Particle characterization of contaminated soil

Samples collected from Test Reactor Area Warm Waste Pond sediments at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory were characterized in the test facilities in the Metallurgy Department, University of Utah. The sediments were characterized in terms of several physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties judged to be most important for separating radioactive materials and hazardous metals from the sediment matrix. The properties include particle size, distribution, effects of heating at 600{degrees}C, electrophoretic properties, magnetic separation, acid leaching, and analyses using ultra-violet light, infra-red, and x-ray diffraction. The results show that most radioactive and hazardous metals are present in the {le} 150 micron size fraction and that 80% of the sediments occur in the {ge} 150 micron size fraction. No significant concentration of hazardous metals was found to be related to magnetic properties. Organic matter, probably as a thin film, was shown to be present. The mineralogy of the samples include quartz, chlorite, kaolinite, illite, calcite, and dolomite. 3 refs., 17 figs., 5 tabs.