The IAEA published this guide in 2002 and represents the views of that time.
1.1 The radioactive waste generated in mining and milling activities, especially those involving uranium and thorium (U, Th) ores, differs from that generated at nuclear power plants and most other industrial operations and medical facilities. Waste from mining and milling activities contains only low concentrations of radioactive material but it is generated in large volumes in comparison with waste from other facilities. The management methods to be employed are therefore different and will usually involve waste disposition on or near the surface, in the vicinity of the mine and/or mill sites. Furthermore, the waste will contain long lived radionuclides, and this has important implications for its management because of the long time periods for which control will be necessary.
1.2. Radioactive waste arises from all stages of mining and milling processes and includes, in addition to mill tailings, waste rock1, mineralized waste rock2 and process water, including leaching solutions. Rainfall and snowmelt runoff and seepage from stockpiles and areas of uranium process plants should also be managed.
1.3. The hazards to humans or to the environment posed by mining and milling waste arise not only from its radioactivity but also from the presence of toxic chemicals and other materials in the waste. Achieving a consistent regulatory approach to protect against these different hazards is a challenge for national regulators. This publication is focused on the management of the radiological hazards associated with the waste, but where there is a particular need for regulators to take account of the non-radiological hazards, this is also indicated.
1.4. This publication supersedes Safe Management of Wastes from the Mining and Milling of Uranium and Thorium Ores, Safety Series No. 85, issued in 1987.
1.5. The objective of this Safety Guide is to provide recommendations and guidance on the safe management of radioactive waste that results from the mining and milling
of ores. The recommendations of this Safety Guide apply primarily to new facilities. Existing facilities may not necessarily be in compliance with all of these recommendations. However, in accordance with national policies, appropriate steps may be taken to review the safety of existing facilities and, where reasonably practicable, to upgrade their safety in line with the relevant recommendations set out in this Safety Guide.
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