Report on plutonium mining activities at 216-Z-9 enclosed trench

This report is divided into three major sections. The first section describes the 216-Z-9 enclosed trench prior to the mining operation. An overall history of the enclosed trench is presented with nuclear reactivity evaluations of the soil. The second section discusses the mining phase of the enclosed trench. Descriptions of the mining equipment and mining operations are contained in this section as well as statistics and problems encountered in the operations. This section concludes with reports on post mining phase operations: the monitoring of radiolytically produced gases and the retrofit program to make Z-9 drums safe for 20-year retrievable storage. The final section summarizes what was learned in doing the program