the conservation of mines from shut-down until starting subscription
of the closing contract;
b) closing of underground mines and ecological remediation;
c) operating, maintenance and remediation of the facilities resulted by the break-up of closing activity, in order to preserve the designed environmental parameters;
d) Post-closure monitoring of closed mining facilities.
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ASSURANCE OF REMEDIATION
FUNDS (2)
According to Art. 3, paragraph (1) of Government΄s Decision No.
1158/2004:
Financial funds of the trading company “CONVERSMIN S.A.” are constituted by:
1. The amounts allocated from state budget by the budget of Economy and Finances Ministry to carry out the works included in National Annual Program for conservation, closing, ecological reconstruction and post-closing surveillance of mining objectives (including uranium mines).
2. Own capital realized by contracting and executing works financed by the programs and financial projects based on the agreements between Romania and international institutions.
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ASSURANCE OF REMEDIATION
FUNDS (4)
Government΄s Decisions for the conservation and definitive closing of uranium production legacy sites:
Government΄s Decisions No. 816/1998 Government΄s Decisions No. 17/1999 (Ciudanovita mine) Government΄s Decisions No. 720/1999 (Mines: Ranusa, Lisava and Avram Iancu) Government΄s Decisions No. 493/2000 (Mines: Bicazu Ardelean, Glogova, Valea Vacii - Valea Leucii, Puzdra-Lesu, Ilisova) Government΄s Decisions No. 602/2001 (Hojda-Magura mine) Government΄s Decisions No. 898/2002 (Mines: Barzava, Valea Galbena- Arieseni, Mehadia) Government΄s Decisions No. 1846/2004 (Mines: Milova, Repedea-Poienile) Government΄s Decisions No. 1008/2006 (Mines: Crucea Nord – Botusana, Primatar I-II) Government΄s Decisions No. 644/2007 (Mines: Baita Plai Partial, Dobrei Est and Rapsag; Tailing pound Cetatuia Feldioara – Compartment 1) Government΄s Decisions No. 997/2010 (Mines: Crucea–Botusana Partially, Avram Iancu Supplementary, Baita Plai, Ciudanovita- Supplementary, Lisava – Supplementary; Plant R2, E2 Feldioara )
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Closing (decommissioning) and remediation of uranium mines Ciudanovita, Lisava and Natra localized in Banat area – in progress;
Closing (decommissioning) and remediation of uranium mines Avram Iancu and
Ranusa localized in Bihor area – in progress;
Closing (decommissioning) and remediation of uranium mine Baita Plai and of open
pit Baita Plai, both localized in Bihor area (Uranium National Company and
CONVERSMIN are preparing technical closing documentation in order to obtain
CNCAN decommissioning authorization)
Closing (decommissioning) and remediation of geological research mines for uranium
Barzava and Repedea - Poienile (CNCAN issued the necessary authorizations);
REMEDIATION OF URANIUM PRODUCTION
LEGACY SITES - PRIORITIES IN ROMANIA
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Decommissioning of uranium mines where the operation was terminated. Environmental restoration and monitoring of environmental factors.
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• Each decommissioning licence issued by CNCAN includes the actual closure
and environmental restoration works, depending on the mining facility and site
characteristics.
• CNCAN reviewed the implementation manner and the progress of
decommissioning works as provided for in the licences for the exploitation
mines Avram Iancu, Lisava (Dobrei and Natra mining sectors), Ciudanovita and
the uranium ores geological research mines at Repedea Poienile de sub Munte
and Barzava.
• According to the approved decommissioning documentation and to the
estimation of construction works, the following closing and decommissioning
works were executed at Lisava and Ciudanovita mines:
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closing of underground mines (galleries and shafts);
backfilling of the vertical shaft;
embankments;
consolidation of underground mining works for water circulation;
dismantling of surface facilities;
devising of access ways;
designing and rehabilitation works at several waste dumps.
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Decommissioning and remediation progress at Ciudanovita uranium
mine – Banat area (1)
Decommissioning of uranium ore Ciudanovita transport bunker
2010 Present
2004 2007 2009
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Decommissioning progress at Ciudanovita uranium mine – Banat
area (2)
Decommissioning of Shaft 1 Ciudanovita
2010
2007 2009
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Decommissioning and remediation progress at Ciudanovita uranium
mine – Banat area (3)
Remediation of sterile dumps
2011
2007 2009