Remediation

The physical and chemical treatment methods, as well as the technology used when processing uranium ore resulted in considerable radiological, hydrocarbon, chemical and uranium contamination in the mill site. After the site investigation and authorisation were completed, several hundred thousand m³ of contaminated soil was removed and replaced with non-contaminated soil. Machinery and equipment were removed from buildings, which were, in turn, demolished. The official inspection conducted by authorities on completion of the remediation declared the area suitable for reutilization without any restrictions.



The tailings ponds had been built without bottom liners, therefore a part of the solutions contaminated with inorganic salts leaked into the nearby drinking water supply area. In order to eliminate groundwater contamination, an active groundwater protection and restoration system consisting of deep drainage and pumping wells has been created. The extracted water is treated and then it is discharged into the receiver (Pécs-víz).

The surface water flows in the area impacted by uranium ore mining was assessed in terms of radioactive and heavy metal contamination. After the technical intervention plan was approved, several thousand m³ of contaminated mud was removed.

For the elimination of smaller local contaminations of subsurface water special remediation schemes have been developed and placed on the affected sites.

In a number of cases uranium contamination is removed from groundwater by installing a groundwater extracting system and removing the uranium anion exchange process.