Radon emissions during mill tailings backfill operations in a uranium mine

Experimental measurements of airflow and radon concentrations in a part of an underground uranium mine in the Ambrosia Lake, New Mexico, area were used to determine total radon release rates during construction/maintenance, mining, and backfill operations. A mathematical model of the airflow and radon emissions was developed to simulate radon release in this same mine area. Calculated estimates were high by a factor of about 2.6. When calibrated using the experimental data, the simulation model predicted release rates and trends very well. Backfilling of mined-out rooms resulted in a small decrease in total radon release