Reduction of radon flux from uranium tailings

Because the inhalation of radon daughters from uranium tailings causes an increased risk of lung cancer, NRC has issued performance objectives for uranium mill tailings treatment. The performance objectives mandate a reduction of the radon flux from the tailings to twice the background flux in the surrounding environs. Experiments designed to measure the effectiveness of various tailing cover materials in reducing radon diffusion are described. A cost optimization study on a site-specific basis is required to select the most overall cost-effective method of flux reduction