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Remediation Case Study of Uranium Ore Residues Settling Basin

Abstract

Residues from the uranium processing factory were released into the basin “IAA Pond 4” (Freital, Germany) from January 1958 to December 1960. In 2006, the Authority of Water Management declared the Pond 4 as a contaminated site to be remediated. For the IAA Pond 4 in Freital the remediation concept consisted of an impermeable capping to isolate the residues and to reduce the exposure of nuclear radiation. However, the construction of a cover system on top of a weak and heterogeneous tailings can be a challenge and the use of geosynthetics in such systems provides the most economic and feasible solution. In fact, the use of geosynthetic elements reinforced the weak subgrade allowing the cover system to be built on top of it. In this paper, the remediation work for Pond 4 in Freital from its initial concept to the design and execution is fully described and can be used as reference for alternative solutions in similar projects.

Conclusion

“Pond 4” is a tailings pond in Freital built in 1957 as a settling basin for residues of the uranium ore treatment of the Wismut company. In 2015 the remediation work, consisting of an impermeable cover system to close the impoundment and for subsequent landscaping started. The construction of the cover system on top of the weak and heterogeneous tailings of Pond 4 has been made possible by the use of geosynthetics that provided the most economic and feasible solution. The selected geosynthetics separated and reinforced the weak subgrade creating a safety and workable surface for the installation of the cover system. The conceptual design, the selection of the materials and the installation phases are fully described and can be used as reference for alternative solutions in similar projects.