PROJECT IAEA 2009 – 2011 BRA3013

Providing Practical Guidance for the Implementation of a Decommissioning and Remediation Plan for the Minas Gerais Uranium Mining and Milling Production Centre Objective: To provide the Member State with a strategy to deal with the decommissioning and environmental remediation of the uranium production centre of Pocos de Caldas by means of the integration and coordination of the ongoing efforts of different institutions. Team: LAPOC, CDTN, IRD, INB, other partners such as CENA/ESALQ/FZEA (USP), USP São Paulo, Unicamp, UFSCAR, COPPE/UFRJ, IAC (Campinas), PUC-Minas; Stakeholders such as DRS/CNEN, IBAMA, society, etc Person in charge: Alexandre Oliveira (LAPOC/CNEN) BRA3013

GENERAL BACKGROUND The Uranium Production Centre of Pocos de Caldas is the 1 st Brazilian facility of this type to be decommissioned. A population of about 500,000 people live in the area of influence of the instalation The decommissioning of the facilities and environmental remediation of the site is a challenge for Brazil especially in the moment of the revival of nuclear energy worldwide.

Solutions to be found to remediate these sources of contamination TAILINGS DAM WASTE-ROCK PILE OPEN PIT

PROJECT STRATEGIES AND OUTCOMES Exchange of experience and improvement of the understanding of key elements in the environmental remediation of the site Involvement of relevant stakeholders Consolidation of the existing data and experience Capacity building Elaboration of an appropriate framework to deal with the ER of the site and future ones

1. KNOWLEDGE CONSOLIDATION Objective: Compilation and sharing of existing knowledge and determination of existing gaps in terms of necessary parameters and models to be used Input: High-resolution satelite images; software acquisition Team: LAPOC, CDTN, IRD and INB Person/team in charge: Marcos Oliveira (INB), Nivaldo (LAPOC), Mariza (IRD), Otávio (CDTN) Period: from 2nd trimester 2009 to 4th trimester 2010 Output: a)Creation of a website for the project (LAPOC). b)Database in the website with relevant documents available. c)Documentation of identified gaps. d)Database in GIS evironment.

2. WORKSHOP FOR PROJECT OPENING Objective: Present to all involved actors the overall idea of a remediation process, with opportunity for everyone to show their oppinions and expectations Input: 1 week workshop with 1 expert mission in mine remediation Team: All people involved Person/team in charge: LAPOC Period: July 2009 Budget: Expert costs by IAEA and infra-structure costs by INB Location: Poços de Caldas; with a visit to INB’s mining site Output: Compilation of oppinions and impressions

3. TRAINING ON MANAGEMENT OF REMEDIATION PROJECTS Objective: To train members of the project team (including operator, regulator, researchers, and representatives of the society) on elements of environmental remediation project management Input: 1 week expert mission (Dr. Vincent Adams from USDOE was suggested) Team: LAPOC, CDTN, IRD, INB, other partners (USP, Unicamp, etc), IBAMA and DRS Person/team in charge: LAPOC Period: September/October 2009 Budget: Expert costs by IAEA and infra-structure costs to be discussed Location: Poços de Caldas Output: Document with guidelines on how to deal with the management of remediation projects

Objective: To prepare a core team in the assessment of proposed solutions for remediation, also aiming at efluent treatment and economical aspects Input: 1 week expert mission and 4 fellowships (one month each) Team: All people involved Person/team in charge: LAPOC Period: Expert mission on 1st trimester 2010; and fellowships over 2010 Budget: Expert costs and fellowships by IAEA Output: Travel reports 4. TRAINING ON REMEDIATION SOLUTIONS (best practices)

Objective: To prepare the project team in the selection of appropriate models to each situation, on how to obtain the necessary parameters to feed the models, and on how to design covers to be applied as remediation strategies Input: 1 fellowship (one month), 2 expert missions and software aquisition Team: Alexandre, Daniela and José Flávio from LAPOC, Mariza (IRD), Otávio, Stela and Carlos Alberto from CDTN, and Delcy from INB Person/team in charge: LAPOC Period: 3rd trimester 2010 Output: Technical capacitation of the involved team 5. MODELING OF REACTIVE TRANSPORT AND COVER DESIGN

6. OXYGEN DIFFUSION ASSESSMENT ON WRP-4 Objective: By means of in-situ oxygen measurements, evaluate the oxidation profile of the pyritic material within the dump and best assess the proposed remediation options Input: expert mission IAEA and 2 fellowships (1 month each) Team: Ana Cláudia (CDTN), José Flávio and Heliana (LAPOC), Mariza (IRD) and Valter Mortágua (INB) Person/team in charge: CDTN Period: 2010 Budget: infra-structure by INB for drilling the holes, IRD equipment to measure oxygen concentrations, and an expert mission sponsored by other project Output: a comprehensive understanding of pyrite oxidation mechanisms and distribution inside de waste rock pile, consolidated into a technical report

7. PERIODIC DISCUSSIONS ON THE ELEMENTS RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND DECOMMISSIONIG WITH DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS Objective: To involve different actors and stakeholders throughout the process Input: 1 expert mission (one week) Team: All people involved Person/team in charge: INB (Alessandra) Period: Output: Comprehensive understanding of related projects

8. SOCIAL COMMUNICATION Objective: To develop and implement methodologies and practices for social communication Input: training course Team: INB e IRD Person/team in charge: INB (Alessandra, Edenil e Marcos) Period: Output: A document addressing how to communicate with the public in a clear and understandable way in environmental remediation projects

9. WORKSHOP FOR THE PROJECT CLOSURE Objective: To discuss with all the interested parts the activities developed, the budget used, the obstacles found, and future challenges Input: 1 week workshop Team: LAPOC, CDTN, IRD, INB,IAEA, other partners (USP, Unicamp, etc) and stakeholders (such as DRS, IBAMA, society, etc) Person/team in charge: LAPOC Period: 4th trimester 2011 Budget: Infra-structure costs to be discussed Location: Poços de Caldas Output: Final report

IMPORTANT NEED To include the relevant regulatory authorities in the project team (e.g. CNEN, IBAMA, FEAM/MG) ABOUT THE BUDGET Original Budget: US$ 340, Approved Budget: US$ 150, Consolidated Budget After Coordination Meeting in Poços de Caldas: US$ 200,000.00

REPRESENTANTES DAS INSTITUIÇÕES LAPOC – Alexandre (Coordenador do projeto) CDTN – Otávio IRD – Mariza INB – Marcos PRIMEIRA REUNIÃO DOS REPRESENTANTES Inicio: Maio para discussão dos itens: 1 (primeira compilação dos documentos disponíveis) e 2 (organização do workshop de abertura)