Data Associated with Uranium Background Concentrations at Homestake Mining Company Superfund Site near Milan, New Mexico, July 2016 through October 2016 (ver. 1.2, September 2018)

Dates

Publication Date: 2018-09-26
Start Date: 2016-07-17
Time Period: 2016-10-08

Citation

Harte, P.T., Blake J.M.T., Becher, K.D.,Thomas, J.V., and Stengel, V.G., 2018, Data associated with uranium background concentrations at Homestake Mining Company Superfund Site, near Milan, New Mexico, July 2016 through October 2016 (ver. 1.2, September 2018) : U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/F7CR5RJS.

Summary

To help characterize the groundwater system at Homestake Mining Company Superfund Site near Milan, New Mexico, the U.S. Geological Survey collected borehole geophysical and groundwater-quality data in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency during July–October 2016. The following borehole geophysical data were collected from wells at or near the Homestake Mining Company Superfund Site: induction, fluid resistivity, natural gamma, spectral gamma, fluid temperature, caliper, casing collar locator, optical televiewer, and electromagnetic flow meter logging (ambient and stressed). The geophysical data were used to evaluate well construction, stratigraphy, distribution of potassium, uranium, and thorium, locations of [...]

Summary

To help characterize the groundwater system at Homestake Mining Company Superfund Site near Milan, New Mexico, the U.S. Geological Survey collected borehole geophysical and groundwater-quality data in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency during July–October 2016. The following borehole geophysical data were collected from wells at or near the Homestake Mining Company Superfund Site: induction, fluid resistivity, natural gamma, spectral gamma, fluid temperature, caliper, casing collar locator, optical televiewer, and electromagnetic flow meter logging (ambient and stressed). The geophysical data were used to evaluate well construction, stratigraphy, distribution of potassium, uranium, and thorium, locations of passive sampler placement, and inflow and outflow intervals of a well under ambient and pumped conditions; information obtained from the geophysical data aided in the collection of groundwater samples. Groundwater samples were collected by using micro-purge, volumetric, and passive samplers. As of June 2017, the following constituents have been analyzed and are documented in this data release: major ions, alkalinity, ammonia, nitrogen, trace metals, gross alpha/beta, radium isotopes, radon-22, stable isotopes, sulfur isotopes, nitrogen isotopes, helium 4, dissolved gases, tritium/helium 3, and chlorofluorocarbons. Uranium and carbon-14 results have been added to this data release. Seven different laboratories analyzed the samples; separate datasets containing the results from each laboratory are provided in this data release. This dataset includes uranium and selenium data from passive sampling.

A number of studies have used chemical fingerprinting as a means to associate water type from multiple U sources (Basu et al., 2015; Christensen et al., 2004; Zielinski et al., 1997; Yabusaki et al., 2007). Uranium isotopes of U-234 and U-238 have been used to identify anthropogenic effects from milling processes and can be used to differentiate natural and anthropogenic sources of U. Differences in milling processes between regional and local operations can impart differences in water type (geochemical and isotopic characteristics of the water) and can be used as a marker on whether waters are affected by milling wastes. Time of travel constraints from local and distal sources of water and water age can provide additional lines of evidence on whether groundwater has been exposed to milling activities, and differences in water quality related to the different types of geologic formations, and to other hydrogeologic conditions. The types of water-quality data that were collected were chosen for their utility in chemical fingerprinting (also called chemical forensics) and in the estimation of groundwater ages. Chemical fingerprinting can be used with identification of arrival times of contaminant of concern (COC) in groundwater flow systems to associate chemical changes with arrival of specific water types.

References cited:
Basu, Anirban, Brown, S.T., Christensen, J.N., DePaolo, D.J., Reimus, P.W., Heikoop, J.M., Woldegabriel, Giday, Simmons, A.M., House, B.M., Hartmann, Matt, and Mahler, Kate, 2015, Isotopic and geochemical tracers for U(VI) reduction and U mobility at an in situ recovery U mine: Environmental Science and Technology, v. 49, no. 10, p. 5939–5947, DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b00701.

Christensen, J.N., Dressel, P.E., Conrad, M.E., Maher, Kate, and Depaolo, D.J., 2004, Identifying the sources of subsurface contamination at the Hanford Site in Washington using high precision uranium isotopic measurements: Environmental Science and Technology, v. 38, no. 12, p. 3330–3337.

Wu,W.M., Carley, J., Green, S.J., Luo, J., Kelly, S.D., Van Nostrand, J., Lowe, K., Mehlhorn, T., Carroll, S., Boonchayanant, B., Lofller, F.E., Watson, D., Kemner, K.M., Zhou, J.Z., Kitanidis, P.K., Kostka, J.E., Jardine, P.M., Criddle, C.S., 2010, Effects of nitrate on the stability of uranium in a bio-reduced region of the subsurface: Environmental Science and Technology, v. 44, p. 5104–5111.

Yabusaki, S.B., Fang, Y., Long, P.E., Resch, C.T., Peacock, A.D., Komlos, J., Jaffe, P.R., Morrison, S.J., Dayvault, R.D., White, D.C., Anderson, R.T., 2007, Uranium removal from groundwater via in situ bio-stimulation: field-scale modeling of transport and biological processes: Journal of Contaminant Hydrology v.93, p. 216– 235.

Zielinski, R.A., Chafin, D. T., Banta, E. R., Szabo, B. J., 1997, Use of 234U and 238U isotopes to evaluate contamination of near-surface groundwater with uranium-mill effluent—A case study in south-central Colorado, U.S.A.: Environmental Geology, v.32, issue 2, p. 124–136.

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Contacts

Originator :: Kent D Becher, Johanna MT Blake, Philip T Harte, Jonathan V Thomas, Victoria G Stengel
Metadata Contact :: Public Information Officer, Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center
Publisher :: U.S. Geological Survey
Distributor :: U.S. Geological Survey - ScienceBase
USGS Mission Area :: Water Resources
SDC Data Owner :: Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center

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Homestake-v1.2.sep20_18_final.xml “Metadata for all data” Original FGDC Metadata	View	153.9 KB	application/fgdc+xml
HS_BASEMAP_Borehole_geophysics_locations.png “Borehole and passive sample locations”		1.48 MB	image/png
HS_BASEMAP_Sample_Locations.png “Site Map”		1.49 MB	image/png

Related External Resources

Type: Citation

Harte, P.T., Blake, J.M., and Becher, K.D., 2018, Determination of representative uranium and selenium concentrations from groundwater, 2016, Homestake Mining Company Superfund site, Milan, New Mexico: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2018–1055, 40 p., appendixes	https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20181055
Harte, P.T., Blake, J.M., Thomas, J.V., and Becher, K.D., 2019, Identifying natural and anthropogenic variability of uranium at the well scale, Homestake Superfund site, near Milan, New Mexico, USA: Environ Earth Sci (2019) 78: 95.	https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-019-8049-y
Blake, J.M., Harte, P., and Becher, K., 2019, Differentiating anthropogenic and natural sources of uranium by geochemical fingerprinting of groundwater at the Homestake uranium mill, Milan, New Mexico, USA: Environ Earth Sci (2019) 78: 384.	https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-019-8385-y

Purpose

The purpose of this data release is to document geophysical and water-quality data collected during July–October 2016 at or near the Homestake Mining Company Superfund Site near Milan, New Mexico. Data were collected to help identify differences in chemical signatures from groundwater of the alluvial and Chinle aquifers in the San Mateo Basin at or near the Homestake Mining Company, Superfund Site near Milan, New Mexico. Each type of data helps contribute to identifying the source of groundwater to a particular well. For instance, major ions can be used in a piper diagram to visualize the major chemistry signatures of waters while uranium isotope ratios identify natural versus anthropogenic input of uranium (U). Age-dating tracers, such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) or Tritium (H3), help to identify when aquifers were recharged and can aid in calculating groundwater flow rates and residence times of groundwater. A primary objective of collecting these data is to help differentiate chemical signatures from the three main types of water in the alluvium and Chinle aquifers at or near the superfund site. The three main types of the groundwater are: (1) waters unaffected by local or regional tailing operations, (2) waters affected by local tailing operations, and (3) waters affected by regional, upgradient tailing operations in the San Mateo Basin. The second objective of collecting these data is to identify anthropogenic and background water chemistry of U at selected specific well locations at or near the Homestake Mill Site for the alluvium and Chinle aquifers.

Data Associated with Uranium Background Concentrations at Homestake Mining Company Superfund Site near Milan, New Mexico, July 2016 through October 2016 (ver. 1.2, September 2018)

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