Consequences of the Hungarian uranium mining and milling

In the south part of Hungary the uranium is produced from a low grade underground sandstone ore (0.07-0.12% U). The mining operation in two mines was started in 1958, nowadays three new mines gives the uranium production. Till 1962 the ores only had been ground and sorted, later the milling was completed with chemical processes for uranium extraction (acid and alkaline leach technology). The total amount of the waste rocks disposed of near the mines is 1.8 107 tons. The mill tailings has been emplaced in two retention ponds built with ring dike. The ponds contain 1.9 107 tons of solid particles and 7.106 tons of solution. The amount of the ore heaps for alkaline leach process is 7.106 tons. The radiation levels on the mining and milling area change from place to place in the range of from the background level to 10-100 times the background. (author). 4 refs, 2 figs, 1 tab