NRC grants Disa license for novel environmental remediation tech

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved a license application submitted by Disa Technologies to use high-pressure slurry ablation (HPSA) technology for remediating abandoned uranium mine waste at inactive mining sites.

The NRC said it completed the licensing approval for Disa ahead of its anticipated schedule, completing the process in six months rather than the 18-24 months it might have taken under a previous schedule. Disa submitted its license application to the NRC in March. The license was granted on September 30.

The NRC also issued a generic environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact associated with Disa's multisite service provider license, notice of which was published in the September 29 Federal Register.

The technology: Disa's HPSA process mechanically separates mineral-rich patinas containing source material (uranium and/or thorium) and other metals from host sand grains by colliding the materials in a slurry form.

The remediation process generates two products: a coarse, sand-like material and fines concentrates containing uranium, thorium, and other metals. Assuming the coarse material meets regulatory requirements, it can be reintegrated into the site, while the fines concentrates would be transported to a licensed low-level radioactive waste disposal facility, storage facility, or a uranium recovery facility.

According to Disa, the technology can be used to remediate the estimated 15,000 abandoned uranium mines scattered throughout the western United States and has been validated as a viable treatment technology for uranium mine waste by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Navajo Nation EPA, and Idaho National Laboratory.

After completing the remediation of a mine site, DISA would demobilize and leave the site, including the deposited coarse material, in a condition that meets NRC requirements for unrestricted release.

The license: The NRC license grants Disa a phased approval to use its HPSA remediation system. The first phase will consist of a demonstration project that would remediate up to 12,000 tons of abandoned uranium mine waste over 180 days. If, after this initial phase, it is found that the process is safe and effective in removing radionuclides, the NRC will issue a license amendment allowing Disa to possess and process unlimited quantities of source material.

This license requires that Disa notify the NRC that it intends to mobilize its remediation process to each mine site 90 days in advance, during which the NRC will conduct a site-specific safety review. In addition, within 30 days of completing the remediation of a site, Disa is required to submit a demobilization notification to the NRC for review.