_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . File September 15,1967 James E. Hyder, Radiatlom Specialist ORIGit4At StGNLD Region IV. Dtvleton of Compliance. Denver 1,y MMES L HYDIR GEORESOURCES, INC., WILLISTON, NOR'!H DAKCTTA IJCENSE NO. SUA-698 (Dochet No. 40-6983) HEALTH AND SAFETY EVALUATIONS 'Ilie inspection of the subject licensee was performed on August 15 and 16,1%7. 'T1ee only item of noncompt 'e involves the inadequate evaluations of airborne , concentrations to which t ayees might be exposed. It is the belief of this inspector that this does not involve a serious potential hazr.rd. No other significant problems were noted. During the telephone conversation Dr. Vickers President, GeoResources, stated that he expected this to be the last year of operstlou as he was negotiating for tirl purchase of this portlos of GeoResources' operation by Union Carbide, cc: CO:HQ . i 9705190169 670915 PDR ADOCK 040***** C PDR ___ __ -
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File September 15,1967
James E. Hyder, Radiatlom Specialist ORIGit4At StGNLDRegion IV. Dtvleton of Compliance. Denver 1,y MMES L HYDIR
'Ilie inspection of the subject licensee was performed on August 15 and 16,1%7.'T1ee only item of noncompt 'e involves the inadequate evaluations of airborne,
concentrations to which t ayees might be exposed. It is the belief of thisinspector that this does not involve a serious potential hazr.rd. No other
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significant problems were noted.
During the telephone conversation Dr. Vickers President, GeoResources,stated that he expected this to be the last year of operstlou as he wasnegotiating for tirl purchase of this portlos of GeoResources' operation byUnion Carbide,
cc: CO:HQ
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9705190169 670915PDR ADOCK 040*****C PDR
___ __ -
, y 9 ~ ~~. y :,ezneg[g (-:i==^- , ,gyr typ ?cu myy ;;
Mr. Gene Christianson, North Iskuta Department of Health *
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5. *ersons nentacted;(-
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/ ;Francis Hecker Operator of GeoResources hbe 8/15/o7 iNancy Saint. Secretary Williston North Dikota C'ffice 8/16/67 '
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Dr, R. C. Vickers. President DelepMne contact 8/31/675 ffv/[7) |~ ' *
/6. Tlus re;.ispection of the activitten authorized under Source Material License No. SUA*698
revealed that emeyn hive not t<en adequate to determine the concentrations of altturne
t} g uranium-tearing lipilte ph to which employees in restricted areas have twn expcsed,' { (w- | ]) J' C)
7 August 20, September 21 and 22,1965
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9 ' The last mapection of License No. SUA-698 (Dacket No. 40 6983) was conducted on August ' '
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< m .;,. mm. y....-..4+.g*---2 and September 21 and 22.1965. As a result of thai inspection, the licensee was nottfied . g g;. K}yggg %w.~g
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by letter dated November 2,1965 and signed by Eber R. ince of the following items of l yM Jg* N in E fpA A'"z R., ' W.u TMtJ ,7.Z.T$r@$ .yQ'M
h{ CtMWi%$Q(W.&g[.nuncompiiance.
(1) Tic quantities of radiation existing in the unrestricted area about the gy;; ,g g g @N WM *;':I t*:mM fxW,' E-g M yr- w. m a . y~.v.u PPM
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uranium bearing lignite ash piles located at the railroad loadmg dock P,-
in Delfield were such that an individual continuously present in the aron W " WMi M.'
''g# ' y" :.m mmWrm .n .s u-,./,f:tjM g d;My.M..
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W. -could have received a radiatbn dose in exceas of 100 rnillirem in any
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g seven consecutive days. r ~ ':hpydMTPHFQ
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rQ +(1) The uranium-traring lignite ash stored in an unrestrteted area at the f wy
=#railroad loading dock in Delfield was not secure agamst unauthorized Kgg{gg4 1
y; mwremovi t. g omg, -
, .
At the time of that inspection, all uranium bearing lignite ash possessed by the licensee was JM;
stockptled at the site of their mine located some 12 to 15 miles south southwest of Belfield.'
* North [bkata . The licensee explained that the use of the unrestricted rail siding had tieen F 'f+e--I
discontin ed as of February 1966. d-
I',, j (h Contrary to 10 CFR 20.201(b). surveys were inadequate tu determine compitance8
(;, w ith ww8 respect to the atrborne concentrations of uranium to which employees%
were exposed during the loadmg and unbiadmg of uranium-bearing lignite ash
I and with respect to the airborne concentration of uranium released to unrestricteda
areas durmg the loading and unloading of uransum bearing lignite ash.Y
P' le tter da;ed January JP.1966, the licensee advised the Division of State & Licensee Relattom,' y
l'. S. Alumie Energy Commiesion.the results of several air samples; one F. ample was a
,
breathing z me sample obtamed during the loading operations of the lig. nite ash into a truck at
tinc mii .t", the other samples were general air samples taken downwind f rom the loader
vperaton and f rum the car loadmg operation. These samples were obwed in Cotuber 1905.
In addition, m February 1966, a smgle general air sample was taken dowr s 4d f rom the
car loadmg operat'on. b /* W" ## '
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(4) ' personnel monitormg equipment was not supplied personnel who were working "~~~
, with licensed material at the Belfield mine site.di -= .
Film badges are obtained monthly during mining and ash-hantling oper+.tions from Nuclear.
h Chicago Corporation. Annual exposures have been recorded ts less than 50 millirem.n ~
- !(5) Records of surveys conducted to determine compliance with 10 CFR 20* '; were incomplete.
'
The licensee now maintains records of all surveys that have Seen hrformed
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At tim time of this' inspection. Dr. Vickers was on vacation ame9mmunst evallable, Dr. " y W.dJ; i;J. ..
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Vickers was later contacted sew via telephone. Mr. Francis Hecker sta'ted * '
4that he was the only full * ,me employee at the Belfald alte for GeoResources. Hecker -
explained that during the sun.mer months when m' .ing operations are conducted he was *
usually eaststed by two other employees; howeve , at the time of the inspection, he was ,
*
A assisted additional helper. Hecker .xplained that after mining the lignite ore Qtt was sifted to remove the fines and the courser material was piled up and periodically ,
burned. Mr. liecker explained that the fines. which he was unable to burn. were erpected
to be sold to Union Carbide Corporat'on who, incidentally, is also the purchaser of their
ash. Hecker explained that during the winter months he worked alone, loading the ash into
a truck and hauling it into Belfield where it was deliverr.1 to Union Carbide. Hecker explained
that he did not utilire a respirator but always attempted to work upwind from all dusty*
opc rat.ons,
11, . During the telephone conversation with Dr. Vickers, he stated that he expected that this will
- h the last year of operation for GeoResources as he was negotiating with Union Carbide''for their purchase of this operation.
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Scope and Conditions of License,
12. Source Material License No. SUA-698 authortzes GeoResources to obtain, possess, and utilize
up to 10.t00 pounds of uranium in accordance with procedures described in their application s ,:'"
dated March 23.- 1%3, April 13.1963. March 11.1964, and June 25. 1964. y.e authorized
place of use is the licensee's facilities located in Billings and Stark Counties, North 1%kota.' t.
Mr Hecker explained that during November and December 1966. ist he had hauled^
aporoximately 860 to 870 tons of uranium-bearing lignite ash to the Union Ca. bide loadtng
wif e in Alfield where the m nterial had been turned over to Ualon Carbide, who reportedly
- tran9;rts the material via covered rail cars to their mill in Rifle. Colorado. . Hecker stated. . . 44
that they had started the mining operation in April 1.1%6 and finished,during tlk first weekT
{ in November. ' He explained June I had been the first day of operation at the mine site during J' -_ - ~ ..
I ~ 1%7. At the time of the inspection, the licensee possessed an estimated 50 tons of ~ ash at"7
w[ their mine site, having just completed the burning of approximately 100 tons of the lignite ore.'
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% 13. The licensee's current mining and lignite-burning facility is located 12 to 15 miles south Q:: .
- .i.h ' southwest of Belfield in Billings t;ounty. ''he facility consists of an open-pit mine, a vibrettsg .
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g screen in an area where the lignite ore is windrowed and burned. Hecker stated that the 4 -
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r -~ -ligrtte, after mining is *? owed to dry and after drying the ore is processed through the 7p _
pv m E vibrating scrba and the fines from the vibrating screen are stockpiled and it is expected ;9,,d :iMa.* L J. ; .
< ' nbMSN.h ~a[."~ *3* dk..- -- cAL;;&A u .. '.. m .; ~ c-- >
maximum of I 1/2 hours per day and not more thsi three days per week. No additional r' ;
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brefthing zone samo?es have ever teen obtained. 'this slagte sample indicating hconcentrations of - 2 times MPC while not showing nemcompliance cannot prove compliance.' * i".
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Ibs'ttng and I.aheling o.,
18. - The mine site where the lignite ash M stockpiled was noted te he posted " Private Property . ; t,.t
No Trespassing." Several large radlauon s gns were visible, however, the signs were ..It
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actually too faded to read; however several small signs were also visible which stated *'?9A, -