FREEPORT PROJECT
DECOMMISSIONING, DECONTAMINATION, DEMOLITION
Project Description
USA Environment is performing decommissioning, decontamination and demolition of a former rare earth minerals processing plant located within a larger chemical manufacturing facility in Texas. USA has handled radiologically impacted materials including soils, liquids and structures. Approximately 37,000 tons of material have been managed and exported as of early 2021.
The plant operated for the production of separated rare earth hydroxide and nitrate with processing of up to 4,000 metric tons of rare earth oxides per year. Thorium, uranium and subsequent decay products are by-products of processing the ore material. The USEPA approved the site for closure and modeling was used to determine remediation goals for allowable soil concentrations in order to meet the regulatory requirement of 25 mrem per year dose. These limiting conditions resulted in soil concentrations equal to 3 pCi/g of thorium-232 and 9 pCi/g uranium-238.
Project Highlights
- Demolition of a 5,000 square feet laboratory
- Torch cutting demolition of a 100,000 gallon AST
- Excavation and disposal of an estimated additional 10,000 tons of impacted concrete and soil
- Excavation, solidification and disposal of an estimated 20,000 tons of impacted sediments from a 2.27-acre fire water pond
- Decontamination of the storm sewer incorporated across the entire 40-acre site
