1. UMREG2012 Meeting, IAEA, Vienna, November 7, 2012
Uranium Mining and Remediation Exchange Group UMREG
“Creating Conditions Conducive to Remediation
of Uranium Production Legacy Sites
and Safeguarding an Economically and Environmentally
Balanced Uranium Production Cycle.”
UMREG2012 Organizing Committee:
Peter Woods, Russel Edge, Alex Jakubick, Don Metzler, Peter Waggitt
in cooperation with
Horst Monken-Fernandes
UMREG Balanced Resources Management

2. UMREG2012 Meeting, IAEA, Vienna, November 7, 2012
Origin of International Exchange
Activities started as a bilateral US/German Exchange Group in Albuquerque (1993) and Chemnitz (1994). The purpose was to bring together the proponents and regulators for information exchange concerning remediation of uranium production legacy sites in the USA and Germany.
The aim was to promote economically and environmentally balanced solutions and pragmatic administrative procedures based on sound scientific/engineering principles and proven technologies.
The first multilateral meeting was in Sudbury, 1995 which included Canadian and South African delegates. Subsequent meetings followed with participation of Australia and France in Berlin (1995), Vancouver (1997), Denver (1998), Schlema (2000) and Bruges (2001).
UMREG Balanced Resources Management

3. UMREG2012 Meeting, IAEA, Vienna, November 7, 2012
Origin of UMREG
The UMREG meetings in Freiberg 2002, Oxford 2003, Freiberg 2005 and Bruges additionally hosted representatives of uranium producing countries in Africa, Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
At the UMREG 2008 meeting in Freiberg an agreement has been made with the IAEA (represented by J.P. Potier and D. Louvat) re cooperation and establishment of ENVIRONET.
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4. UMREG2012 Meeting, IAEA, Vienna, November 7, 2012
at the Examination School in Oxford, September 24, 2003
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5. UMREG2012 Meeting, IAEA, Vienna, November 7, 2012
Projects that shaped UMREG…
During the uranium industry underwent a structural change resulting in a very low U spot price.
A large number of conventional uranium mines discontinued production, went bankrupt and left behind huge volumes of uranium mining and processing wastes, extensive areas of degraded land and surface and ground water resources contaminated on an unprecedented scale.
Large scale remediation programs were deployed in several countries, such as
The Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) of the US Department of Energy.
The Wismut Remediation Program of the German Federal Ministry of Economics.
Individual remediation projects in Canada (e.g. the National Uranium Tailings Program and decommissioning in Elliot Lake and elsewhere) and Australia (e.g. Rum Jungle and Mary Kathleen).
The European Commission’s Multi-Country Phare Program for uranium legacy sites remediation pilot projects in Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC).
Important lessons have been learned from the mentioned programs/projects.
…and made UMREG focus on how to optimize the UPC and prevent the generation of new legacy sites.
UMREG Balanced Resources Management

6. UMREG2012 Meeting, IAEA, Vienna, November 7, 2012
The UMREG Mission:
•Provide an international forum for exchange of experience among operators, regulators and stakeholders of uranium mining and remediation and facilitate constructive approaches among the involved parties
•Maintain a data and information system and a worldwide network of experts, and makin
their cumulative experience available to members and partner organizations.
•Advocate, educate and support technology and know how transfer.
The UMREG goals are pursued
in agreement with the international standards recommended by IAEA
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7. UMREG2012 Meeting, IAEA, Vienna, November 7, 2012
Present activities
The UMREG activities are supported within the IAEA Project “Supporting Good Practices in Uranium Production”
UMREG provides a non-commercial forum for exchange of ideas, approaches and strategies among producers, remediation companies, regulators and stakeholders.
UMREG promotes and assists in
development of remediation projects for legacy sites;
introduction of international standards and good practice;
prevention and limitation of waste generation within the Uranium Production Cycle (UPC); and,
maintenance of environmental, socio-economic and material balances within the UPC
The shared experiences in UMREG shows that project cash flow and low-impact UPC can be balanced (and synergetic) if the production and waste streams are transparently accounted for and life-cycle economics is applied.
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8. UMREG2012 Meeting, IAEA, Vienna, November 7, 2012
Assistance provided by UMREG:
Introduction of an economically and environmentally balanced approach to uranium mining, processing, waste management and remediation through optimization of the mining life cycle at each stage;
Establishment of remediation plans for the remaining legacy sites to contain the health and environmental risks they present and facilitate subsequent utilization of these sites;
Harmonization of the practice of mining, processing, waste management and remediation with the international standards and balancing the production technologies with introduction of low impact waste management technologies and their monitoring;
Management of stakeholders involvement in the process of uranium mining, processing and remediation.
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9. UMREG2012 Meeting, IAEA, Vienna, November 7, 2012
This is an example of an un-remediated legacy site.
We want to prevent the generation of such sites
and remediate the remaining legacy sites
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10. UMREG2012 Meeting, IAEA, Vienna, November 7, 2012
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11. UMREG2012 Meeting, IAEA, Vienna, November 7, 2012
Lessons learned at the legacy sites - Conclusions for the UPC
Remediation costs may exceed the mining profits if the balance of production and waste generation is not kept under control.
The costs of remediation of the environmental impact were higher for the sites, which were abandoned, i.e. personnel, infrastructure and machinery were no more available at the site.
ISL/ISR projects besides having considerably better economics and generating less waste than conventional mines has the advantage of providing the possibility of concurrent production and remediation that reduces remedial costs.
The regulatory requirement of having remedial plans and assurance of remedial funds for the new projects should be mandatory.
Prevention/minimization of the generation of legacy wastes, site impacts is the best strategy at all stages of the UPC the planning of measures along those lines should start already at the stage of design of the mine and processing plant.
A number of projects demonstrated that international seed money and partial funding of remediation can provide an effective incentive for the national governments to allocate funds (or match funding) for remediation of the legacy sites.
UMREG Balanced Resources Management

12. UMREG2012 Meeting, IAEA, Vienna, November 7, 2012
Balancing the Uranium Production Cycle (UPC) No
Uranium Production Phases
Waste, Health, Environmental and Societal Issues
Pre-Construction 1 2 3
Exploration of Resources; Proving up Reserves;
Feasibility study, Project Preparation and EIA;
Evaluation and design of mining and processing options;
Planning of operations; Licensing
Segregation and disposal of exploration wastes, radioactive (e.g. ore samples, cores) and conventional;
Minimization of health and environmental impacts, waste generation, and discharges at all stages of UPC. Estimation of the Environmental Baseline. Remediation funding
Construction and Production 4 5 6 7
Mining of Ore
Transportation
Ore Processing → “Yellow cake” (U3O8 or other forms)
Closure planning; Decommissioning and demolition
Monitoring of operations and environmental baseline;
Minimize contamination due to mine waste;
Control of health and environmental risks. Diligent tailings management. Good record keeping of output.
Segregation of radioactive/non-radioactive wastes.
Post-Production 8 9 10 11
Preparation of remedial design and planning;
Implementation of remedial works and water treatment;
Regulatory clearance
Regulatory assignment of the long term institutional control for management of the sites
For containment of wastes, clean up of ground, sediments, water, ground water and handling of discharges.
To reclaim land and water for utilization wherever possible.
In accordance with the set criteria and after-use plan.
Long term stewardship and maintenance (LTSM) of the site; Monitoring of integrity of containment and drainage. Safekeeping of data, records and remedial designs.
UMREG Balanced Resources Management