Experimental study on permeability characteristics and radon exhalation law of overburden soil in uranium tailings pond
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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Experimental study on permeability characteristics and radon exhalation law of overburden soil in uranium tailings pond Xiaolu Liu 1 & Xiangyang Li 1
&
Ming Lan 1 & Yong Liu 1 & Changshou Hong 1 & Hong Wang 1
Received: 3 September 2020 / Accepted: 18 November 2020 # Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract The permeability characteristics of overburden soil have a significant effect on radon exhalation in uranium tailings pond. To understand this change, the effects of dry density, particle size range, and moisture content on the gas permeability and radon exhalation were studied by correlation analysis method. According to the mechanism of radon generation, the permeability characteristics of overburden, and the weather conditions, a theoretical model of radon exhalation was constructed and an experimental setup was designed. A series of tests on different properties of overburden soil were conducted by uranium tailings permeameter, and the radon exhalation rate of corresponding overburden surface was measured by local static method. Results show that the permeability of overburden decreased, which led to the decrease of radon exhalation: (1) At the same moisture content, with the increase of dry density, both the gas permeability and radon exhalation rate decrease. (2) At the same moisture content, with the increase of the particle size range, both the gas permeability and radon exhalation rate increase. (3) At the same dry density, with the increase of moisture content, the gas permeability decreases, while the radon exhalation rate increases slightly at first and then decreases. Keywords Overburden soil . Uranium tailing . Permeability characteristics . Radon exhalation rate . Gas permeability
Introduction Uranium tailings pond is a long-term potential source of radon. The radon migrates through natural factors such as rainfall and wind erosion, which is harmful to human beings and environment (Ghany et al. 2018). Uranium tailings can be covered by soil to reduce the release of radon into the atmosphere (Tan et al. 2016). Some researchers have theoretically and experimentally studied the effects of overburden properties such as thickness, porosity, and dry density on reducing the radon exhalation rate. However, there are few studies about the effects of the permeability characteristics of overburden soil on radon exhalation rate. Therefore, it is of great significance to carry out relevant research in this area.
Responsible Editor: Georg Steinhauser * Xiangyang Li [email protected] 1
School of Resource Environment and Safety Engineering, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, Hunan, China
The migration of radon is affected by the physical and chemical characteristics of the overburden, especially the permeability of the overburden in uranium tailings pond (Zhu et al. 2002). The radon and its radioactive products can lead to lung cancer. Uranium mill tailings are also often associated with high concentrations of highly toxic heavy metals, which are the mai
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