MOAB, Utah - The Moab Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project recently commissioned new aerial photography of its project sites. The photos show the landscapes of southeastern Utah from about 5,500 feet above sea level, with a focus on EM’s cleanup at a former uranium-ore processing facility. The 130-acre tailings pile created from the former mill is adjacent to the Colorado River at center. Workers excavate and condition the tailings before they are removed and placed in steel containers with locking lids for transport by rail to a permanent disposal cell in Crescent Junction, Utah. The city of Moab is pictured in the distance.
The UMTRA Project's engineered disposal cell in Crescent Junction, Utah. This photo shows the cell’s permanent cover (left), an interim cover (center), and the land to be excavated to bury future shipments (right). Behind the Crescent Junction site are the Book Cliffs, a series of desert mountains and cliffs.
UMTRA's 130-acre tailings pile at center. Crews excavate and condition the mill tailings in drying beds to reach the optimal moisture content for disposal. The project currently ships about 9,200 tons of tailings in two trains each week to the Crescent Junction site.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Environmental Management
