Measured concentrations of radioactive particles in air in the vicinity of the Anaconda Uranium Mill

Concentrations of radioactive particles (U-238, Th-230, Ra-226, and Pb-210) in air were measured in the vicinity of the Anaconda Uranium Mill, Bluewater, New Mexico. Airborne particles were collected at three stations for about two-thirds of a year using a continuous collection method at a sampling rate of 10 L/min, and also were measured in monthly composites collected periodically at four stations using high volume air samplers at a sampling rate of 1400 L/min. The ratios of concentrations of each radionuclide to the concentrations of U-238 indicate that the concentrations of the radionuclides are influenced principally by the proximity of the major sources of emission and the direction of the wind. In all cases, the concentration of Pb-210 exceeded that of U-238. The ratio of Pb-210/U-238 was 12.3 and 13.3 for stations dominated by the emissions from the tailings and ore pads, but was only 1.6 for the station dominated by the yellowcake stack emission. The ratio of the radionuclide concentrations measured by the two methods of sample collection was between 0.8 and 1.2 for uranium, radium, and lead at station 104, but was 0.28 to 1.7 for thorium, radium, and lead at stations 101 and 102. The average concentrations calculated from the measurements made in this study suggest that releases from the Anaconda mill were made well within the existing limits of the maximum permissible concentrations for inhalation exposure of the general public