Interim Baseline Radiological Investigation Report in
Support of the Upton Rare Earth Processing Plant
November 15, 2012
5
Table 2.1. Summary of Radiological Investigation Scope
Survey Method/Endpoint
Baseline Investigation Scope
Parameters Evaluated
Gamma Survey
Scanning measurements of gamma count rates,
tagged with x- and y- geopositions, taken every
second at approximately 0.5 m. above ground surface
along 100 m transects at less than 1.5 m s
-1
.
Used to estimate exposure
rates, surface soil radium-
226 and natural thorium
concentrations, and to
identify anomalies and/or
areas for biased sampling.
Random Soil Sampling
Random samples collected at 16 locations. All
random samples were surface (0-15 cm) samples.
Four duplicate samples were collected.
Th-nat and U-nat (ICP-
MS); Ra-226 and Ra-228
(Gamma Spectroscopy)
Exposure Rate Monitoring
External dose rates were assessed by way of
correlating exposure rate and co-located, integrated
gamma count rate measurements. Given the strong
linear correlation between the exposure rate and
associated gamma survey measurements, ERG
considers the interpolated exposure rates documented
herein to be reliable estimates.
Exposure Rates
Radon Flux Measurements
Radon flux measurements at five locations
(coinciding with random soil samples). Two
duplicate measurements were made.
Rn-222 flux from soil
Radon Measurements in Air
Radon track etch measurements at nine locations.
Rn-222 in air
Airborne Particulate
Measurements
Air sampling (total, stable rare earth elements, PM
2.5
,
and PM
10
) at four locations from June to August
2012 at various intervals.
Cerium, lanthanum, U-nat,
and Th-nat (ICP-MS); Ra-
226 (gas proportional
counting), and Th-230
(alpha spectroscopy)
Notes:
cm = centimeters
ERG = Environmental Restoration Group
HPIC = High Pressure Ion Chamber
ICP-MS = Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectroscopy
in. = inch
m = meter
m s
-1
= meters per second
Ra-226 = radium-226
Ra-228 = radium-228
RER = Rare Element Resources
Rn-222 = radon-222
Th-230 = thorium-230
Th-nat = natural thorium
U-nat = natural uranium
2.2 Deviations from the SAP
No deviations from the SAP were identified.
