uranium mining remediation in romania - … · closing surveillance of mining objectives (including...

NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR NUCLEAR ACTIVITIES CONTROL

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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


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


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.



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.



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 )


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


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:

NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR NUCLEAR ACTIVITIES CONTROL CONTINUED

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


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BIHOR MINES (1)

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NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR NUCLEAR ACTIVITIES CONTROL BIHOR MINES (2)

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!

THANK YOU!

uranium mining remediation in romania - … · closing surveillance of mining objectives (including...

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