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SEC Petition Evaluation Report

Petition SEC-00175 

Report Rev #: 0 Report Submittal Date: January 11, 2011

Subject Expert(s): Ed Scalsky, Eugene Potter, Roger Halsey

Site Expert(s): N/A

Petition Administrative Summary

Petition Under Evaluation 

Petition # Petition 

Type

Petition

Receipt Date

Qualification Date DOE/AWE Facility Name

SEC-00175 83.13 June 30, 2010 September 7, 2010 Grand Junction Operations Office 

Petitioner Class Definition 

All – Laborers, labor supervisors, painters, grounds personnel, and Fire Chief who worked at the Grand Junction 

Operations Office from 1943 through July 31, 2010. 

Class Evaluated by NIOSH 

All on-site personnel who worked at the Grand Junction Operations Office from 1943 through July 31, 2010. 

NIOSH-Proposed Class(es) to be Added to the SEC

All employees of the Department of Energy, its predecessor agencies, and its contractors and subcontractors who 

worked at the Grand Junction Operations Office from March 23, 1943 through January 31, 1975, for a number of 

work days aggregating at least 250 work days, occurring either solely under this employment or in combination 

with work days within the parameters established for one or more other classes of employees in the SEC.

Related Petition Summary Information 

SEC Petition Tracking #(s) Petition Type DOE/AWE Facility Name Petition Status

N/A

Related Evaluation Report Information 

Report Title DOE/AWE Facility 

Name

N/A

ORAU Lead Technical Evaluator: Ed Scalsky ORAU Peer Review Completed By: Michael Kubiak

Peer Review Completed By: [Signature on file] 1/12/2011 

Thomas Tomes Date

[Signature on file] 1/12/2011 SEC Petition Evaluation Reviewed By: 

J. W. Neton Date

[Signature on file] 1/12/2011 SEC Evaluation Approved By:

Stuart L. Hinnefeld Date
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Evaluation Report Summary: SEC-00175, Grand Junction

This evaluation report by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

addresses a class of employees proposed for addition to the Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) per the 

Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 

§ 7384 et seq. (EEOICPA) and 42 C.F.R. pt. 83, Procedures for Designating Classes of Employees as 

Members of the Special Exposure Cohort under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness 

Compensation Program Act of 2000. 

Petitioner-Requested Class Definition

Petition SEC-00175 was received on June 30, 2010, and qualified on September 7, 2010. The 

petitioner requested that NIOSH consider the following class: All - Laborers, labor supervisors, 

painters, grounds personnel from 1943 to present. Upon consultation with NIOSH, the petitioner 

changed the requested class definition to: All - Laborers, labor supervisors, painters, grounds 

personnel, and Fire Chief from 1943 to July 31, 2010.

Class Evaluated by NIOSH

Based on its preliminary research, NIOSH found insufficient information to evaluate each category of 

workers in the requested class. Therefore, NIOSH modified the petitioner-requested class and 

evaluated the following class: All on-site personnel who worked at the Grand Junction Operations 

Office from 1943 through July 31, 2010. 

NIOSH-Proposed Class(es) to be Added to the SEC

Based on its full research of the class under evaluation, NIOSH has defined a single class of 

employees for which NIOSH cannot estimate radiation doses with sufficient accuracy. The NIOSHproposed class includes all employees of the Department of Energy, its predecessor agencies, and its 

contractors and subcontractors who worked at the Grand Junction Operations Office from March 23, 

1943 through January 31, 1975, for a number of work days aggregating at least 250 work days, 

occurring either solely under this employment or in combination with work days within the 

parameters established for one or more other classes of employees in the SEC.

The March 23, 1943 proposed starting date is based on the date that the Army representative arrived at 

Grand Junction to establish the Colorado Area Engineer Office. 

The class under evaluation was divided (see Section 3.0 below) because, for the combined operational 

periods of the refinery, the Small Pilot Plant, the Large Pilot Plant, and the Sampling Plant (1943-

1975), there is a lack of radon data for reconstructing internal dose. There are sufficient data to 

reconstruct external dose for the period from January 1, 1960 through July 31, 2010. There are also 

sufficient data to reconstruct internal dose for the period from February 1, 1975 through July 31, 2010. 
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Feasibility of Dose Reconstruction

NIOSH finds it is not feasible to estimate internal exposures with sufficient accuracy for all workers at

the site from March 23, 1943 through January 31, 1975. There is insufficient information to estimate 

radon exposures from plant operations during this period; however, partial internal dose 

reconstructions can be performed for workers who were monitored for uranium intakes during this 

period. There are insufficient data to estimate all external doses prior to 1960. 

With the exception of this 1943 through January 31, 1975 class, per EEOICPA and 42 C.F.R. § 

83.13(c)(1), NIOSH has established that it has access to sufficient information to: (1) estimate the 

maximum radiation dose, for every type of cancer for which radiation doses are reconstructed, that 

could have been incurred in plausible circumstances; or (2) estimate radiation doses more precisely 

than an estimate of maximum dose. Information available to NIOSH is sufficient to document or 

estimate the maximum internal and external potential exposure to members of the evaluated class 

under plausible circumstances during the specified period from February 1, 1975 through July 31, 

2010. 

The NIOSH dose reconstruction feasibility findings are based on the following: 

• NIOSH finds that it is likely feasible to reconstruct occupational medical dose for the Grand 

Junction Operations Office workers with sufficient accuracy.

• Principal sources of internal radiation for members of the evaluated class included exposures to 

natural uranium and its decay products. The modes of exposure were inhalation and ingestion 

during the processing of ores or ore concentrates or during the subsequent re-suspension of these 

materials. 

• Based on the lack of radon data for Grand Junction workers during the refining, pilot plant, and 

sampling operations conducted during the period from March 23, 1943 through January 31, 1975, 

internal dose reconstruction from all potential sources of exposure is not feasible. By February 1, 

1975, sampling operations had ended, and the site mission had changed to mainly off-site work. 

The large quantities of uranium concentrate were removed from the site. Although geological 

samples were still analyzed on site, the quantities were much smaller than during the uranium 

procurement program. On site, the workers were mainly exposed to residual contamination until 

decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) operations began. NIOSH has identified sufficient 

information and data related to residual contamination in the buildings and air samples during the 

D&D operations to support bounding internal dose estimates for the February 1, 1975 through July 

31, 2010 period using available methodologies. 

• Principal sources of external radiation for members of the evaluated class included exposures to 

uranium progeny, primarily radium-226 for penetrating photon exposures and protactinium-234m 

for shallow beta exposures.
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• Limited external dosimetry data were found for 1952-1953 and 1957-1959. Annual site exposure 

reports are available starting in 1960. 

• External penetrating photon exposure was monitored with film badges and, in later years, with 

TLD badges. Shallow beta exposure results exist for film badges. These data are available to 

NIOSH to calculate a ratio against the photon exposure for later years.

• NIOSH concludes that there are sufficient data to estimate bounding levels of external exposure 

from January 1, 1960 through July 31, 2010. Limited film badge data are available prior to 1960; 

no film badge or radiation measurements are available for the refinery and pilot plants during their 

operational periods. Site exposure reports starting in 1960 are available to NIOSH to provide a 

conservative upper bound for external exposure. For the years 1985 through 2009, many 

individual annual exposures are available and may be used to bound doses for individuals without 

individual dosimetry. General information, supported by site-wide surveys performed before and 

after remediation activities, documents near-background exposure levels. For those years where 

data are absent, conservative estimates can be developed based on consistent site activity.

• Pursuant to 42 C.F.R. § 83.13(c)(1), NIOSH determined that there is insufficient information for 

the period from March 23, 1943 through January 31, 1975 to either: (1) estimate the maximum 

radiation dose, for every type of cancer for which radiation doses are reconstructed, that could 

have been incurred under plausible circumstances by any member of the class; or (2) estimate the 

radiation doses of members of the class more precisely than a maximum dose estimate.

• Although NIOSH found that it is not possible to completely reconstruct radiation doses for the 

proposed class, NIOSH intends to use any internal and external monitoring data that may become 

available for an individual claim (and that can be interpreted using existing NIOSH dose 

reconstruction processes or procedures). Therefore, dose reconstructions for individuals employed 

at Grand Junction Operations Office during the period from March 23, 1943 through January 31, 

1975, but who do not qualify for inclusion in the SEC, may be performed using these data as 

appropriate. 

Health Endangerment Determination

Per EEOICPA and 42 C.F.R. § 83.13(c)(3), a health endangerment determination is required because 

NIOSH has determined that it does not have sufficient information to estimate dose for the members 

of the proposed class from March 23, 1943 through January 31, 1975. 

NIOSH did not identify any evidence supplied by the petitioners or from other resources that would 

establish that the proposed class was exposed to radiation during a discrete incident likely to have 

involved exceptionally high-level exposures. However, evidence indicates that some workers in the 

proposed class may have accumulated substantial chronic exposures through episodic intakes of 

radionuclides, combined with external exposures to gamma, beta, and neutron radiation. 

Consequently, NIOSH has determined that health was endangered for those workers covered by this 

evaluation who were employed for at least 250 aggregated work days either solely under their 

employment at Grand Junction Operations Office or in combination with work days within the 

parameters established for other SEC classes.
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For the period from February 1, 1975 through July 31, 2010, a health endangerment determination is 

not required because NIOSH has determined that it has sufficient information to estimate dose for the 

members of the evaluated class.
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Table of Contents

1.0 Purpose and Scope ........................................................................................................................ 11

2.0 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 11

3.0 SEC-00175 Grand Junction Operations Office Class Definitions ............................................... 12

3.1 Petitioner-Requested Class Definition and Basis ................................................................ 12

3.2 Class Evaluated by NIOSH ................................................................................................. 13

3.3 NIOSH-Proposed Class(es) to be Added to the SEC .......................................................... 13

4.0 Data Sources Reviewed by NIOSH to Evaluate the Class ........................................................... 13

4.1 Site Profile Technical Basis Documents (TBDs) ................................................................ 14

4.2 ORAU Technical Information Bulletins (OTIBs) ............................................................... 14

4.3 Facility Employees and Experts .......................................................................................... 15

4.4 Previous Dose Reconstructions ........................................................................................... 16

4.5 NIOSH Site Research Database .......................................................................................... 16

4.6 Documentation and/or Affidavits Provided by Petitioners ................................................. 16

5.0 Radiological Operations Relevant to the Class Evaluated by NIOSH ......................................... 17

5.1 Grand Junction Operations Office Plant and Process Descriptions .................................... 17

5.1.1 Grand Junction General Operations ........................................................................ 18

5.2 Radiological Exposure Sources from GJOO Operations .................................................... 32

5.2.1 Internal Radiological Exposure Sources from GJOO Operations ........................... 34

5.2.1.1 Uranium .................................................................................................... 34

5.2.1.2 Thorium .................................................................................................... 36

5.2.1.3 Radium ..................................................................................................... 36

5.2.1.4 Radon ........................................................................................................ 36

5.2.2 External Radiological Exposure Sources from GJOO Operations .......................... 37

5.2.2.1 Photon ....................................................................................................... 38

5.2.2.2 Beta ........................................................................................................... 38

5.2.2.3 Neutron ..................................................................................................... 38

5.2.3 Incidents .................................................................................................................. 38

6.0 Summary of Available Monitoring Data for the Class Evaluated by NIOSH ............................. 39

6.1 Available Grand Junction Operations Office Internal Monitoring Data ............................. 39

6.2 Available Grand Junction Operations External Monitoring Data ....................................... 46

7.0 Feasibility of Dose Reconstruction for the Class Evaluated by NIOSH ...................................... 50

7.1 Pedigree of Grand Junction Operations Office Data ........................................................... 51

7.1.1 Internal Monitoring Data Pedigree Review ............................................................. 51

7.1.2 External Monitoring Data Pedigree Review ............................................................ 52

7.2 Evaluation of Bounding Internal Radiation Doses at GJOO ............................................... 52

7.2.1 Evaluation of Bounding Process-Related Internal Doses ........................................ 53

7.2.1.1 Urinalysis Information and Available Data .............................................. 53

7.2.1.2 Fecal Samples ........................................................................................... 53
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7.2.1.3 Airborne Levels ........................................................................................ 53

7.2.1.4 Alternative Data Sources for Bounding Internal Dose ............................. 54

7.2.2 Evaluation of Bounding Ambient Environmental Internal Doses ........................... 54

7.2.3 Methods for Bounding Internal Dose at Grand Junction ......................................... 55

7.2.3.1 Methods for Bounding Operational Period Internal Dose ........................ 55

7.2.3.2 Methods for Bounding Ambient Environmental Internal Dose ............... 58

7.2.4 Internal Dose Reconstruction Feasibility Conclusion ............................................. 59

7.3 Evaluation of Bounding External Radiation Doses at GJOO .............................................. 60

7.3.1 Evaluation of Bounding Process-Related External Doses ....................................... 60

7.3.1.1 Personnel Dosimetry Data ........................................................................ 60

7.3.1.2 Area Monitoring Data ............................................................................... 61

7.3.2 Evaluation of Bounding Ambient Environmental External Doses .......................... 62

7.3.3 Grand Junction Occupational X-Ray Examinations ................................................ 63

7.3.4 Methods for Bounding External Dose at Grand Junction ....................................... 63

7.3.4.1 Methods for Bounding Operational Period External Dose ....................... 64

7.3.4.2 Methods for Bounding Ambient Environmental External Doses ............. 65

7.3.5 External Dose Reconstruction Feasibility Conclusion ............................................ 66

7.4 Evaluation of Petition Basis for SEC-00175 ....................................................................... 67

7.5 Summary of Feasibility Findings for Petition SEC-00175 .................................................. 68

8.0 Evaluation of Health Endangerment for Petition SEC-00175 ...................................................... 69

9.0 Class Conclusion for Petition SEC-00175 ................................................................................... 69

10.0 References .................................................................................................................................... 71

Attachment 1: Characterization Data Related to Internal Dose ............................................................ 81

Attachment 2: Data Capture Synopsis ................................................................................................... 95
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Figures 

5-1: Timeline of Major GJOO Projects and Operations ........................................................................ 20

5-2: Areas Assessed as Contaminated and Original Phase Designations .............................................. 23

5-3: Aerial View of Facility Showing Drum Storage Areas, circa 1970 ............................................... 24

Tables 

4-1: No. of Grand Junction Claims Submitted Under the Dose Reconstruction Rule .......................... 16

5-1: Grand Junction Contractors, Dates, and Functions ........................................................................ 18

5-2: AEC Domestic Uranium Concentrate Purchases, 1948-1966 ....................................................... 25

5-3: Grand Junction Site Building Information ..................................................................................... 28

5-4: Principal Radiation Emissions from Natural Uranium and Its Short-lived Decay Products ......... 37

6-1: Grand Junction Office Bioassay Data in the Site Research Database ........................................... 40

6-2: Grand Junction Office Air Monitoring Data in the Site Research Database ................................. 43

6-3: Maximum Annual Exposure Reported to AEC and DOE for GJOO ............................................ 47

6-4: Statistical Data on Annual Photon Exposure Reported by REMS for GJOO Personnel ............... 48

6-5: Statistical Data on Annual Beta Exposure Reported by REMS for GJOO Personnel ................... 49

6-6: Statistical Data on Annual Neutron Exposure, Reported by REMS for GJOO Personnel ............ 50

7-1: Bounding Particulate Environmental Intakes, 1975-2001 ............................................................. 58

7-2: Bounding Radon Daughter Intakes, 1975-2001 ............................................................................. 59

7-3: Summary of Feasibility Findings for SEC-00175 .......................................................................... 68
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SEC Petition Evaluation Report for SEC-00175

1.0 Purpose and Scope

This report evaluates the feasibility of reconstructing doses for all on-site personnel who worked at the 

Grand Junction Operations Office from March 23, 1943 through July 31, 2010. It provides 

information and analyses germane to considering a petition for adding a class of employees to the 

congressionally-created SEC. 

This report does not make any determinations concerning the feasibility of dose reconstruction that 

necessarily apply to any individual energy employee who might require a dose reconstruction from 

NIOSH. This report also does not contain the final determination as to whether the proposed class 

will be added to the SEC (see Section 2.0). 

This evaluation was conducted in accordance with the requirements of EEOICPA, 42 C.F.R. pt. 83, 

and the guidance contained in the Division of Compensation Analysis and Support’s (DCAS) Internal 

Procedures for the Evaluation of Special Exposure Cohort Petitions, OCAS-PR-004.1

2.0 Introduction 

Both EEOICPA and 42 C.F.R. pt. 83 require NIOSH to evaluate qualified petitions requesting that the 

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) add a class of employees to the SEC. The 

evaluation is intended to provide a fair, science-based determination of whether it is feasible to 

estimate with sufficient accuracy the radiation doses of the class of employees through NIOSH dose 

reconstructions.2 

42 C.F.R. § 83.13(c)(1) states: Radiation doses can be estimated with sufficient accuracy if NIOSH 

has established that it has access to sufficient information to estimate the maximum radiation dose, 

for every type of cancer for which radiation doses are reconstructed, that could have been incurred in 

plausible circumstances by any member of the class, or if NIOSH has established that it has access to 

sufficient information to estimate the radiation doses of members of the class more precisely than an 

estimate of the maximum radiation dose.

 

Under 42 C.F.R. § 83.13(c)(3), if it is not feasible to estimate with sufficient accuracy radiation doses 

for members of the class, then NIOSH must determine that there is a reasonable likelihood that such 

radiation doses may have endangered the health of members of the class The regulation requires 

NIOSH to assume that any duration of unprotected exposure may have endangered the health of 

members of a class when it has been established that the class may have been exposed to radiation 

during a discrete incident likely to have involved levels of exposure similarly high to those occurring 

during nuclear criticality incidents. If the occurrence of such an exceptionally high-level exposure has 

not been established, then NIOSH is required to specify that health was endangered for those workers 

 

1 DCAS was formerly known as the Office of Compensation Analysis and Support (OCAS).

2 NIOSH dose reconstructions under EEOICPA are performed using the methods promulgated under 42 C.F.R. pt. 82 and 

the detailed implementation guidelines available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ocas.
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who were employed for at least 250 aggregated work days within the parameters established for the 

class or in combination with work days within the parameters established for other SEC classes. 

NIOSH is required to document its evaluation in a report, and to do so, relies upon both its own dose 

reconstruction expertise as well as technical support from its contractor, Oak Ridge Associated 

Universities (ORAU). Once completed, NIOSH provides the report to both the petitioner(s) and the 

Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health (Board). The Board will consider the NIOSH 

evaluation report, together with the petition, petitioner(s) comments, and other information the Board 

considers appropriate, in order to make recommendations to the Secretary of HHS on whether or not 

to add one or more classes of employees to the SEC. Once NIOSH has received and considered the 

advice of the Board, the Director of NIOSH will propose a decision on behalf of HHS. The Secretary 

of HHS will make the final decision, taking into account the NIOSH evaluation, the advice of the 

Board, and the proposed decision issued by NIOSH. As part of this decision process, petitioners may 

seek a review of certain types of final decisions issued by the Secretary of HHS.

3

 

3.0 SEC-00175 Grand Junction Operations Office Class Definitions 

The following subsections address the evolution of the class definition for SEC-00175, Grand 

Junction Operations Office (GJOO). When a petition is submitted, the requested class definition is 

reviewed as submitted. Based on its review of the available site information and data, NIOSH will 

make a determination whether to qualify for full evaluation all, some, or no part of the petitionerrequested class. If some portion of the petitioner-requested class is qualified, NIOSH will specify that 

class along with a justification for any modification of the petitioner’s class. After a full evaluation of 

the qualified class, NIOSH will determine whether to propose a class for addition to the SEC and will 

specify that proposed class definition. 

3.1 Petitioner-Requested Class Definition and Basis

Petition SEC-00175 was received on June 30, 2010, and qualified on September 7, 2010. The 

petitioner requested that NIOSH consider the following class: All – Laborers, labor supervisors, 

painters, grounds personnel, and Fire Chief who worked at the Grand Junction Operations Office 

from 1943 through July 31, 2010. 

The petitioner provided information and affidavit statements in support of the petitioner’s belief that 

accurate dose reconstruction over time is impossible for the Grand Junction workers in question. 

NIOSH deemed the following information and affidavit statements sufficient to qualify SEC-00175 

for evaluation: 

I have been working on and researching information related to the claim I filed on behalf of

my [relationship and name redacted], since January 2002. In talking to numerous people 

who were employed at the Grand Junction operations office [sic], working at the facility 

myself in [date redacted], and looking for records, I found that employees at this facility 

were never monitored, including laborers (includes my [relationship redacted] who was a 

 

3 See 42 C.F.R. pt. 83 for a full description of the procedures summarized here. Additional internal procedures are 

available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ocas.
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[job titles redacted]) painters and grounds persons. The dose reconstruction sent to me by 

NIOSH indicates that my [relationship redacted] was never monitored during his 

employment [dates redacted] at the Grand Junction operations office [sic]. 

Based on its Grand Junction research and data capture efforts, NIOSH determined that it has access to

bioassay, air monitoring, soil sample, and film badge results for Grand Junction workers during the 

time period under evaluation. However, NIOSH also determined that film badge and bioassay data

records are not complete for all time periods or for all radionuclides. NIOSH concluded that there is 

sufficient documentation to support, for at least part of the requested time period, the petition basis 

that internal and external radiation exposures and radiation doses were not adequately monitored at 

Grand Junction, either through personal monitoring or area monitoring. The information and 

statements provided by the petitioner qualified the petition for further consideration by NIOSH, the 

Board, and HHS. The details of the petition basis are addressed in Section 7.4. 

3.2 Class Evaluated by NIOSH

NIOSH modified the petitioner-requested class because the petitioner later requested the inclusion 

of Fire Chief in the class definition. The petitioner also replaced “to the present” with July 31, 2010 

for the class end date. Based on its preliminary research, NIOSH concluded that specific information 

was lacking for reconstructing all exposures to the personnel categories requested by the petitioner. 

Therefore, NIOSH evaluated exposure to all on-site personnel who worked at the Grand Junction 

Operations Office from 1943 through July 31, 2010. 

3.3 NIOSH-Proposed Class(es) to be Added to the SEC

Based on its research of the class under evaluation, NIOSH has defined a single class of employees for 

which NIOSH cannot estimate radiation doses with sufficient accuracy. The NIOSH-proposed class 

to be added to the SEC includes all employees of the Department of Energy, its predecessor agencies, 

and its contractors and subcontractors who worked at the Grand Junction Operations Office from 

March 23, 1943 through January 31, 1975, for a number of work days aggregating at least 250 work 

days, occurring either solely under this employment or in combination with work days within the 

parameters established for one or more other classes of employees in the SEC.

4.0 Data Sources Reviewed by NIOSH to Evaluate the Class

As is standard practice, NIOSH completed an extensive database and Internet search for information 

regarding the Grand Junction Operations Office. The database search included the DOE Legacy 

Management Considered Sites database, the DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information 

(OSTI) database, the Energy Citations database, the Atomic Energy Technical Report database, and 

the Hanford Declassified Document Retrieval System. In addition to general Internet searches, the 

NIOSH Internet search included OSTI OpenNet Advanced searches, OSTI Information Bridge 

Fielded searches, Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Agency-wide Documents Access and 

Management (ADAMS) web searches, the DOE Office of Human Radiation Experiments website, and 

the DOE-National Nuclear Security Administration-Nevada Site Office-search. Attachment 2 
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contains a summary of Grand Junction Operations Office documents. The summary specifically 

identifies data capture details and general descriptions of the documents retrieved.

In addition to the database and Internet searches listed above, NIOSH identified and reviewed 

numerous data sources to determine information relevant to determining the feasibility of dose 

reconstruction for the class of employees under evaluation. This included determining the availability 

of information on personal monitoring, area monitoring, industrial processes, and radiation source 

materials. The following subsections summarize the data sources identified and reviewed by NIOSH. 

4.1 Site Profile Technical Basis Documents (TBDs) 

A Site Profile provides specific information concerning the documentation of historical practices at 

the specified site. Dose reconstructors can use the Site Profile to evaluate internal and external 

dosimetry data for monitored and unmonitored workers, and to supplement, or substitute for, 

individual monitoring data. A Site Profile consists of an Introduction and five Technical Basis 

Documents (TBDs) that provide process history information, information on personal and area 

monitoring, radiation source descriptions, and references to primary documents relevant to the 

radiological operations at the site. The Site Profile for a small site may consist of a single document. 

As part of NIOSH’s evaluation detailed herein, it examined the following TBD for insights into Grand 

Junction operations or related topics/operations at other sites: 

• Site Profiles for Atomic Weapons Employers that Refined Uranium and Thorium, Battelle-TBD6001; Rev. F0; December 13, 2006; SRDB Ref ID: 30673 

4.2 ORAU Technical Information Bulletins (OTIBs) 

An ORAU Technical Information Bulletin (OTIB) is a general working document that provides 

guidance for preparing dose reconstructions at particular sites or categories of sites. NIOSH reviewed 

the following OTIBs as part of its evaluation:

• OTIB: Dose Reconstruction from Occupationally Related Diagnostic X-Ray Procedures, ORAUTOTIB-0006, Rev. 03 PC-1; December 21, 2005; SRDB Ref ID: 20220 

• OTIB: Internal Dose Overestimates for Facilities with Air Sampling Programs, ORAUT-OTIB0018, Rev. 01; August 9, 2005; SRDB Ref ID: 19436 
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4.3 Facility Employees and Experts

To obtain additional information, NIOSH interviewed eight former Grand Junction Operations Office 

employees and one former GJOO contractor. Interviews were conducted by telephone by members of 

the ORAU Team.

• Personal Communication, 2010a, Personal Communication with a Former Section Head for 

ORNL Office; Telephone Interview by ORAU Team; October 12, 2010; SRDB Ref ID: 90652

• Personal Communication, 2010b, Personal Communication with a Former Physicist; Telephone 

Interview by ORAU Team; October 19, 2010; SRDB Ref ID: 90653

• Personal Communication, 2010c, Personal Communication with a Former Senior HP 

Technologist; Telephone Interview by ORAU Team; October 14, 2010; SRDB Ref ID: 90654

• Personal Communication, 2010d, Personal Communication with a Former Systems Analyst and 

Programmer; Telephone Interview by ORAU Team; October 19, 2010; SRDB Ref ID: 90655

• Personal Communication, 2010e, Personal Communication with a Former Senior Health Physicist 

in Charge of Internal and External Dosimetry; Telephone Interview by ORAU Team; August 25, 

2010; SRDB Ref ID: 90656

• Personal Communication, 2010f, Personal Communication with a Former Health Physicist; 

Telephone Interview by ORAU Team; August 24, 2010; SRDB Ref ID: 90651

• Personal Communication, 2010g, Personal Communication with a Former Field AssistantGeologist; Telephone Interview by ORAU Team; December 8, 2009: SRDB Ref ID: 82163; 

follow-up interview on December 2, 2010: SRDB Ref ID: 90997

• Personal Communication, 2010h, Personal Communication with a Former Analytical Chemistry 

Manager; Telephone Interview by ORAU Team; December 2, 2010; SRDB Ref ID: 90999

• Personal Communication, 2010i, Personal Communication with a Sampling Plant Manager; 

Telephone Interview by ORAU Team; December 6, 2010; SRDB Ref ID: 90998
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4.4 Previous Dose Reconstructions

NIOSH reviewed its NIOSH OCAS Claims Tracking System (NOCTS) to locate EEOICPA-related 

dose reconstructions that might provide information relevant to the petition evaluation. NIOSH 

reviewed each claim to determine whether internal and/or external personal monitoring records could 

be obtained for the employee. Table 4-1 summarizes the results of this review. (NOCTS data 

available as of December 22, 2010) 

Table 4-1: No. of Grand Junction Claims Submitted Under the Dose Reconstruction Rule

Description Totals

Total number of claims submitted for dose reconstruction 58

Total number of claims submitted for energy employees who meet the definition criteria for the class 

under evaluation (1943 through July 31, 2010). 58

Number of dose reconstructions completed for energy employees who meet the definition criteria for 

the class under evaluation (i.e., the number of such claims completed by NIOSH and submitted to the 

Department of Labor for final approval). 48

Number of claims for which internal dosimetry records were obtained for the identified years in the 

evaluated class definition 8 

Number of claims for which external dosimetry records were obtained for the identified years in the 

evaluated class definition 22

4.5 NIOSH Site Research Database

NIOSH also examined its Site Research Database (SRDB) to locate documents supporting the 

assessment of the evaluated class. Six hundred and three documents in this database were identified 

as pertaining to Grand Junction. These documents were evaluated for their relevance to this petition. 

The documents include historical background on data types, monitoring, dust sampling, air 

monitoring, urinalysis data, fecal analysis, the radiological control program, medical monitoring, 

process materials, and process descriptions. 

4.6 Documentation and/or Affidavits Provided by Petitioners

In qualifying and evaluating the petition, NIOSH reviewed the following document submitted by the 

petitioners:

• Affidavit from Survivor; June 25, 2010; OSA Ref ID: 112121 (Affidavit, 2010)
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5.0 Radiological Operations Relevant to the Class Evaluated by 

NIOSH

ATTRIBUTION: Sections 5.0 through 5.2.1.2 were completed by Ed Scalsky, Oak Ridge Associated 

Universities (ORAU). These conclusions were peer-reviewed by the individuals listed on the cover 

page. The rationales for all conclusions in this document are explained in the associated text. 

The following subsections summarize both radiological operations at the Grand Junction Operations 

Office from 1943 through July 31, 2010 and the information available to NIOSH to characterize 

particular processes and radioactive source materials. The operations are divided into two periods: (1) 

March 23, 1943 through January 31, 1975; and (2) February 1, 1975 through July 31, 2010. The first 

period can be classified as operational while the second period is more resource evaluation and 

remediation. From available sources NIOSH has gathered process and source descriptions, 

information regarding the identity and quantities of the radionuclides of concern, and information 

describing processes through which radiation exposures may have occurred and the physical 

environment in which they may have occurred. The information included within this evaluation 

report is intended only to be a summary of the available information. 

5.1 Grand Junction Operations Office Plant and Process Descriptions 

On March 23, 1943, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers arrived in Grand Junction, Colorado to acquire 

land, build a uranium refinery, and construct uranium recovery plants in Uravan and Durango, 

Colorado (Chenoweth, 1997). Land was initially leased. Then on August 14, 1943, the 55.7 acres of 

leased land were purchased. This tract of land was to become the U.S. Department of Energy’s Grand 

Junction Projects Office (GJPO). The site is on the Gunnison River, two miles south of the City of 

Grand Junction, and one-half mile off U. S. Highway 50. Within ten months, the recovery plants at 

Uravan and Durango were constructed and engaged in reprocessing vanadium mill tailings to recover 

uranium. These mill products were shipped to the refinery at GJPO, which refined the mill product 

into uranium oxide or “yellow cake.” The GJPO became the Grand Junction Operations Office 

(GJOO) on November 30, 1952; the site will be referred to as the GJOO hereafter in this document 

(DOE, 1993; Chenoweth, 1997). 
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5.1.1 Grand Junction General Operations

Since the beginning of GJOO operations, there have been several prime contractors who managed the 

site and provided services to the uranium mining and milling facilities throughout the western United 

States. In addition, there were other contractors on the site that provided specific functions (e.g., 

sampling and analysis). Table 5-1 presents a chronology of the prime and secondary contractors that 

performed functions at the GJOO. 

Table 5-1: Grand Junction Contractors, Dates, and Functions

(This table spans two pages)

Contractor Dates Functions

U.S. Vanadium Corporation August 14, 1943 – 

December 31,1946

Constructed and operated the uranium ore refinery (mill) 

for the U.S. Army’s Manhattan Engineer District (MED).

U.S. Army Manhattan 

Engineer District

1947 Worked on dismantling outlying mill buildings; disposed 

of surplus equipment and materials

Ledoux and Company 1948 Performed the initial sampling of uranium concentrate 

(yellowcake). Analyses performed by the National 

Bureau of Standards

Walker-Lybarger 

Construction Company

Prime Contractor

1948 - December 31, 1956 GJOO Prime contractor; constructed buildings for the 

AEC expanding missions; responsible for maintenance 

and operation of facility; provided support to the AEC 

exploration, drilling, and geologic studies.

American Smelting and 

Refining Company

1948-1955 Set up uranium ore buying stations in the western United 

States; operated the analytical chemistry laboratory at 

GJOO; had the responsibility for receiving, sampling, 

analyzing, storing, and shipping uranium ore 

concentrates. In 1951 a new sampling plant was built at 

GJOO.

American Cyanamid 

Company

May, 1953 – June 1954 Operated the first small pilot plant at GJOO (1953); did 

research to develop the resin-in-pulp uranium extraction 

process

National Lead Company, Inc. July, 1954 - June, 1958 Operated the large pilot plant, built in 1954, that 

consisted of 2 large mill buildings, a crushing and 

sampling plant, office and laboratory warehouse, 

maintenance shop, ore stockpiling area, and tailing ponds

Swinerton and Walberg

Prime Contractor

January 1, 1957 – 

April 30, 1959

Assumed the duties of prime contractor

Lucius Pitkin, Inc.

Prime Contractor

1956-1965

May 1, 1959 – July 10, 1975

Operated the ore buying stations and the analytical 

chemistry laboratory and the concentrate sampling plant 

in 1956. Named prime contractor May 1, 1959; 

supported the uranium procurement program until it was 

terminated in 1970; provided technical and engineering 

support to the National Uranium Resource Evaluation 

(NURE) program in 1974.

Bendix Field Engineering 

Corporation

Prime Contractor

July 11, 1975 – 

September 30, 1986

Assumed role of prime contractor on July 11, 1975; 

prime responsibility was to manage the expanding NURE 

program; when NURE program was completed in 1984, 

Bendix administered the Grand Junction Remedial 

Action Program that began in 1972 (remediated soils in 

the Grand Junction area)
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Table 5-1: Grand Junction Contractors, Dates, and Functions

(This table spans two pages)

Contractor Dates Functions

UNC Technical Services, Inc

UNC Geotech, Inc

Chem Nuclear Geotech, Inc.

Rust Geotech, Inc.

Prime Contractor

October 1, 1986 – 

September 30, 1987

October 1, 1987 – 

August 14, 1990

August 15, 1990 – 

November 2, 1993

November 3, 1993 – 

September 4, 1996

UNC Technical Services, Inc., became RUST Geotech, 

Inc., through a series of corporate mergers and 

acquisitions. Did remediation work in public areas; 

managed the Long-Term Surveillance and Maintenance 

(LTSM) program that was assigned to GJOO in 1989.

MACTEC Environmental 

Restoration Services

September 5, 1996 – 

July 21, 2002

Continued the remediation projects; managed cleanup of 

uranium mill tailings and mill tailings contaminated with 

material from the former AEC-operated processing mills 

at Monticello, Utah, etc.

Wastren, Inc.

Prime Contractor

September 5, 1996 – 

July 21, 2002

Wastren, Inc., assumed responsibility to operate the 

GJOO site in September 1996. Responsibilities included 

facility management, analytical chemistry laboratory, 

occupational medical services, technical library, records 

management, automated data processing systems, 

publication services, communication systems, security, 

and remediation of the GJOO site. 

Riverview Technology 

Corporation

September 30, 2001 - Present On September 30, 2001, DOE transferred ownership of 

the Grand Junction property to the Riverview 

Technology Corporation. DOE, however, continues to 

lease portions of the site and provides some on-going 

remediation services as well as long-term surveillance 

and maintenance at the site. (DOE Facility List)

S.M. Stoller Corporation

Prime Contractor

July 22, 2002 - Present S.M. Stoller Corporation assumed the activities of the 

two previous contractors, MACTEC-ERS and Wastren, 

Inc., in July 2002. Currently, the GJOO has stewardship 

responsibility for the Grand Junction (also known as 

Cheney) Disposal Cell, southeast of Grand Junction, and 

28 other remediated sites or disposal cells. The U.S. 

Department of Energy assigned management of the 

former uranium ore-processing mill site and the tailings 

pile at Moab, Utah, to the GJOO on October 1, 2001.

Source: Contractor History, 1943-2002
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Source: Rust Geotech, 1996b

Figure 5-1: Timeline of Major GJOO Projects and Operations

Since the Grand Junction site’s inception in 1943, the nature of site operations has varied 

considerably. Figure 5-1 shows a timeline of major projects and operations conducted at the GJOO. 

The operations can be divided into two major time periods (Note: Some operations overlapped the two 

time periods defined below): 

• March 23, 1943 through January 31, 1975: This period covers early operations, including: refinery 

operation (1943-1946), small pilot plant (May 15, 1953 through December 24, 1954), the large 

pilot plant (January 9, 1955 through May 29, 1958) (McGinley, 2000), the sampling plants (1948), 

a new sampling plant (1951), the analytical chemistry plant (1956), and other related radiological 

operations that could expose workers to direct radiation and to uranium dust and progeny that 

posed an inhalation hazard. One of the principal functions during this time frame was the receipt, 

sampling, and analysis of uranium and vanadium concentrates from the various ore-processing 

operations in the western United States. Shipments of processed uranium were also made from 

the GJOO, the last shipment departing in January, 1975 (Albrethsen, 1986). The GJOO also 

administered programs for the acquisition and production of uranium concentrates and for the 

acquisition of raw source material throughout the U.S. west of the Mississippi River (O’Rear, 

1969). Many of these programs were primarily administrative in nature and may not have been a 

major source of exposure to GJOO personnel. 

• February 1, 1975 through July 31, 2010: During this period, the GJOO was assigned the National 

Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) program (1974-1984) (DOE, 1993). This period also 

includes the Grand Junction Remedial Action Project (GJRAP) (1972-1988), the Uranium Mill 

Tailings Action Project (UMTRA) (1978 to late 1990s), the Grand Junction Project Office 

Remedial Action Project (GJPORAP) (mid-1980s to about 2000), and the Long-Term 

Surveillance and Maintenance (LTSM) program (1989). The GJOO assisted other DOE facilities 
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and government agencies in the areas of geophysics, geology, hydrology, hazardous and 

radioactive waste management, and environmental clean-up. In 1993, there were more than 800 

employees engaged in these activities (DOE, 1993). 

Operational Period (1943 through January 31, 1975) 

Ore and Ore Concentrates

The material received and processed at Grand Junction was either uranium ores or ore concentrates, 

with ore concentrates being the primary material processed though the Sampling Plants. Grand 

Junction processed ores in the Pilot Plants from 1953 through 1958 to develop the methods being used 

at other mills. Grand Junction received large quantities of ore concentrates produced at other sites. 

The ore’s uranium content was typically between 0.1 and 0.2 % U (Uranium, 2004). During mill 

processing of uranium ores, the amount of sludge (tailings) produced is nearly the same as that of the 

ore milled. Most uranium is mined in open pit or underground mines. In the early years (up until 

1960), uranium was mined in open pit mines from ore deposits located near the surface. 

A ton of ore typically produces one ton of tailings and four pounds of yellowcake as well as liquid 

waste. The mills processed crushed ore by either acid leach or alkaline leach. The uranium was

precipitated out of the leach solution as yellowcake, dried and packaged, and sent to other facilities for 

additional refining. The tailings left from the leached ore contained all the material in the ore not 

dissolved during the leaching process. In addition, the process of precipitating the uranium out of 

solution in the mill removed additional quantities of radionculides (impurities). The most significant 

non-uranium radionuclides present in the yellowcake were Th-230 and Ra-226. The concentrations of 

these radionuclides in the yellowcake varied based on the leaching agent (acid or alkaline) and the 

precipitation method (ion exchange or solvent extraction). For the alkaline leach process, 2% of the 

Ra-226 (by activity) and practically none of the Th-230 ended up in the yellowcake; however, alkaline 

leach was less common. For acid-leached yellowcake, the percentages varied by extraction method. 

As much as 0.2% of the Ra-226 and 5% of the Th-230 ended up in the yellowcake (Sears, 1976). 

Over 90% of the uranium in ores was typically recovered in the yellowcake (Uranium, 2004). 

The material received and processed at Grand Junction from 1943 through 1945 was similar to the 

concentrates discussed above. That material is discussed in the following subsection.

Refinery Operations

DOE-GJO facility lands were acquired by the U.S. War Department in 1943 for the Manhattan 

Engineer District. A refinery was constructed by the MED in 1943 to further process the green sludge 

produced at Durango and the two Uravan plants. It used a process developed by the U.S. Vanadium 

Corp (USV) and operated for 26 months from August, 1943 through October 1945. 

The mills at Durango and Uravan processed vanadium mill tailings. The tailings processed at Uravan 

and Durango contained a reported 0.25% uranium and residual vanadium. The vanadium tailings 

were leached in sulfuric acid to recover the uranium and the vanadium, which were then precipitated 

out of solution along with some impurities. The precipitate was dried, put into barrels, and shipped to 

Grand Junction for further processing (Dust Samples, 1945). The material shipped to Grand Junction 

was called “green sludge.”
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Green sludge contained 6% to 12% U3O8 and 9% to 13% V2O5, and 25% to 35% water. It was 

delivered in 30-gallon steel drums weighing about 700 pounds each. The capacity of the refinery was 

20 dry tons of green sludge per day, but it averaged 12.9 tons per day. Ten thousand tons of green 

sludge were processed at the refinery. The refinery had an estimated 40 employees and three sludge 

transporters (McGinley, 2000).

The purpose of the of the Grand Junction refinery mill was to separate the uranium from the 

vanadium. 

The refinery process consisted of roasting the green sludge with sodium carbonate to about 800o C, 

quenching with water, and then filtering to remove the soluble sodium vanadate. The residue 

contained the water insoluble sodium diurinate. The vanadium filtrate went to precipitation with 

sulfuric acid, first to remove alumina, phosphorus, and arsenic, and then with more acid to form 

vanadium "red cake." It was washed, dried and fused to make a V205 product. The uranium filter

cake was dried to about 4% moisture, barreled, stored, or shipped east for further processing 

(McGinley, 2000; Dust Samples, 1945). 

The resulting refinery products included dried uranium sludge (sodium diuranate) containing about 

15% U308 and one percent V205. Fused vanadium averaged 89% V205 and 0.08% U308. Alumina cake 

was saved for further future treatment because it contained 0.4% to 0.9% U308 and 5% to 10% V205

(McGinley, 2000). Approximately 1,170 tons of uranium oxide and a similar amount of vanadium 

concentrate were produced. 

Pilot Plant Operations 

Two pilot-scale uranium ore mills were operated from 1953 to 1958, processing 30,000 tons of ore. 

The milling processes consisted of the acid leach – resin in pulp (RIP) process, alkaline – RIP process, 

and other acid-leach processes. The end product of the mills was yellowcake (U3O8), about 108,000 

pounds of which were produced, all for the AEC. The ore was transported to the pilot plants by truck, 

except for 2,000 tons of lignite, which was transported by railroad, crushed by a local gravel company 

plant, and then trucked to the pilot plants (the uranium content of lignite is very low, on average less 

than 0.005% U308). Lucius Pitkin also used the pilot plant to crush and sample the “richest load of 

uranium ever mined in the Colorado Plateau” that was delivered to the AEC compound on April 9, 

1958. This was 22.25 tons of 22.9 % U3O8 ore from the Lisbon Uranium Corporation’s Big Indian 

Wash mines near Moab, Utah. The pilot plants had 17-18 employees in 1953 and up to 107 

employees in 1957 (McGinley, 2000). The pilot plant operations were the primary source of 

contaminated materials at the DOE-GJO facility. Approximately 247,000 cubic yards of uranium 

pilot plant products were buried on site. Other potential sources of contamination associated with 

pilot plant operations included laboratory and vehicle maintenance wastes and by-products, and 

activities related to sampling and stockpiling uranium concentrates (including yellowcake). 

Approximately 22 acres of open land and 19 buildings were contaminated (WASTREN, 1997). 

Figure 5-2 shows the areas originally assessed as being contaminated (Forbes, 1997). 
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Source: Forbes, 1997

Figure 5-2: Areas Assessed as Contaminated and Original Phase Designations

In 1953, the pilot-plant program was initiated with the construction of a resin-in-pulp milling 

processing plant. A subsequent pilot-plant program was dedicated to amenability testing of uranium 

ores and to developing and testing uranium milling processes (DOE, unspecified). During its five 

years of operation, the pilot uranium mill ran 24 hrs/day, 7 days/week (DOE, 1993). 

Concentrate Receiving Depot (Sampling and Analyzing)

From 1948 to 1971, a total of approximately 347 million pounds of uranium oxide and approximately 

29 million pounds of vanadium oxide were received and stockpiled in steel drums at the facility. 

Figure 5-3 shows the drum storage locations circa 1970. As a result of past uranium-related activities, 

surface and near-surface soils, buildings (wood, concrete/brick, and metal), and related equipment 

were contaminated with uranium mill tailings and ore (DOE, unspecified). 
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Source: Forbes, 1997

Figure 5-3: Aerial View of Facility Showing Drum Storage Areas, circa 1970

As noted in Table 5-1, American Smelting and Refining Company and Lucius Pitkin, Inc., performed 

sampling and analysis work at GJOO. During the period from 1948-1966, the AEC purchased 

145,379 tons of U3O8. With the exception of 1960-1965, when portions of the sampling and analysis 

were done at Weldon Spring, all of the sampling and analysis was done at GJOO. As noted in a later 

section, GJOO also sampled several thousand tons of U3O8 shipped by private industry between 1966 

and 1968. 
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Table 5-2 shows the quantities of U3O8 purchased by the AEC from 1948-1966. 

Table 5-2: AEC Domestic Uranium Concentrate Purchases, 1948-1966

Fiscal Year Tons U3O8 Fiscal Year Tons U3O8

1948 116 1958 10,250

1949 115 1959 15,160

1950 323 1960 16,403

1951 659 1961 17,671

1952 822 1962 17,248

1953 984 1963 15,760

1954 1453 1964 12,283

1955 2142 1965 11,819

1956 4204 1966 10,109

1957 7578

Total Purchases: 145,099 

Source: O’Rear, 1966, pdf p. 70

The AEC operated a uranium-concentrate sampling plant and assay laboratory on the site until 1974. 

January 1, 1967 marked the beginning of the government's final four years (under the then-current 

program) of purchasing uranium concentrates from privately-owned and operated uranium processing 

mills. By the terms of the AEC's program announcement of November 17, 1962, existing purchase 

contracts would extend through December 31, 1970 (O’Rear, 1969). This 1963-1970 program, known 

generally as the "stretch-out" program, provided for a voluntary deferral of delivery until 1967 and 

1968 of a portion of the U308 previously scheduled for delivery prior to 1967. In return, the AEC 

offered to purchase in 1969 and 1970 additional U308 equal to the quantity deferred and delivered in 

1967 and 1968. The additional purchases totaled approximately 32,500 tons, or about 8,000 tons per 

year from 1967 through 1970. 

The uranium concentrates produced by processing mills operating in 1967-1970 under the stretch-out 

program were delivered in steel drums to the AEC at Grand Junction. They were received, weighed, 

sampled, and analyzed as a basis for payment to the mills (O’Rear, 1969). Three large buildings at the 

AEC compound housed the sampling and analytical facilities that were operated for the AEC by the 

contractor Lucius Pitkin, Inc. About 35 people were employed in this activity (O’Rear, 1969). 

Because of the value of uranium concentrates, the sampling and analyzing were performed in a careful 

manner. The quality of the concentrate delivered to the AEC was governed by a set of specifications 

included in all milling contracts. They included a minimum of 75% U308 and maximum limitations 

for some 15 impurities such as vanadium, molybdenum, chlorides, and sulfate. Most of the drums of 

concentrate arrived via commercial truck, but some came by rail on a spur line that runs into the 

compound (O’Rear, 1969). 
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The drums were weighed and then the tops removed; the drums averaged about 700 pounds each. 

Two sampling methods were employed. One was the closed auger method in which an electricallyoperated drill or auger was run down into the open drum of concentrate in predetermined positions, 

bringing up samples for subsequent preparation and assaying. In the falling stream method used for

sampling some concentrates, the drum was hoisted to the top of the sampling unit and the contents 

were allowed to flow down through sample cutters which took representative samples. At Grand 

Junction, one building housed the auger method of sampling and another building the falling stream 

sampling method (O’Rear, 1969). 

Although every drum received was opened and sampled, the assays were made on drum lots rather 

than on each drum. For instance, if a lot of 20 drums was received from one mill, a sample from each 

drum was blended into one large sample that represented the entire lot (O’Rear, 1969). 

After the samples were taken and blended, the lot sample was “prepared" for analysis. This 

preparation was done in the sampling plant and involved grinding the sample to a fine powder and 

placing the sample in drying ovens to remove all moisture. Afterward, the sample went to the 

analytical laboratory. 

Analytical Laboratory

The Analytical Laboratory, also operated for the AEC by Lucius Pitkin, Inc., was housed in a large 

modern building. The operation was conducted by a Chief Chemist and a staff of Analytical 

Chemists.

In the early days of the uranium procurement program, only chemical assays were made of all the 

concentrate samples prepared in the sampling plants. In later years, the laboratory acquired an X-ray 

spectrometer and an emission spectrograph to supplement the chemical assay work. Some samples 

were assayed chemically and some with these instruments in order to assure a complete and accurate 

analysis. This laboratory also analyzed uranium ore samples and other special samples, as requested 

by the AEC (O’Rear, 1969). The laboratory continued to operate during the remediation period. 

Custom Sampling 

In 1966, several processing mills contracted to deliver uranium concentrates to private domestic 

concerns and to friendly foreign governments and companies (O’Rear, 1969). To facilitate these 

shipments, the Grand Junction Office began a new service for the uranium industry: that of offering, 

through its contractor, custom weighing and sampling of uranium concentrates produced and sold by 

privately-owned processing mills. 

Between late 1966 and June 1968, the Grand Junction Office sampled several thousand tons of U308

shipped in by private industry. The producer of the concentrates was provided weights and samples 

and paid the AEC contractor, Lucius Pitkin, Inc., for this service on the basis of an established 

schedule of charges.

The Grand Junction Office discontinued this service after June 1968 when Allied Chemical Corp., 

began operating an independent UF6 conversion facility at Metropolis, Illinois, equipped with a 

sampling plant to provide this service for industry. 
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Raw Materials Program

In 1947, the site became the Colorado Raw Materials Office for the AEC and administered the U.S. 

defense-related uranium exploration and purchasing programs through 1970. 

In July 1969, when the GJOO had responsibility for administering the raw materials program in the 

western United States, GJOO had a staff of 137 AEC personnel and 132 Lucius Pitkin personnel 

(O’Rear, 1969).

Resource Evaluation and Remediation Period (1974 - July 31, 2010)

From 1974 through 1984, the site managed the National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) 

program. The NURE program was a massive data-gathering and research effort that resulted in a 

comprehensive assessment of the nation’s uranium resources. At the height of the NURE program, 94 

Federal employees and 558 contract employees performed primarily geosciences work. This work 

included taking 750,000 hydro-chemical samples throughout the nation, drilling about 435,000 feet of 

new boreholes, gathering data from 3,000,000 feet of boreholes drilled for purposes other than 

uranium, and flying about 1,000,000 flight-line miles to map the distribution of the natural radioactive 

elements uranium, thorium, and potassium (DOE, 1993).

Today, the primary mission of the Grand Junction Projects Office site is to support Environmental 

Management in completing environmental restoration and waste management activities, particularly 

in the areas of site characterization, project integration and coordination, remedial design, remedial 

action, decommissioning, independent verification, long-term surveillance and maintenance, 

technology development and demonstration, geosciences, and analytical chemistry. 

In 1972, the GJOO assisted the Colorado Department of Health in managing the Grand Junction 

Remedial Action Project (GJRAP), the first remedial action program in Mesa County. The program 

cleaned up 594 homes or business structures that were contaminated with mill tailings from the 

Climax Uranium Company processing mill, which operated in Grand Junction from 1951 to 1970. 

The purpose was to reduce or eliminate the potential health hazard from long-term exposure to radon 

emitted from the radium left in the mill tailings after the uranium was extracted (DOE, 1993). This 

action is included for historical completeness; however, exposures to these off-site remedial action 

personnel or the public are not germane to this current evaluation. 

The Department of Health began the Grand Junction Projects Office Remedial Action Project 

(GJPORAP) for the site in FY 1988. The approach has been to remediate the open spaces of the 

GJPO facility from south to north. Since 1988, 414,000 tons of radioactive-contaminated materials at 

the GJPO facility have been excavated and transported to the Cheney disposal cell. Following 

removal of tailings and other contaminated material, affected areas of the GJPO facility have been recontoured, reconstructed, and re-vegetated, as appropriate. 

As part of the remedial action projects, DOE restored some of the contaminated buildings at the Grand 

Junction Projects Office for unrestricted use. These activities began in 1989. Following completion 

of the decommissioning process, 17 facility buildings were demolished or decontaminated and 

restored for unrestricted use (resulting in an estimated 4,700 cubic yards of contaminated material). 

Table 5-3 lists the buildings on the GJOO site, their radiological status before remediation, the dates 
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they were built and demolished (if applicable), and the operations conducted in them. Not all 

information has been identified for some of the buildings. 

In 1997, there were approximately 30 buildings on site. The site also included two bodies of water, 

the North Pond (13,500 m2

) and the South Pond (15,200 m2). The area west of the North Pond was a 

former landfill which, since remediation, has become a wetlands area (Forbes, 1997). 

Most of the contaminated materials at the GJOO are from pilot-plant milling research operations, 

which involved testing and processing uranium ores at the site. The materials consist of uranium mill 

tailings, contaminated soil, ore-process-related slimes and equipment, heavy metals, and PCBs. In 

addition, laboratory debris and trash were disposed of onsite (Rust Geotech, 1996b).

The analytical laboratory continued to operate during the remediation period. The lab performed 

analyses of tailings for Grand Junction as well as analyses for other sites (e.g., LANL, INEEL). 

Analyses were performed for radium, thorium, uranium, heavy metals, and organics. The lab

analyzed thousands of soil, air, and urine samples per year. However, no urine samples were analyzed 

for Grand Junction Operations Office workers. Only low-level radioactive work was done during this 

period. The lab had a guideline that they would not accept samples that were above about 2,000 pCi/g 

(Personal Communication, 2010h) 

Table 5-3: Grand Junction Site Building Information

(This table spans five pages)

Bldg. 

No.

Contaminated? (Y/N) Date

Built

Date 

Demolished

Building Function

Building Underlying (SRDB Ref ID) or 

Adjacent Soil

1 Y Y 1943 1996 Part of the larger refinery structure to house boilers. 

All other portions of the refinery were removed 

during the 1950s. Subsequently, contained the 

steam boilers and back-up generator for the facility 

(76616)

2 Y N 1944 ---* (76628) The north portion of the building was used 

as a shower and change facility for uranium 

workers; the south portion was a warehouse. 

Released for unrestricted use as part of Remedial 

Action Program. “It is assumed yellowcake U3O8

is the primary radiological contaminant, although 

uranium mill tailings may also be involved” 

(76650). The north end of the building is suspected 

of containing non-uniform contamination related to 

the change room activities of the mill workers, and 

thus, probably contains U-238 and its decay 

products.

3 --- --- --- --- Research Laboratory (76720)

6 Y Y 1953 April 1992 Housed a bench-scale pilot mill for testing the 

resin-in-pulp uranium milling process. Milling 

activities commenced in 1953 and continued until 

December 1954, processing a total of 2,500 tons of 

uranium ore (Small Pilot Plant). Subsequently used 

as laboratory and office space. (76619)
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Table 5-3: Grand Junction Site Building Information

(This table spans five pages)

Bldg. 

No.

Contaminated? (Y/N) Date

Built

Date 

Demolished

Building Function

Building Underlying (SRDB Ref ID) or 

Adjacent Soil

7 Y Y 1952 --- Drum-handling activities; sample plant. (76720)

7A Y --- 1956 --- Building 7A was constructed as an addition to 

Building 7 as a sample preparation laboratory for 

the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory (Building 20). 

The center section of Building 7 had formerly been 

used for sample preparation. (89880)

8 N N 1950 --- Office (Walker Lybarger) (76720)

9 N N 1954 --- Paint Shop (76720)

9A N N 1955 --- Office (90182)

10 N N --- --- Garage (76720)

11 N N 1955 --- Built as a primary guardhouse (South Gate) and 

continues to serve this function. (76626) This was 

an office before 1954 (76720).

12 N N 1953 --- Office (Administration) (76720)

12A --- --- --- ---

13 --- --- --- --- Warehouse (Camp Supplies) (76720)

14 --- --- --- --- Warehouse (Furniture) (76720)

15 --- --- --- --- Warehouse (Materials) (76720)

16 --- --- --- --- Carpenter Shop (76720)

17 --- --- --- --- Warehouse (USGS) (76720)

18 --- --- --- --- Receiving Building (76720)

19 N N 1948 NA Used as the main gate. Currently, it serves as a 

guardhouse (North Gate) and office space for 

security personnel. Major modifications of the 

building occurred in 1953 and 1967. (76629)

20 N N 1951 --- Analytical Laboratory (76720). Building was 

expanded in 1954 (89903)

20A --- --- --- ---

21 --- --- --- --- Supply Building (AS&R) (76720)

22

22A

--- --- --- --- Warehouse (Paint) (76720) Buildings 22 and 22A 

were completed in 1953 as sedimentation and 

electronics laboratories and associated warehouse 

and office space. These buildings were combined 

as Building 22 and subsequently combined with 

Building 30, creating Building 3022, used for core 

storage and a core hole logging vehicle support 

facility (90201) 

23 --- --- --- --- Warehouse (Materials) (76720)

24 --- --- --- --- Core Storage (USGS) (76620)

25 --- --- --- --- Core Storage (USGS) (76620)

26 N N 1954 NA Core Storage (76620). Formerly an engineering 

office and training center (89943)

28 N N 1954 --- Built as a maintenance and repair facility for 

vehicles, heavy equipment, and electrical 

equipment, and as a site support building with 

offices and facility maintenance shops. In 1999, it 

was vacant.
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Table 5-3: Grand Junction Site Building Information

(This table spans five pages)

Bldg. 

No.

Contaminated? (Y/N) Date

Built

Date 

Demolished

Building Function

Building Underlying (SRDB Ref ID) or 

Adjacent Soil

29 N N 1954 --- Built as a guard station and scale house for trucks 

entering the site with uranium ore; later used for 

paint storage. Now serves as office space for 

management personnel. (76611) 

30/3022 N N 1955 --- Building 30 was the south wing of Building 3022. 

Building 30 was constructed in 1955 as a 

purchasing and supply warehouse and an operations 

building. In 1982, Building 30 was joined to 

Building 22 by constructing a high bay area 

between them. The Building 30 portion has been 

used as an electronics laboratory, radiological 

instrument storage, and office space. (76614)

30B N N 1980 --- Machine shop and electronic shop. Currently used 

to store and calibrate small field instruments and 

house personal protective equipment. The building 

also houses contaminated trash in transit from 

controlled areas to radioactive material storage 

areas. (76614)

31 Y Y 1954 1992 Housed the acid-leach circuit of the pilot-scale 

uranium ore mill. Subsequently used for storage, 

including uranium and vanadium concentrates. 

Demolished in 1992. (76615) (76614)

31A Y N 1954 --- Building 31A was constructed in 1954 as an 

analytical chemistry laboratory and office building. 

Later, the building was used as a physics and radon 

laboratory with associated offices. Demolished 

during remedial activities in August and September 

1998 and not rebuilt. (90173)

32 N N 1954 --- Chemical storage and change building (76720). 

Later used for seed storage, core preparation and 

viewing, and radon research. In 2000, the building 

housed an environmental laboratory and offices. 

(89999)

33 Y --- 1954 1998 Associated with the Large Pilot Plant

Alkaline leach pilot mill (76720). After the mill 

ceased operations, the building was used for 

storage. The building was demolished during 

remedial action activities in August and September 

1998 and was not rebuilt (90175). 

34 Y N 1954 1996 Built as a boiler house for the large pilot mill. 

(76620)

35 Y --- 1954 1998 Drum Handling and feed preparation plant (76720)

36 Y Y 1945 1996 Used as early as 1945 as a paint shop for the small 

pilot mill near the present location of Building 12. 

In 1954, the building was moved to the south end of 

the facility for use as a uranium concentrate drying 

facility. Subsequently, it was used for storage of 

uranium concentrate and later for general storage.

37 Y Y --- 1992 Scale House for a truck scale.
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Table 5-3: Grand Junction Site Building Information

(This table spans five pages)

Bldg. 

No.

Contaminated? (Y/N) Date

Built

Date 

Demolished

Building Function

Building Underlying (SRDB Ref ID) or 

Adjacent Soil

39 Y Y --- 1992 Housed pumps and valves that controlled the 

supply of fuel from emergency reserve tanks to the 

facility back-up generator and boiler plant. 

40 N N 1995 --- Natural gas meter house (90016)

41 N N 1956 --- Storage shed (90019)

42 N N --- 2000 Assembled and expanded on three occasions using 

structures located elsewhere on the GJO facility. 

The building was used as a permitted hazardous 

and mixed waste storage area. The permit and 

stored materials were transferred to Building 61C in 

June 2000. (90179)

43 N Y 1976 --- Storage shed to support operations in Buildings 20 

and 30. Stored barrels of contaminated personal 

protective equipment. Released. (90023)

44 Y N 1956 1994 Originally used for gas cylinder storage. (90031)

45 --- --- --- ---

46 Y Y 1977 --- Constructed in 1977 as a cafeteria. Foundation 

elements and potentially-contaminated utilities 

from the former lab were beneath Building 46.

47 --- --- --- ---

48 --- --- --- ---

49 --- --- --- ---

51 N N 1976 --- Gas bottle storage facility. Released for unrestricted 

use. (90036)

52 Y Y 1956 1994 Constructed in 1956 to store oil and grease from the 

pilot plant uranium milling activities. After the 

cessation of milling activities, it was used for 

storage. Before 1990, it was used to store a small 

quantity of uranium mill tailings and a Ra-226 

source. These sources were used to generate radon 

for radon flux measurements and experiments. The 

tailings were placed in an open soil-lined sump dug 

into the ground beneath the floor. (90166) 

54 N N 1992 --- Installed on site in 1992, it consists of 15 modular 

units joined together with the interior to 

accommodate office space and medical facilities. 

Presently serves as office space for facilities 

management, the analytical laboratory, and medical 

personnel. (76617)

56 N N 1992 1997 Buildings 61A, B, and C are modular units installed 

on a concrete pad in 1993. The buildings were used 

to store hazardous and mixed waste materials 

generated by GJO operations and remedial action 

projects.

61A, B, 

& C

N N 1993 --- Modular units installed on a concrete pad in 1993. 

The buildings were used to store hazardous and 

mixed waste materials generated by GJO operations 

and remedial action projects.
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Table 5-3: Grand Junction Site Building Information

(This table spans five pages)

Bldg. 

No.

Contaminated? (Y/N) Date

Built

Date 

Demolished

Building Function

Building Underlying (SRDB Ref ID) or 

Adjacent Soil

810 N N 1981 --- Building 810 was formed when Building 8 and 

Building 10 were joined by an addition in 1981. 

Buildings 8 and 10 were never used for uranium 

milling or brokerage activities, but the area was 

crossed by a haul road that served the MED 

refinery. The building has been used for offices 

and conference rooms for DOE and GJO contractor 

personnel.

938 --- --- --- --- Building 938 was formed when two formerly 

separate buildings, 9 and 38, were joined by 

connecting additions. Building 9 was constructed in 

1954; Building 38 was built in 1955. The original 

addition (Bldg. 9A) was also built in 1955. The 

buildings were joined in 1981. The building was 

used for offices and conference rooms for the DOEGJO contractor personnel. The buildings were 

never used for uranium milling or brokerage 

activities.

* Three hyphens (---) in a table cell represent a lack of information.

5.2 Radiological Exposure Sources from GJOO Operations 

The function of a uranium mill is to extract uranium in concentrated form from naturally-occurring 

ore. The product is a semi-refined uranium compound called yellow-cake. The process of uranium 

extraction varies among the mills, due in part to differences in the chemical composition of the ores. 

Steps basic to all mills are crushing, grinding, chemical leaching of the uranium from the ore, and 

recovery of the uranium from the leach solution (Sears, 1976).

The primary sources of external exposure to Grand Junction Operations workers (other than X-rays) 

were direct radiation from handling and processing uranium ore and tailings and submersion in the 

contaminated dust cloud. Inhalation and ingestion of contaminated air resulting from dust generated 

during the various milling operations was the primary source of internal exposure. 
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Sources of Exposure 

GJOO site workers included geologists, engineers, chemists, accountants, secretaries, laborers, 

groundskeepers, and warehousemen. Some of these workers were exposed to the following internal 

and external radiation hazards during the performance of their job duties. It should be noted that these 

sources represent examples of potential exposure of workers and do not represent a list of exposures 

that are evaluated for the class under evaluation. This list was obtained from the U.S. Department of 

Energy Grand Junction Office: Nonradiologic Site Profile for Facility Workers (GJ Nonradiologic 

Site Profile, undated).

• Radiation from pilot plant tailings

• Radiation from uranium concentrate storage 

• Radiation and concentrate dust when the sampling plant employees were moving and 

re-drumming leaking drums and disposing of contaminated drums 

• Radiation when removing uranium ore samples and rejects from the analytical chemistry 

laboratory to the landfill 

• Radiation and uranium ore and silica dust when reclaiming the landfill on the GJOO site

• Radiation and uranium and silica dust when demolishing and remodeling portions of the pilot 

plant 

• Radiation when moving furniture, equipment, uranium concentrate drums, etc., into the 

warehouses that were formerly part of the pilot plant 

• Radiation when moving ore samples from the receiving area to the analytical chemistry laboratory

• Radiation while constructing the test pits to calibrate borehole logging equipment on the GJOO 

site.

• Radiation from high-grade uranium mineral specimens that were accumulated and displayed in 

some laboratories and offices.

Workers such as painters, carpenters, plumbers, and electricians were also exposed to: 

• Uranium and vanadium dust when working in the concentrate sampling plant 

• Radiation from uranium ores and concentrate (yellowcake) when working in the pilot plant 

• Radiation from residual debris when remodeling the sampling plant and certain pilot plant 

buildings 

After the concentrate sampling plant (Building 7) was remodeled into offices, a radiometric survey 

determined that the walls, the mechanical room floor that was the ceiling over the first-floor center 

portion of the building, the roof trusses, and the concrete floor were still contaminated with uranium. 
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Building occupants, especially the Publications Services Department, were exposed to elevated 

gamma radiation.

The following subsections provide an overview of the internal and external exposure sources for the 

Grand Junction Operations Office class under evaluation. 

5.2.1 Internal Radiological Exposure Sources from GJOO Operations

Inhalation and ingestion of uranium ore dust and uranium concentrate dust generated during the 

various milling operations was the primary source of internal exposure for Grand Junction workers. 

Inhalation of radon/radon progeny was also a source of internal exposure. These operations included 

the receipt, sampling, and analysis of uranium and vanadium concentrates and ores received from the 

various ore-processing operations in the western United States.

5.2.1.1 Uranium

The Grand Junction mill received tailings from other mills such as Durango and Uravan, which 

refined other tailings from mills that produced vanadium containing uranium. The Grand Junction 

mill received the partially-refined material and removed all but the last traces of vanadium. The 

process proceeded as follows:

• The material was received by truck. Metal barrels were unloaded and the contents dumped 

through a grader grating into a hopper beneath the floor of the loading platform. The grader 

grating ensured the removal of rock chunks and other extraneous material and also served as a 

coarse sieve. 

• From the hopper, the material was conveyed to a roaster by means of a belt conveyer. As the 

material moved along the conveyer belt, a measured amount of soda ash was added. By roasting 

with soda ash, the vanadium in the material was made water-soluble. 

• The roaster discharged into a wet ball mill where water was added to the roasted material and it 

was ground to a very fine consistency. The ball mill discharged through a classifier, which 

removed such foreign materials as small stones, nails, and bits of metal. The resultant slurry was 

then pumped through a series of Peterson filtration filters.

• The sludge from the Peterson filters was conveyed to a drier. The dried sludge was placed in 

metal barrels and stored before shipment to the Tonawanda Area. This dried material contained

about 15 % uranium, the rest being silica, iron, and traces of vanadium. 

• The filtrate from the Peterson filters was passed through a series of Sperry Filter Presses. The 

filtrate from the Sperry Filter, called alumina cake, was allowed to air-dry. It was stored because 

it contained small amounts of uranium that might be reclaimed if the need ever arose. 
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• The filtrate from the Sperry Presses was pumped into a precipitation tank where a small amount of 

H2SO4 was added along with sodium peroxide. This caused precipitation of the vanadium as a 

red-colored sludge. These precipitation tanks were built with false filter bottoms so that after 

precipitation was complete, the filtrate could be drawn off through the bottom of the tank and 

discarded. 

• The precipitate was shoveled from the tank into a fusion furnace maintained at 800o

 C. The red 

sludge was changed into an oxide (V2O5) which melted and dripped from a small pouring spout. 

The molten V2O5 dripped onto a slowly-revolving metal ring where it solidified and scraped onto 

the floor at a point opposite the pouring spout. The V2O5 was in the form of flat plates about 2 to 

3 inches in diameter, which were broken up into smaller pieces for barreling by pounding the pile 

of plates with a maul (Inspection, 1945).

There are a number of steps in the milling process that could result in the generation of dust. The ore 

dumping, crushing, screening, sampling, and ore movement by conveyer all generate airborne dusts. 

Until the late 1950s, there was little or no ventilation of ore-handling operations which, in turn, meant 

that ore dusts were contained inside the buildings (Sears, 1976). 

At the Grand Junction mills, there were potential dust inhalation hazards during the following 

processes: 

• Dumping the material on the loading platform. This process was conducted in an open area and 

the metal barrel contents were dumped through the grader grating into the hopper below the 

unloading platform. 

• The transfer of ore on the conveyer belt generated dust. 

• In the roaster, dust was released if the roaster joints were not maintained as tightly as possible. In 

this step, very few people and very little supervision were required and only for short intervals. 

• The discharge from the drier was fitted with an exhaust cone that reduced the dust considerably. 

• In breaking up of the V2O5 plates, considerable dust was generated.

There were also a few potential inhalation hazards in the Army Sampling Laboratory, located in the 

warehouse adjoining the Grand Junction mill. Samples were taken from three points during the 

process. A sample was taken upon receipt, which was a composite of small pipe thief samples 

withdrawn from each barrel of each lot just before the barrels were dumped at the unloading platform. 

Another sample was taken of the material that was barreled for shipment to the Tonawanda Area. 

This sample was also a composite of small pipe thief samples withdrawn from each barrel of each lot 

just after the lot had been placed in the warehouse for storage before shipment. The third sample was

taken from the barrels of black V2O5 just before storage in the warehouse (Dust Samples, 1945). 

No particular hazard was encountered in obtaining the samples. The potential hazards arose during 

preparation of the sample after it had been thoroughly dried. After drying, the sample was pulverized 

with a special maul on the floor of the Preparation Room and screened through a 10 mesh screen
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(Note: mesh refers to the openings between the threads of a screen and is measured by the number of 

openings per inch. 10 mesh equals 10 holes or openings per inch). While there was considerable dust 

from this process, most of the dust was removed by a portable hood that was attached to the suction 

system. From here, the sample was reduced in size by subsequent quartering procedures and riffling. 

It was also passed through a pulverizer and finally through a 100 mesh screen. Dust was present in all 

these operations but there seemed to be adequate suction hoods over each operation and the workmen 

wore respirators (Dust Samples, 1945). 

In the storage warehouses, the dust was kept at a minimum because all material was kept in sealed 

drums and the floors were vacuum-cleaned at frequent intervals.

Uranium continued to be a potential source of exposure during the resource evaluation and 

remediation period. In particular, during the remediation period, hundreds of soil and air samples 

were taken and analyzed. The destruction of the buildings and/or their restoration offered the 

potential for subjecting the workers to inhalation of uranium dust. In addition, small quantities of 

uranium mill tailings used to generate radon for radon flux measurements and experiments were 

stored in Building 52 (Building 52 D&D, 1996).

NIOSH has located evidence that there was an air sampling and bioassay program at Grand Junction 

from the earliest days of operation (see Section 6.1 for details). 

5.2.1.2 Thorium

Thorium-232 was not a contaminant of concern at the DOE-GJPO facility (Rust Geotech, 1996a, pdf 

p. 24). Thorium-230 was present in the ore in approximate equilibrium with U-234. Thorium-230 

was depleted relative to U-234 in ore concentrates (yellowcake), but enhanced relative to uranium in 

the mill tailings.

5.2.1.3 Radium

The Grand Junction pilot plants processed 30,000 tons of ore from 1953-1958. With the exception of 

small residual amounts of uranium, the uranium was extracted and all other members of the uranium 

decay chains remained in the tailings at their original activities (Uranium, 2004). As such, Ra-226 

was present in approximate equilibrium with U-234 in the ore. Most of the radionuclides (other than 

uranium) remain insoluble during leaching and leave the mill (pilot plant) with the solid tailings

(Sears 1976). As this infers, Ra-226 was depleted in the concentrates and enhanced in the mill tailings 

relative to uranium. A similar condition occurred with Th-230. 

5.2.1.4 Radon

Radon would be expected in areas and buildings that processed or handled uranium or in buildings 

built on tailings piles. As such, radon/radon progeny could have presented an inhalation hazard to 

workers. See the subsection Air Monitoring Data in Section 6.1 and Table 6-2. 
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5.2.2 External Radiological Exposure Sources from GJOO Operations

ATTRIBUTION: Section 5.2.2 was completed by Ed Scalsky and Roger Halsey, Oak Ridge Associated 

Universities (ORAU). These conclusions were peer-reviewed by the individuals listed on the cover 

page. The rationales for all conclusions in this document are explained in the associated text. 

The material processed at the Grand Junction mill from 1943-1945 had previously been partially 

refined at Uravan and Durango and was not ore, but processed tailings from the mills that produced 

vanadium. The Grand Junction mill removed all but the last traces of vanadium. 

It was felt that the greatest radiation hazard would be in Warehouse 2013 where the more highlyconcentrated materials were stored. Measurements made two inches from a barrel of that material 

showed a reading of 1 mR/8 hrs. With the cover off the barrel, the reading at 6 inches above the 

barrel was 2 mR/8 hrs. A reading taken on the 15% uranium sludge to be shipped to the Tonawanda 

Area was reported as zero. Readings on tailings piles were also reported as zero (Inspection, 1945). 

Table 5-4 shows the principal emissions from natural uranium. Th-230 and Ra-226 may also have 

been present.

Table 5-4: Principal Radiation Emissions from Natural Uranium and Its Short-lived Decay Products

Radionuclide Half-life Beta Energy (MeV Max) • •

U-238 4.468 x 109 years None x: 0.013 (8.8%)

Th-234 24.1 days 0.096 (25%) x: 0.013 (9.6%)

0.189 (73%)
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5.2.2.1 Photon

Table 5-4 shows the primary isotopes and photon energies associated with natural uranium. Exposure 

to these photons was possible during all phases of handling and processing the natural uranium ore. 

Radium-226 was also a source of external exposure to the workers. Other gamma-emitting uranium 

progeny from the U-238 and U-235 decay chains were present and contributed to the photon exposure, 

although the U-235 concentration represents a small part (0.72 % by weight) of the isotopic 

composition of natural uranium while U-238 represents 99.27 % by weight. 

5.2.2.2 Beta

Table 5-4 shows the principal beta emitters and their energies for natural uranium. As indicated, there 

are a significant number of high-energy beta radiations that represent a shallow dose exposure concern 

for those in close contact with the ore. Protactinium-234m is the primary source of external beta 

exposure. Other beta-emitting progeny from both the U-238 and U-235 decay chains were present and 

contributed to the beta exposure. 

5.2.2.3 Neutron

Neutron sources such as Californium-252 and neutron generators using deuterium and tritium targets 

were used on site by one contractor (Personal Communication, 2010b). There is a reference to Grand 

Junction purchasing a “small quantity” of zetatrons (a neutron-producing device that uses a tritium 

target) in the 1991-1995 timeframe. The same reference indicates no zetatrons at Grand Junction in 

the 1980-1990 period (Lutz, 1995). Neutron doses were reported for a few monitored workers from 

1986 through 2005 (see Table 6-6).

5.2.3 Incidents

A review of the available documentation identified only one minor incident at the Grand Junction 

Operations Office that involved a spill of yellowcake (Building 7 Bioassay, 1994). 
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6.0 Summary of Available Monitoring Data for the Class Evaluated 

by NIOSH

The following subsections provide an overview of the state of the available internal and external 

monitoring data for the Grand Junction class under evaluation. 

6.1 Available Grand Junction Operations Office Internal Monitoring Data

ATTRIBUTION: Section 6.1 was completed by Eugene Potter, Mel Chew & Associates; and Ed 

Scalsky, Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU). These conclusions were peer-reviewed by the 

individuals listed on the cover page. The rationales for all conclusions in this document are explained 

in the associated text. 

Bioassay Data

When the Grand Junction site was established, it was recognized that bioassay may be required for 

personnel “directly exposed to special materials” (Ruhoff, 1943). However, there is no 

comprehensive database of bioassay results for the Grand Junction site. A limited number of bioassay 

results are contained in documents captured by NIOSH for the period 1945-1973 and 1995-1999, as 

shown in Table 6-1. 

Within Table 6-1, it should be noted that there is some overlap in the references and that some of the 

early results are not very legible. The small number of results captured to date is due to two factors: 

(1) only a relatively small number of workers on site directly handled the radioactive materials; 

workers were sampled based on perceived likelihood of intakes (just as workers are sampled under 

current DOE standards); and (2) the captured data are from general site records rather than individual 

exposure records (which would likely represent a more complete dataset). 

A review of the claimants in NIOSH’s database indicates that some workers do have bioassay 

measurements included in their records; however, there are not enough claimants with bioassay 

information available to indicate which workers were included in a bioassay program. 

Initially, urine samples were analyzed for total uranium by fluorometric methods by the AEC New 

York Operations Office Health and Safety Laboratory. It appears that bioassay samples were 

subsequently analyzed on site, but the dates are unclear. In 1971, the sampling plant was shut down 

(GJ Contractors, undated), and by early 1975, the remaining drums of uranium concentrate stored on 

site were shipped out. While analytical laboratory operations continued, the source term for most 

workers was then reduced to residual building and environmental contamination. The on-site 

analytical laboratory did not accept high-activity samples, and the workers were not required to be in a 

bioassay program (Personal Communication, 2010h). Bioassay requirements were determined on a 

case-by-case basis by the Health and Safety Plan that governed the specific decontamination and 

decommissioning project (Henwood, 1986; Personal Communication, 2010c). A site procedure 

entitled Internal Radiation Dosimetry Program was revised in 1990 to comply with DOE Order 

5480.11; the revision required weekly samples for subcontractors and monthly samples for site 

employees if they were working in an Airborne Radioactivity Area (Procedure, 1990). 
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Table 6-1: Grand Junction Office Bioassay Data in the Site Research Database

(This table spans three pages)

Year Approx. No. 

of Results Company/Organization SRDB RefIDs Notes

1945 11 GJ Mill (Refinery) 16855 U in urine, 1 seta in Jun

1949 7 None shown 3306 U in urine, all from Dec.

1953 11 American Cyanamid 6645 U in urine, 2 sets - Jul and Dec

1953 4 American Cyanamid 11452 U in urine, 1 set in Dec

1953 32 American Smelting 3319 U in urine, 3 sets Feb, May, and Sep

1953 22 American Smelting 11452 U in urine, 2 sets - Feb and May

1954 10 American Cyanamid 6645 U in urine, 2 sets - Feb and Jul

1954 10 American Cyanamid 11452 U in urine, 2 sets - Feb and Jul

1954 24 American Smelting 3319 U in urine, 2 sets - Jan and Nov

1954 13 American Smelting 11452 U in urine, 2 sets - Jan and May

1956 66 Lucius Pitkin 3307, 3397 U in urine; 3 sets - May, Jun, and Oct

1956 1 None shown 76923 U in urine; result reported Aug 0.009 mg/l

1956 1 None shown 76924 U in urine; result reported Jul 0.078 mg/l

1957 49 Lucius Pitkin 3307, 3397 U in urine; 2 sets - May and Oct

1958 25 Lucius Pitkin 3307, 3397 U in urine, 1 set - Jun

1958 29 Lucius Pitkin 11451 U in urine, 1 set in Dec

1958 1 None shown 76938 One "composite" U in urine sample, 0.016 mg/l 

from Feb

1958 1 None shown 76940 U in urine; one sample, 0.032 mg/l from Jan

1959 31 Lucius Pitkin 3307, 3397 U in urine, 1 set - Jun; plus 1 Aug result

1959 28 Lucius Pitkin 11451 U in urine, 1 set in Dec

1960 49 Lucius Pitkin 3307, 3397 U in urine, 2 sets - Jun and Dec

1961 57 Lucius Pitkin 3307, 3397

U in urine; 2 sets - Jun and Dec; plus 2 Jan

results and 1 Mar result.

1962 26 Lucius Pitkin 3307, 3397 U in urine, 1 set - Jun; plus 1 Jan result. 

1964 See Notes Lucius Pitkin 14442 Annual report for 1964. 8 employees sampled 

in Jul and Dec. One additional in Dec. Results 

were in the range from 0.008 to 0.021 mg/l, 

below the reference pointb (RP) of 0.05 mg/l.

1969 See Notes Lucius Pitkin 13800 Annual report for 1969. In Mar, 23 samples 

were collected. All were below the reference 

point of 0.025 mg/l with 4 exceptions who were 

re-sampled. In Oct, 17 samples were collected 

and all were below the RP with again 4 

exceptions. Re-sampling showed 3 of 4 were 

below. Two employees are listed by name with 

results of 0.054 and 0.077 mg/l.

1972 See Notes Lucius Pitkin 13802 Annual report for 1972. No. of samples not 

given, but all were in the range of 0.001 to 

0.008 mg/l.

1973 See Notes Lucius Pitkin 13803 Annual report for 1973. No. of samples not 

given, but all were in the range of 0.001 to 

0.056 mg/l.

1995 7 RUST Geotech 90511 7 fecal samples sent to Teledyne Brown 

Engineering Environmental Services for alphaspec analysis (U). 
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Table 6-1: Grand Junction Office Bioassay Data in the Site Research Database

(This table spans three pages)

Year Approx. No. 

of Results Company/Organization SRDB RefIDs Notes

1995 10 RUST Geotech 90512 10 urine samples sent to Teledyne Brown 

Engineering Environmental Services for alphaspec analysis (U, Th-230, and Ra-226).

1995 18 RUST Geotech 90513 18 urine samples sent to Teledyne Brown 

Engineering Environmental Services for alphaspec analysis (U, Th-228/230, and Ra-226).

1995 7 RUST Geotech 90514 7 fecal samples sent to Teledyne Brown 

Engineering Environmental Services for alphaspec analysis. 4 Pu/Am and 3 U for 6 personnel 

(one had both).

1995 10 RUST Geotech 90515 10 urine samples sent to Teledyne Brown 

Engineering Environmental Services for alphaspec analysis (U). 

1995 12 RUST Geotech 90516 12 urine samples sent to Teledyne Brown 

Engineering Environmental Services for alphaspec analysis (U, Th-230, and Ra-226). 

1995 10 RUST Geotech 90517 10 urine samples sent to Teledyne Brown 

Engineering Environmental Services for alphaspec analysis (U). Collected 10/3/95.

1996 11 MACTEC 90528 11 fecal samples sent to Teledyne Brown 

Engineering Environmental Services for alphaspec analysis (U). 

1997 12 MACTEC 90528 12 fecal samples sent to Teledyne Brown 

Engineering Environmental Services for alphaspec analysis (U). 

1997 9 MACTEC 90508 9 post-job fecal samples collected 5 days after 

potential exposure; sent to Teledyne Brown 

Engineering Environmental Services for alphaspec analysis (U). Additional urine and fecal 

baseline results on pdf p. 65.

1997 45 MACTEC 90510 45 urine samples sent to Lockheed-Martin 

Idaho Lab in 1997. Total U results in μg/l.

1997 10 MACTEC 90523 10 urine samples sent to Teledyne Brown 

Engineering Environmental Services for alphaspec analysis (U). Collected 1/6/97.

1997 11 MACTEC 90524 11 fecal samples sent to Teledyne Brown 

Engineering Environmental Services for alphaspec analysis (U). Collected 11/12/97.

1997 11 MACTEC 90525 11 fecal samples sent to Teledyne Brown 

Engineering Environmental Services for alphaspec analysis (U). Collected 11/12/97.

1997 9 MACTEC 90526 9 fecal samples sent to Teledyne Brown 

Engineering Environmental Services for alphaspec analysis (U). Collected 11/12/97.

1997 10 MACTEC 90527 10 urine samples sent to Teledyne Brown 

Engineering Environmental Services for alphaspec analysis (U). Collected 4/1/97.
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Table 6-1: Grand Junction Office Bioassay Data in the Site Research Database

(This table spans three pages)

Year Approx. No. 

of Results Company/Organization SRDB RefIDs Notes

1998 6 MACTEC 90507 4 urine samples collected in June 1998 sent to 

Lockheed Martin Idaho Technologies Company 

Bioassay Laboratory for total U as the result of 

an off-site incident (facial contamination from 

windblown tailings at Monticello). 2 fecal 

samples collected in September 1998 and 

analyzed for isotopic U following demolition 

work at the GJO site.

1999 670 MACTEC 90509 Radon personal dosimeter data for individuals 

using Landauer “DRNT” detector (track 

detector). Two quarterly periods and one semiannual period. Exposures reported in pCi/ldays. Of the total, 24 were area monitors.

a A “set” is a group of samples taken at approximately the same time. b A definition of “reference point” was not located. Workers above the reference point were re-sampled. 

Air Monitoring Data

A limited number of air sample results were located for the period of 1975 and earlier. Initially, these 

samples were taken during visits or inspections by the NYOO. Later, the GJOO organizations 

acquired their own sampling and analytical capabilities. Commonly, gross alpha (GA) counts were 

done by scintillation detectors and interpreted as uranium activity. In a few cases, an additional 

analysis was done for radium. In 1967 and 1968, 16 measurements of Rn-222 were made within the 

Grand Junction compound as a part of a large study of radon from tailings (Radon, 1967-68; Public 

Health Service, 1969). In December 1985, three high-volume air samplers were installed on the site; 

air concentrations of uranium, Th-230, and Ra-226 are reported in annual environmental reports for 

1986 through 1993 (Environmental Monitoring, 1986; Environmental Monitoring, 1987; 

Environmental Monitoring, 1988; Environmental Monitoring, 1989; Environmental Monitoring, 1990; 

Environmental Monitoring, 1991; Environmental Monitoring, 1992; Environmental Monitoring, 

1993). Radon measurements are available in the annual environmental reports for 1987 through 1993. 

The annual atmospheric releases of radioactive materials are available for most years from 1992 

through 2001. These reports indicated that very low levels were released; therefore, the on- and offsite concentrations would have been relatively low. The air monitoring data are summarized in Table 

6-2. For the decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) period (1986-2001), numerous other 

examples of air monitoring, including breathing zone samples, have been located. For example, the 

remediation of Building 7, which was contaminated during use for sample preparation, was divided 

into three phases (areas). There were 60 area measurements and 15 personnel measurements made in 

Building 7 just in Phase III (Airborne Radioparticulates, 1994). Most of these measurements were 

made following a 1994 contamination incident caused by a water leak, and during removal of 

contaminated concrete in 1999. Other building health and safety data files contain similar air 

monitoring data (Building 11 H&S Data, 1993-1997; Building 12 H&S Data, 1991-2000; Building 18 

H&S Data, 1991-2001; Building 20 H&S Data, 1990-2000; Building 26 H&S Data, 1980-1998; 
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Building 28 H&S Data, 1986-2000; Building 29 H&S Data, 1997; Building 31/31A H&S Data, 1990-

1992; Building 36 H&S Data, 1992-1996; Health and Safety Checklists, 1990-1991).

Table 6-2: Grand Junction Office Air Monitoring Data in the Site Research Database

(This table spans three pages)

Year Approx. No. 

of Results

Area/Company/

Organization

SRDB Ref 

IDs Notes

1945 3 GJ Mill (Refinery) 16855 All results below 25 μg/m3; collected in 

Jun

1945 3 GJ Warehouse Area 16855 2 results above 25 μg/m3

1945 2 Sampling Lab 16855 All results below 25 μg/m3

1953 10 American Cyanamid 6650 Samples taken in May, Jul and Aug. 3 

samples in May are in terms of alpha 

counts/m3

. 

1954 1 American Cyanamid 6650 Sample from Jun

1956 64 Lucius Pitkin 3307, 3397 Results appear to be GA; Jun and Sep; 

some are BZ samples

1956 6 Lucius Pitkin 3307, 3397 Results appear to be Ra; Ra analysis on 

some GA samples

1956 3 Lucius Pitkin 3337 Report in July of "high" air samples in 

auger sampling room; no concentrations 

given in this report but probably are 

those used for comparison with 1959 

samples in 3343.

1956 See Notes Lucius Pitkin 3393 Report not attached. Summarized as "In 

the initial sampling room the air 

samples were between 200 and 400 

d/p/m3

. In the blender room they were 

of the order of 2,000." Probably 

included in 3307/3397.

1956 See Notes National Lead 3382 Report not attached. Summarized as "of 

the 79 employees who were studied, all 

but three had exposures which were less 

than 50 d/m/m3

. Only one of the 

remaining three had a really significant 

exposure. This man was exposed to 

uranium dust in a concentration of 

approximately 250 mg/m3 (350 

d/m/m3

)."

1956 79 National Lead 10241 Samples from Jul and Sep

1957 25 National Lead 10241 Samples from Apr and Sep

1959 14 Lucius Pitkin 3307, 3397 Results appear to be GA; Nov

1959 3 Lucius Pitkin 3343 22 samples taken in Aug by GJO. Only 

three results were reported by NYOO in 

terms of concentrations

1959 22 Sampling Plant, Lucius 

Pitkin

11452 Samples from Aug

1960 28 Falling Stream Pilot Plant, 

Lucius Pitkin

3307, 3397 Results appear to be GA; Jun and Jul

1960 41 GJO (general) 11452 Samples from Jun and Jul - Outside 

areas (environmental-type)
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Table 6-2: Grand Junction Office Air Monitoring Data in the Site Research Database

(This table spans three pages)

Year Approx. No. 

of Results

Area/Company/

Organization

SRDB Ref 

IDs Notes

1961 12 GJO (general) 11452 Samples from Nov - Outside areas 

(environmental-type)

1961 80 Sampling Plant, LuciusPitkin3307, 3397 Results appear to be GA; Jun (most) 

and Sep

1967 5 GJ AEC Compound 17031 Rn-222 levels in pCi/l; Jul, Sep, Oct, 

and Nov; included in 17034

1967 7 GJ AEC Compound 17034 Rn-222 levels in pCi/l; Jul, Sep, Oct, 

Nov, and Dec

1967 16 GJO (general) 82790 Radon levels in GJ area 1967-1968; 16 

measurements are for one station in or 

near the AEC compound. 

1968 9 GJ AEC Compound 17034 Rn-222 levels in pCi/l; Jan, Feb, Mar, 

Apr, Jun, and Aug

1986 See Notes GJO (general) 90851 Annual Environmental Report with 

particulate monitoring results for three 

stations.

1986 See Notes GJO (general) 29855 Statement that there are "no significant 

radionucide emissions from GJPO 

facilities including the laboratories, 

sample preparation facility, and the 

radon chamber."

1986 300 GJO (in doors) 6640 100 radon-daughter-concentration 

(RDC) measurements in each of Bldgs. 

33, 34, and 35. RDCs averaged 0.0051, 

0.177and, 0.0069 WL, respectively with 

0 percent thoron.

1987 See Notes GJO (general) 90847 Annual Environmental Report with 

particulate monitoring results for three 

stations (total U, Th-230, Ra-226); 

radon monitoring results for three 

stations.

1988 See Notes GJO (general) 90846 Annual Environmental Report with 

particulate monitoring results for three 

stations (total U, Th-230, Ra-226); 

radon monitoring results for three 

stations.

1989 See Notes GJO (general) 90856 Annual Environmental Report with 

particulate monitoring results for four 

stations (total U, Th-230, Ra-226); 

radon monitoring results for three 

stations.

1990 See Notes GJO (general) 90845 Annual Environmental Report with 

particulate monitoring results for four 

stations (total U, Th-230, Ra-226); 

radon monitoring results for three 

stations.

1990 1 GJO (general) 37700 Annual atmospheric release of 

radioactive material
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Table 6-2: Grand Junction Office Air Monitoring Data in the Site Research Database

(This table spans three pages)

Year Approx. No. 

of Results

Area/Company/

Organization

SRDB Ref 

IDs Notes

1991 See Notes GJO (general) 90853 Annual Environmental Report with 

particulate monitoring results for four 

stations (total U, Th-230, Ra-226); 

radon monitoring results for eight 

stations.

1991 1 GJO (general) 37700 Annual atmospheric release of 

radioactive material

1991 30 GJO (in doors) 13191 Results of the DOE indoor radon study; 

19 occupied buildings measured.

1992 See Notes GJO (general) 90860 Annual Environmental Report with 

particulate monitoring results for three

stations (total U, Th-230, Ra-226); 

radon monitoring results for seven 

stations.

1992 1 GJO (general) 37700 Annual atmospheric release of 

radioactive material

1993 See Notes GJO (general) 90857 Annual Environmental Report with 

particulate monitoring results for three 

stations (total U, Th-230, Ra-226); 

radon monitoring results for seven 

stations.

1993 1 GJO (general) 37700 Annual atmospheric release of 

radioactive material

1994 1 GJO (general) 37700 Annual atmospheric release of 

radioactive material

1996 1 GJO (general) 76642 Annual atmospheric release of 

radioactive material

1998 1 GJO (general) 44873 Annual atmospheric release of 

radioactive material

1999 1 GJO (general) 44873 Annual atmospheric release of 

radioactive material

2000 1 GJO (general) 44873 Annual atmospheric release of 

radioactive material

2001 1 GJO (general) 44873 Annual atmospheric release of 

radioactive material

Other Monitoring Data

The cited references contain other types of monitoring from which intakes of radioactive material 

could be inferred, namely soil samples, direct beta-gamma or alpha surface measurements, and smear 

surveys. Most of these references are from the period of site remediation (1986-2001). 

A survey of the facility was conducted in 1985 (Forbes, 1997). At that time, only two small areas of 

the facility had been remediated, an area around Building 7 and a triangular fenced area north of 

Building 18. The survey included soil sample analysis for Ra-226, Th-232, and K-40. At that time, 
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there were 49 buildings on site. Four buildings (31, 33, 34, and 35) were included in contamination 

surveys; they were suspected of being contaminated because they had been part of the Large Pilot 

Plant. The other buildings on site were used primarily for office space. The sample data from this 

survey are useful because they represent the accumulation of contamination from the pilot plants’ 

operations and ore sampling and purchasing activities prior to any major site remediation.

A report, Confirmatory Radiological Survey of the Grand Junction Projects Office Remedial Action 

Project Exterior Portions, 1989-1995 (Forbes, 1997), provides the results of surveys performed by the 

Independent Verification Contractor. Air emissions were not measured. No significant emissions 

would have been expected because the outdoor areas had been remediated at that point.

Whole-body counting is a technique developed in the early to mid-1960s to monitor photon-emitting 

radionuclides in the body. There is no indication that whole-body counting or other in vivo counting 

techniques were employed for Grand Junction workers.

6.2 Available Grand Junction Operations External Monitoring Data

ATTRIBUTION: Section 6.2 was completed by Roger Halsey, Oak Ridge Associated Universities 

(ORAU). These conclusions were peer-reviewed by the individuals listed on the cover page. The 

rationales for all conclusions in this document are explained in the associated text. 

NIOSH’s research located no dosimetry data prior to 1952. NIOSH found 43 film badge results for 

four individuals monitored from November 1952 through January 1953 (Film Badge Results, 1952-

1953). Most of those results indicated no detectable exposure, although some low-level dose was 

recorded. The jobs and work locations of those four workers are unknown. 

Periodic film badge data are available for 10-15 Grand Junction workers in 1957 (Film Badge Results, 

1957a; Film Badge Results, 1957b). Several of those monitored workers had recorded dose. AEC 

memoranda indicate that workers were being monitored for off-site exposure due to entry into mines 

(Harris, D. G., 1957; Harris, W. B., 1957). 

Lucius Pitkin, Inc., monitored 15 of its Sampling Plant workers for exposure in 1958. Film badge 

results are available from January through April, when monitoring was apparently discontinued. 

However, records are also available for a ten-day period in late December 1958 (Film Badge Results, 

1958). No positive results were reported. 

Lucius Pitkin again requested film badges for its Sampling Plant workers in August 1959 to check 

their exposures. Twenty-five results were reported for a two-week period with all values recorded as

zero dose. Other results from 1959 are a two-day monitoring period for 32 personnel in a training 

exercise; all results were reported as zero. 

Exposure data summaries were reported to the AEC and DOE for the Grand Junction Office listing the 

number of personnel monitored broken down by exposure ranges for the years 1960 through 1980 

with the exception of 1974 (Rad Exposure Report, 1975; Rad Exposure Report, 1976; Rad Exposure 

Report, 1977; Rad Exposure Report, 1979; Rad Exposure Report, 1980; Rad Exposure Summary, 

1960-1961; Rad Exposure Summary, 1961-1962; Rad Exposure Summary, 1962-1963; Rad Exposure 
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Summary, 1963-1964; Rad Exposure Summary, 1964; Rad Exposure Summary, 1963-1965; Rad 

Exposure Summary, 1966; Rad Exposure Summary, 1967; Rad Exposure Summary, 1968; Rad 

Exposure Summary, 1969; Rad Exposure Summary, 1970; Rad Exposure Summary, 1971; Rad 

Exposure Summary, 1972; Rad Exposure Summary, 1973-1974). 

It is unclear if the exposure data discussed above included off-site exposure. These data show the 

number of monitored individuals who fall into various exposure ranges. Shallow beta exposures are 

not listed. For 1974 and for years after 1981, data for the Grand Junction Office are not listed in the 

available summary reports. 

For the years 1960 through 1973, the reported ranges were 0 to 1 rem/yr, 1 to 2 rem/yr, 2 to 3 rem/yr, 

etc. The finest division that may be made of these data is in whole rem. All Grand Junction personnel 

fell within the 0 to 1 rem category with the exception of one person in 1970 who fell in the 1 to 2 rem

category. For the years 1975 through 1980, the reports divided the categories more finely. Table 6-3 

lists all report years and the maximum upper limit on any reported exposure. 

Table 6-3: Maximum Annual Exposure Reported to AEC and DOE for GJOO

Year Maximum Exposure to Individual (rem) 

1960 1 

1961 1 

1962 1 

1963 1 

1964 1 

1965 1 

1966 1 

1967 1 

1969 1 

1970 2 

1971 1 

1972 1 

1973 1 

1974 None reported

1975 0.75

1976 All reported as Less Than Measurable

1977 0.50

1978 0.50

1979 0.75

1980 1.00

Interviews indicate that TLDs were used during the NURE and GJRAP activities but no individual 

results were available for review. A limited number of employees who worked with neutrongenerating equipment used neutron dosimetry (Personal Communication, 2010b) but the neutron 

results were not available for review nor is the specific type of dosimetry known. 
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Dosimetry data for DOE facilities are compiled in the Radiation Exposure Monitoring System 

(REMS) database. A request to the REMS Project Manager returned annual results for Grand 

Junction employees for 1985 through 2009, the latest year with available data. An analysis was 

performed on the records to obtain the simple average, the number of records with values, the 

maximum annual value reported, the geometric mean of the non-zero values, and the geometric 

standard deviation of the non-zero values.

Table 6-4 shows the data distribution for the penetrating photon exposure; Table 6-5 shows the data 

distribution for shallow beta exposure results; and Table 6-6 shows the data distribution for neutron 

results. Note that the REMS report tool returns results in millirem instead of in rem as reported in the 

preceding discussion of AEC and DOE reports. 

Table 6-4: Statistical Data on Annual Photon Exposure Reported by REMS for GJOO Personnel

Year No. of 

Individuals 

Average

(millirem)

Maximum

(millirem)

Geometric Mean

(millirem)

Geometric

Standard Deviation

1985 118 126.91 8500 55.07 1.70

1986 54 48.44 145 41.67 1.75

1987 115 23.39 120 20.28 1.66

1988 62 23.45 146 18.03 1.90

1989 81 23.83 134 18.25 1.91

1990 147 21.45 442 16.45 1.73

1991 36 31.86 411 20.81 1.91

1992 46 38.41 193 30.39 1.85

1993 3 53.00 125 31.07 2.85

1994 12 61.08 317 25.92 3.09

1995 10 21.50 40 19.66 1.54

1996 24 15.58 30 14.92 1.34

1997 4 17.50 30 15.65 1.60

1998 120 40.41 189 31.94 1.99

1999 14 23.14 48 19.35 1.82

2000 34 5.50 35 3.29 2.70

2001 33 3.30 13 2.47 2.11

2002 31 6.00 17 4.38 2.33

2003 37 6.68 25 5.21 1.98

2004 41 5.51 29 3.87 2.24

2005 6 11.83 17 9.84 2.08

2006 4 12.50 24 11.13 1.57

2007 10 2.80 15 1.68 2.28

2008 39 3.23 25 2.28 2.12

2009 10 52.50 499 4.25 5.30
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Table 6-5: Statistical Data on Annual Beta Exposure Reported by REMS for GJOO Personnel

Year No. of 

Individuals

Average

(millirem)

Maximum

(millirem)

Geometric Mean

(millirem)

Geometric 

Standard Deviation

1986 48 57.85 323 39.23 2.29

1987 126 29.99 426 22.82 1.86

1988 76 31.84 146 22.62 2.22

1989 91 80.12 2441 27.02 3.10

1990 156 26.15 462 18.00 1.94

1991 50 38.60 411 26.59 2.05

1992 60 45.58 193 35.80 1.93

1993 7 62.43 170 36.96 2.73

1994 13 80.92 349 34.65 3.51

1995 12 21.33 40 19.30 1.58

1996 26 24.77 240 17.25 1.81

1997 7 32.86 60 26.43 2.02

1998 125 45.38 255 35.19 2.04

1999 18 31.44 70 25.67 1.94

2000 50 7.56 58 3.84 2.94

2001 40 4.80 14 3.72 2.10

2002 36 6.72 19 5.25 2.07

2003 41 7.61 28 6.08 1.98

2004 54 7.67 61 4.29 2.79

2005 52 5.65 28 4.06 2.25

2006 48 7.29 29 5.04 2.41

2007 39 6.03 27 4.19 2.27

2008 49 7.82 131 3.93 2.66

2009 17 48.76 471 6.68 4.98
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Table 6-6: Statistical Data on Annual Neutron Exposure, Reported by REMS for GJOO Personnel

Year No. of 

Individuals

Average

(millirem)

Maximum

(millirem)

Geometric Mean

(millirem)

Geometric Standard 

Deviation

1986 6 94.17 181 79.21 1.79

1987 18 26.61 68 19.17 2.47

1988 13 51.38 180 40.59 1.92

1989 2 50.50 76 43.59 1.74

1990 9 36.44 128 28.91 1.80

1991 5 67.40 223 40.98 2.47

1992 3 22.00 31 21.12 1.32

1996 1 20.00 20 20.00 1.00

1997 1 20.00 20 20.00 1.00

1998 3 62.00 70 61.75 1.09

1999 3 37.33 49 36.50 1.23

2003 1 15.00 15 15.00 1.00

2005 1 15.00 15 15.00 1.00

For the film badges and the TLDs, the dosimeters were required primarily for off-site activities (e.g., 

mine visits in the 1950s and vicinity property work in the 1970s and 1980s). For both these cases, 

off-site exposure results cannot be distinguished from on-site exposure results. A 1957 memo 

requesting film badges for Grand Junction discussed the need to monitor employees who routinely 

enter mines where exposure levels were typically between 5 and 10 mR/hr and, in some cases, 

exceeded 20 mR/hr (Harris, D. G., 1957). These levels are higher than any values that have been 

located by NIOSH for the Grand Junction site. 

Interviews with current workers indicate that there is no external monitoring currently (i.e., in 2010) 

performed for Grand Junction employees (Personal Communication, 2010b; Personal 

Communication, 2010d).

7.0 Feasibility of Dose Reconstruction for the Class Evaluated by 

NIOSH

The feasibility determinations for the class of employees under evaluation in this report are governed 

by both EEOICPA and 42 C.F.R. § 83.13(c)(1). Under that Act and rule, NIOSH must establish 

whether or not it has access to sufficient information either to estimate the maximum radiation dose 

for every type of cancer for which radiation doses are reconstructed that could have been incurred 

under plausible circumstances by any member of the class, or to estimate the radiation doses to 

members of the class more precisely than a maximum dose estimate. If NIOSH has access to 

sufficient information for either case, NIOSH would then determine that it would be feasible to 

conduct dose reconstructions. 
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In determining feasibility, NIOSH begins by evaluating whether current or completed NIOSH dose 

reconstructions demonstrate the feasibility of estimating with sufficient accuracy the potential 

radiation exposures of the class. If the conclusion is one of infeasibility, NIOSH systematically 

evaluates the sufficiency of different types of monitoring data, process and source or source term data, 

which together or individually might assure that NIOSH can estimate either the maximum doses that 

members of the class might have incurred, or more precise quantities that reflect the variability of 

exposures experienced by groups or individual members of the class as summarized in Section 7.5. 

This approach is discussed in DCAS’s SEC Petition Evaluation Internal Procedures which are

available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ocas. 

The next four major subsections of this Evaluation Report examine:

• The sufficiency and reliability of the available data. (Section 7.1) 

• The feasibility of reconstructing internal radiation doses. (Section 7.2) 

• The feasibility of reconstructing external radiation doses. (Section 7.3) 

• The bases for petition SEC-00175 as submitted by the petitioner. (Section 7.4) 

7.1 Pedigree of Grand Junction Operations Office Data

This subsection answers questions that need to be asked before performing a feasibility evaluation. 

Data Pedigree addresses the background, history, and origin of the data. It requires looking at site 

methodologies that may have changed over time; primary versus secondary data sources and whether 

they match; and whether data are internally consistent. All these issues form the bedrock of the 

researcher’s confidence and later conclusions about the data’s quality, credibility, reliability, 

representativeness, and sufficiency for determining the feasibility of dose reconstruction. The 

feasibility evaluation presupposes that data pedigree issues have been settled. 

7.1.1 Internal Monitoring Data Pedigree Review

ATTRIBUTION: Section 7.1.1 was completed by Eugene Potter, Mel Chew & Associates; and Ed 

Scalsky, Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU). These conclusions were peer-reviewed by the 

individuals listed on the cover page. The rationales for all conclusions in this document are explained 

in the associated text.

The urine bioassay and air sampling data from the MED/AEC/DOE are contained in original reports 

and are, therefore, primary data sources. Thus, no additional pedigree review was performed for these 

data.

Early bioassay and air results captured by NIOSH were produced by the Health and Safety Lab of the 

AEC’s New York Operations Office. This source is common to most of the atomic-related sites 

operating in the 1940s and 1950s. At some point, on-site bioassay capability was added; however, 

NIOSH has not located a starting date. No site-analyzed bioassay data were located for use in this 

evaluation. By 1995, bioassay samples were analyzed by off-site laboratories. By that time, it had 
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become common for DOE sites to specify quality assurance requirements in statements-of-work for

contract laboratories. Examples of complete data packages showing that quality assurance parameters 

had been met have been captured by NIOSH for the D&D era (see Table 6-1).

7.1.2 External Monitoring Data Pedigree Review

NIOSH reviewed film badge reports from the 1950s that are associated with specific employees by 

name. From associated memos, NIOSH concludes that workers selected for badging were those 

considered most likely to be exposed in the Lucius Pitkin Sampling Plant as well as a group of 

workers who entered off-site mines. These results include gamma and beta exposures and are 

typically for two-week periods. There are no available data for workers who processed ore in the pilot 

plants. 

DOE and AEC reports were used to obtain the maximum annual gamma exposure for the years 1960 

through 1980. The reports listed the number of employees who received annual gamma exposure by 

numerical ranges (e.g., 0-1 rem, 1-2 rem, 2-3 rem). Reports from the years 1975 through 1980 listed 

ranges that were more finely divided (e.g., 0-0.10 rem, 0.10-0.25 rem). The reports neither list 

individuals nor provide any beta exposure information. For each year, Grand Junction employees 

were tabulated by range of exposure. NIOSH assumes that these employees were also wearing their 

dosimetry at off-site locations and acquiring exposure not associated with the site. 

The REMS database was used to create a report for exposures associated with the Grand Junction 

Office. Data were found for the years 1985 through 2009. The report provided individual annual data 

for penetrating photon, shallow beta, and penetrating neutron exposures. These data are summarized 

in Table 6-6, Statistical Data on Annual Photon Exposure, Reported by REMS for GJOO Personnel. 

It is assumed that these data include persons who used their dosimetry at off-site locations. Employee 

interviews indicated that this was a common practice for this time period.

No external monitoring data were found for 1974 or the years 1981 through 1985 in either the DOE 

annual reports or in the REMS database. 

Although the external dosimetry data are not available for all dates, reported dose ranges provide 

bounding values for photon exposure starting in 1960 when the site performed sampling and assay 

functions. There are reported ranges in published reports for the latter half of the 1970s during the 

NURE and GJRAP clean-up initiatives. There are also reported ranges from the REMS database for 

1998 to 2001 that apparently include the period when neutron sources were used. 

7.2 Evaluation of Bounding Internal Radiation Doses at GJOO

ATTRIBUTION: Section 7.2 and its related subsections were completed by Eugene Potter, Mel Chew 

& Associates. These conclusions were peer-reviewed by the individuals listed on the cover page. The 

rationales for all conclusions in this document are explained in the associated text. 

The principal source of internal radiation doses for members of the class under evaluation was the 

potential inhalation and ingestion of airborne natural uranium and its decay products by employees 

directly involved in refining, milling, and sampling of uranium ore or concentrates. Other employees 

were potentially exposed to the emissions from these facilities or the re-suspension of contamination 
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on surfaces or in soil during the course of their work on site. The following subsections address the 

ability to bound internal doses, methods for bounding doses, and the feasibility of internal dose 

reconstruction. 

7.2.1 Evaluation of Bounding Process-Related Internal Doses

The following subsections summarize the extent and limitations of information available for 

reconstructing the process-related internal doses of members of the class under evaluation. 

7.2.1.1 Urinalysis Information and Available Data 

As shown in Table 6-1, approximately 700 uranium urine and fecal samples for 1943-1999 have been 

captured from site and DOE records. The urinalysis program targeted workers who were directly 

exposed to the uranium ores and concentrates. Unmonitored workers were exposed to a small fraction 

of these sources. Data have been captured for the operation of the refinery, the Small Pilot Plant, and 

the Sampling Plants. No urine bioassay data have been captured for the Large Pilot Plant. 

Some urinalysis and fecal analysis data for on-site remediation activities from 1986 through 2001 

have been recovered. These data are from contractor bioassay laboratories; the data packages include 

quality assurance data and information.

7.2.1.2 Fecal Samples

Some fecal data for on-site remediation activities from 1986 through 2001 have been recovered. 

These data are from contractor bioassay laboratories; the data packages include quality assurance data 

and information.

7.2.1.3 Airborne Levels

Approximately 700 air sample results have been recovered from site and DOE records for 1945-1993. 

The details are shown in Table 6-2. Between 1945 and 1961, the results were generally particulate 

samples counted for gross alpha which was then interpreted as uranium. There are indications of 

daily-weighted-exposure studies done in the Large Pilot Plant in 1956 (Survey, 1956) and in the 

Sampling Plant in 1956 and 1959 (Lucius Pitkin, 1959), but only summary results have been captured 

(giving the highest or most significant exposures). For the 1960s, only radon or radon daughter 

results have been recovered. In 1985, 100 radon-daughter-concentration (RDC) measurements were 

located for each of three buildings that had once been used to process uranium. Thirty radon 

measurements were made of 19 buildings in 1989-1990 as a part of the DOE Indoor Radon Study 

(Radon, 1989-1990, pdf pp. 153-154). During remediation, GJO documents frequently cite the data 

from the DOE Indoor Radon Study in terms of Working Level (WL), assuming a typical indoor 

equilibrium factor of 0.5. Other WL measurements in 1989 for Buildings 6 and 31, and in 1997-1998 

for Buildings 7, 28, 30, 31A, 32, 54, and 810 were located in the characterization data (Attachment 1). 

In addition to the data in Table 6-2, evidence has been captured of an extensive air sampling program 

during the D&D of the site buildings, including breathing zone samples (Airborne Radioparticulates, 

1994).
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7.2.1.4 Alternative Data Sources for Bounding Internal Dose

Alternative data include two sets of soil samples. The first set of soil samples was taken as part of an 

early-1985 survey and published in a 1986 report (Henwood, 1986). At the time of these 

measurements, only two small areas had been remediated. Therefore, the conditions represented the 

accumulated environmental contamination from the milling, sampling, and storage operations done on 

site. Most of the contaminated material was located at two sites, a tailings burial area and along a dike 

that bordered the Gunnison River in the southwest part of the site. Four buildings which had been part 

of the Large Pilot Plant were also surveyed. The buildings, which had been part of the Large Pilot 

Plant, were surrounded by shallow soil contamination. The interiors were surveyed for alpha 

contamination and radon daughter concentrations in air. The soil samples were characterized for 

Ra-226, Th-232, and K-40 using gamma-ray spectroscopy. 

The second set of soil samples was taken in 1995 and the results are in a 1997 report issued by the 

Independent Verification Contractor after the remediation of the outdoor areas of the site (Forbes, 

1997). The tailings had been removed from the site by the end of 1994. All of the buildings had been 

removed or decontaminated to acceptable levels. Although contamination may still have existed 

under buildings and asphalt, it was not likely to become airborne. The soil samples were 

characterized for Ra-226, Th-230, and total uranium. 

Characterization data have been captured in a series of close-out reports for buildings 

decommissioned in 1989-2001 (see Attachment 1). These reports identify fixed and removable 

contamination found before remediation. 

7.2.2 Evaluation of Bounding Ambient Environmental Internal Doses

In early 1975, the last of the stockpiled ore concentrates were shipped off site. After 1975, locations 

of possible discharge to the atmosphere were the Chemical Laboratory (Building 20) and the Sample 

Preparation Laboratory (Building 7). Both of these buildings were found to be minor sources 

(Environmental Monitoring, 1979). In 1983, a chamber for the study of radon measurements was 

constructed on site. Radon released from this facility was reported to be “insignificant” 

(Environmental Monitoring, 1984).

Particulates from ground-surface contamination and radon from buried tailings were also potential 

sources. There were no buildings or operational activities in the tailings area. In January 1980, a 

fence and warning signs were installed at the tailings burial site (Environmental Monitoring, 1979, pdf 

p. 10). In the early 1980s, radon from the tailings was considered to be the only significant source of 

airborne radiation. The environmental monitoring programs for radon and particulates were initiated 

in 1984 and 1985, respectively. In 1986, DOE made the statement that there are "no significant 

radionuclide emissions from GJPO facilities including the laboratories, sample preparation facility, 

and the radon chamber" (Air Emissions, 1985). It is likely that this had been the case at least since the 

ore concentrates had been removed from the site.

Data from the 1986 Environmental Monitoring Report (Environmental Monitoring, 1986) can be used 

to bound the environmental dose from particulates for the period February 1, 1975 through December 

31, 1986 because conditions on site changed very little during this period. Radon environmental 

monitoring data were not reported until the 1987 Environmental Monitoring Report (Environmental 
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Monitoring, 1987). These radon data can be used to bound the environmental dose from radon for the 

period February 1, 1975 through December 31, 1987. Particulate and radon data for 1987-1993 

(during the remediation period when site conditions changed) are available in the corresponding 

Environmental Monitoring Reports. For the remediation period (1986-2001), values for the total 

annual atmospheric release of radioactive material were also located (DOE, 2001; DOE, 2004; 

Environmental Monitoring, 1997). After removal of uranium mill tailings from open-land areas of the 

facility was completed in July 1994, three air monitoring programs designed to monitor the effect of 

GJORAP contamination on the facility's ambient air quality were discontinued (Environmental 

Monitoring, 1997). In November 1999, GJPO was included on the list of sites that do not conduct 

ambient air radioactive particulate or tritium monitoring (Baumann, 2000). For the period 1994-2001 

(after the open land areas were remediated), data from the 1993 Environmental Monitoring Report can 

be used to bound the environmental dose from particulates and radon. Following a review of the 

available data, NIOSH has determined that, after 2001, environmental doses were equal to background 

radiation; the site was released for unrestricted use in 2001. 

7.2.3 Methods for Bounding Internal Dose at Grand Junction

7.2.3.1 Methods for Bounding Operational Period Internal Dose

NIOSH finds it is not feasible to estimate internal dose with sufficient accuracy for all workers on site 

from March 23, 1943, through January 31, 1975 because there is insufficient information to estimate 

radon exposures from plant operations during this period. Although NIOSH found that it is not 

possible to completely reconstruct radiation doses for the proposed class, NIOSH intends to use any 

internal monitoring data that may become available for an individual claim (and that can be 

interpreted using existing NIOSH dose reconstruction processes or procedures). Therefore, dose 

reconstructions for individuals employed at Grand Junction Operations Office during the period from 

March 23, 1943 through January 31, 1975, but who do not qualify for inclusion in the SEC, may be 

performed using these data as appropriate. 

Bounding Uranium Inhalation Intakes from February 1, 1975 through July 31, 2010

By February 1, 1975, concentrate sampling operations had ended and the site mission had changed to 

mainly off-site work (e.g., NURE, UMTRA). Some workers occupied areas that had been used for 

sampling operations (e.g., converted to office space). The area contained mainly fixed contamination, 

but there was loose contamination in some overhead spaces, in walls, and in areas that were normally 

unoccupied. The workers were mainly exposed to residual yellowcake contamination. Some workers 

continued to be exposed to radioactive materials during sample preparation, laboratory operations, 

waste processing, etc. This work involved relatively small sample quantities. Air samples were taken 

at the Sampling Plant in July 1980 while ore samples were being prepared. The highest measured 

concentration was 0.0046 mg/m3

 (3.1 pCi/m3) (Environmental Monitoring, 1980). While some of the 

process buildings from the Large Pilot Plant were still on site (Buildings 31, 33, 34, and 35), they 

were generally unoccupied and used for storage (D&D Report, 1995, pdf p. 15). 

For an office worker scenario, a wealth of data was located in close-out survey reports. These reports 

summarized the characterization data that had been collected prior to the remediation or 

decommissioning of the site buildings. A summary of the characterization data is provided in 

Attachment 1. A review of the data indicates that most of the removable contamination was in 
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inaccessible areas and was normally less than 1000 dpm/100 cm2. This was also the GJO limit for 

removable alpha or beta-gamma contamination. Therefore, 1000 dpm/100 cm2 could be used with an 

appropriate re-suspension factor and respiration rate to calculate a bounding intake for either an office 

worker exposed to residual contamination or an analytical laboratory worker whose work area would 

have been controlled to well below this level on a long-term basis.

Investigations for site remediation began in 1984. The remedial investigation/feasibility study (RI/FS) 

was done in 1989. The Record of Decision (ROD) was approved in 1990 (GJ MAP, 1996). The 

tailings were removed in 1989-1994. A close-out survey by the independent verification contractor 

(IVC) for the outdoor areas of the site was completed in 1995 (Forbes, 1997). Additional close-out 

surveys and verifications were done for each building on site that was released for unrestricted use

(see Attachment 1). Each close-out report includes a statement about the successful use of health and 

safety practices during the clean-up. In 2001, the site was turned over to a non-profit corporation and 

DOE leased back office and laboratory space. 

Thousands of pages of health and safety data (e.g., RWPs, survey maps, field measurements, air 

samples) have been recently captured for the period 1991-2007, when most of the D&D activities took 

place (Building 7 H&S Data, 1991-2001; Building 11 H&S Data, 1993-1997; Building 12 H&S Data, 

1991-2000; Building 18 H&S Data, 1991-2001; Building 20 H&S Data, 1990-2000; Building 26 H&S 

Data, 1980-1998; Building 28 H&S Data, 1986-2000; Building 29 H&S Data, 1997; Building 31/31A 

H&S Data, 1990-1992; Building 36 H&S Data, 1992-1996; Health and Safety Checklists, 1990-

1991). Some bioassay data have also been captured for the period 1995-1999. There is no database of 

results that can readily be used for a co-worker study. However, from these data it is evident that the 

most highly-exposed workers were monitored. If no data are available for a D&D worker, the 

bounding dose scenario can be constructed from the health and safety data. For example, Buildings 7 

and 7A were used for sample preparation and were extensively contaminated. Building 7 was 

remediated to unrestricted area levels and was transferred to the U.S. Army Reserve. Contaminated 

concrete was removed with a concrete saw and jack-hammer or “scabbled” (mechanical removal of a 

thin layer by a power tool). Walls with internal contamination were removed and rebuilt. Health and 

Safety monitoring data are available for these operations (Building 7 H&S Data, 1991-2001; Building 

7A H&S Data, 1991-2001; Building 7A H&S Data, 2001; Building 7 H&S Data - Phase I, 1972-1999; 

Building 7 H&S Data - Phase II, 1980-2000). The bounding dose could then be assigned to other 

years with less data or less-intrusive work. NIOSH concludes that sufficient data are available to 

bound doses for D&D workers. By extension, these doses would bound workers with jobs requiring 

less exposure to contaminated materials. 

Bounding Inhalation Intakes from Ra-226, Th-230, and Th-232

During a site characterization in 1985, the Th-232 in soils was insignificant compared to Ra-226 and 

would contribute a negligible additional dose (Henwood, 1986, pdf pp. 47-54). 

For 1975-2001, the primary source term for an office worker in a former sampling building was 

yellowcake. Sample preparation and analytical laboratory workers were mainly exposed to non-ore 

materials and occasionally ore samples during NURE work. The UMTRA program and other 

environmental restoration activities carried out by the GJO only required the analysis of relatively 

small, low-activity samples. However, the chemical work was carried out in fume hoods. Protection 

from the highly-toxic acids used to digest rock samples would also have protected the workers from 
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radioactive materials (Environmental Monitoring, 1980). Similarly, the sample preparation area 

required adequate ventilation to protect workers from silica dust, which would also have provided 

protection from radioactive materials. D&D workers were exposed to yellowcake during D&D of the 

sampling buildings (e.g., Buildings 7 and 7A). They were also potentially exposed to tailings during 

D&D of the former Large Pilot Plant buildings (31, 33, 34, and 35). Workers (mainly subcontractors) 

were exposed to tailings during the remediation of tailings and open land areas in 1989-1994. There 

is ample evidence of protective measures (i.e., dust suppression), H&S monitoring, and bioassays 

being collected during these operations (Health and Safety Checklists, 1990-1991). Some bioassay 

samples were analyzed for Th-230 and Ra-226 (see Table 6-1), indicating the site’s awareness of the 

hazards of uranium tailings. Other workers on site who were not directly involved in the D&D of the 

former Large Pilot Plant buildings or the remediation of open land areas may have been exposed to 

Ra-226 and Th-230 from tailings as a result of this work. The dose to these workers can be accounted 

for by assigning ambient environmental internal dose. 

Bounding Intakes of Radon and Radon Decay Products

Radon in the outdoor environment is discussed in Section 7.2.3.2. No data on radon in the buildings 

have been recovered for the operational period (March 23, 1943 through January 31, 1975). By 

February 1975, the last of the 103,776 drums of uranium concentrates had been shipped from the site. 

Because these drums contained between a few hundred pounds to a few tons of Ra-226, they probably 

represented a relatively minor source of radon exposures. Although concentrate sampling operations 

were reported to have ended in 1971, it is unclear whether this also applied to ore sampling, which 

was a potential source of radon exposures. In any case, by February 1975, the amount of material 

stored on site was greatly reduced and the site’s primary mission was the NURE program. 

The NURE program was not a uranium exploration program. Rather, extensive geologic studies were 

done to identify and evaluate geologic environments favorable for locating uranium (Albrethsen, 

1986). On-site sample preparation and analytical activities were primarily on non-ore materials. 

After the operational period ended on January 31, 1975, the Ra-226 in surface contamination, and in 

soils under/around the buildings remained relatively constant until the remediation of the outdoor 

areas.

Radon in buildings was studied extensively in the D&D era (1989-2001). There are indoor 

radon-decay-product measurements for most of the buildings, including 300 daughter measurements 

taken in 1985 in some of the former pilot plant buildings. Only Building 34, the former boiler 

building for the Large Pilot Plant, exceeded 0.02 WL (averaged over 100 hours) (Henwood, 1986, pdf 

p. 36). This building had been used to store ore and yellowcake and was not routinely occupied 

(Facility Tour, 1984, pdf p. 2). In 1990, the site implemented and participated in the DOE radon study 

that included all occupied buildings on site at that time. The study’s measurements were 

representative of the highest radon levels in those portions of the buildings that were fit for occupancy 

(Radon, 1989-1990, pdf p. 19). An analysis of these data indicates that the median concentrations 

were less than 2 pCi/l or 0.010 WL. Only three buildings were greater than 4 pCi/l or 0.020 WL: 

Building 26 (4.5 pCi/l), Building 30B (5.7 pCi/l), and Building 32 (4.9 pCi/l). These buildings were 

reassessed in 1997-1998 after remediation and all measured less than 0.008 WL (1.6 pCi/l) 

(Attachment 1). The available radon measurements can be used to establish a bounding dose from 

radon and radon decay products for February 1, 1975 to December 31, 2001. After 2001, the site 
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radon values were reduced to background levels and there were no occupational exposures to radon at 

the GJO site.

7.2.3.2 Methods for Bounding Ambient Environmental Internal Dose

Because environmental conditions on site changed very little during the period February 1, 1975 

through December 31, 1986, airborne concentrations of total uranium, Th-230, and Ra-226 measured 

at three locations and reported in the 1986 Environmental Monitoring Report were used to calculate 

bounding intakes of particulates for this period (Environmental Monitoring, 1986). Both a mean 

concentration and the maximum concentration per year were reported. The 1986 values included all 

particulates, even those above the 10 micron respirable range. The reported concentrations did not 

include any background subtraction; therefore, the maximum concentration values are bounding for 

the 1975-1986 period. For each year during the important outdoor remediation period (1987-1993), 

annual measured concentrations are also available. Since remediation of the outdoor areas had been 

completed, the period 1994-2001 is represented by the 1993 values. To calculate the maximum 

intakes, a breathing rate of 1.2 m3/hour and an exposure time of 2,000 hours per year were assumed. 

No solubility information was located. Ingestion intakes were assumed to be 2.1% of the inhalation 

intakes. The results are presented in Table 7-1. 

Table 7-1: Bounding Particulate Environmental Intakes, 1975-2001

Time Uranium Th-230 Ra-226

Period Inhalation Ingestion Inhalation Ingestion Inhalation Ingestion

(pCi/yr) (pCi/yr) (pCi/yr) (pCi/yr) (pCi/yr) (pCi/yr)

2/1/75-1986 1.20E+01 2.51E-01 2.40E+00 5.04E-02 2.06E+00 4.32E-02

1987 4.80E-01 1.01E-02 5.52E+00 1.16E-01 3.12E+00 6.55E-02

1988 1.27E+00 2.67E-02 4.08E+00 8.57E-02 5.28E+00 1.11E-01

1989 1.73E+01 3.63E-01 3.36E+00 7.06E-02 3.84E+00 8.06E-02

1990 9.12E+00 1.92E-01 4.32E+00 9.07E-02 3.84E+00 8.06E-02

1991 5.49E+01 1.15E+00 1.70E+01 3.58E-01 7.74E+00 1.63E-01

1992 1.92E+00 4.03E-02 4.56E+00 9.58E-02 5.04E+00 1.06E-01

1993-2001 2.09E+00 4.38E-02 1.25E+00 2.62E-02 1.08E+00 2.27E-02

Radon environmental monitoring data were not reported until the 1987 Environmental Monitoring 

Report. However, the report states that the “radon values measured during this more recent period are 

also consistent with the previous years’ annual averages, which indicates a constant rate of radon 

emission from the contaminated areas” (Environmental Monitoring, 1987). For 1987 through 1993, 

annual average concentrations in μCi/ml for three to eight stations per year are available. Importantly, 

radon data are available during the remediation period when site conditions changed. More 

monitoring stations were used during the invasive tailings removal work in 1991-1993. For 1987-

1991, the annual values reported were for November of the previous year to November of the reported 

year. Any slight differences in the values for the calendar year were ignored for this analysis. For 

1992-1993, the annual values reported closely matched the calendar year. The 1987 maximum annual 

average data can be used to bound the environmental dose from radon for the period February 1, 1975 

through December 3, 1987. For 1988-1993, annual maximum averages are available. The data from 

the 1993 Environmental Report is representative of the period 1994-2001. After 2001, radon was 
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reduced to background levels and no radon dose is assigned. The maximum annual average radon 

value for each year was used to calculate the radon-daughter maximum working level months per year 

by assuming a typical outdoor equilibrium factor of 0.3, 2000 hours per year of exposure, and 170 

hours per working level month. The data are presented in Table 7-2. It should be noted that none of 

the reported annual radon averages included a background subtraction (Environmental Monitoring, 

1987). In 1988, the background in the Grand Junction area was reported to be 8.4 x 10-10 μCi/ml 

(Environmental Monitoring, 1988).

Table 7-2: Bounding Radon Daughter Intakes, 1975-2001

Time Radon Radon WL WLM/yr

Period Concentration Concentration

 (μCi/ml) (pCi/l) 

2/1/75-1987 1.80E-09 1.80E+00 5.40E-03 6.35E-02

1988 3.30E-09 3.30E+00 9.90E-03 1.16E-01

1989 3.50E-09 3.50E+00 1.05E-02 1.24E-01

1990 1.80E-09 1.80E+00 5.40E-03 6.35E-02 

1991 1.54E-09 1.54E+00 4.61E-03 5.43E-02

1992 9.13E-10 9.13E-01 2.74E-03 3.22E-02

1993-2001 5.80E-10 5.80E-01 1.74E-03 2.05E-02

7.2.4 Internal Dose Reconstruction Feasibility Conclusion 

NIOSH finds it is not feasible to estimate internal dose with sufficient accuracy for all workers on site 

from March 23, 1943 through January 31, 1975. There is insufficient information to estimate radon 

exposures from plant operations during this period. By February 1, 1975, sampling operations had 

ended, the amount of material stored on site was greatly reduced, and the site’s primary mission was 

the NURE program. Although geological samples were still analyzed on site, the quantities were 

much smaller than during the uranium procurement program and they were mainly non-ore materials. 

The UMTRA program and other environmental restoration activities carried out by the GJO only 

required the analysis of relatively small, low-activity samples. On site, the workers were mainly 

exposed to residual contamination until D&D operations began. NIOSH has identified sufficient 

information and data related to residual contamination in the buildings and air samples during the 

D&D operations to support bounding internal dose for the February 1, 1975 through July 31, 2010 

period using available methodologies. 
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Although NIOSH found that it is not possible to completely reconstruct internal radiation doses for the 

period from March 23, 1943 through January 31, 1975, NIOSH intends to use any internal monitoring 

data that may become available for an individual claim (and that can be interpreted using existing 

NIOSH dose reconstruction processes or procedures). Dose reconstructions for individuals employed 

at the Grand Junction Operations Office during the period from March 23, 1943 through January 31, 

1975, but who do not qualify for inclusion in the SEC, may be performed using these data as 

appropriate. 

7.3 Evaluation of Bounding External Radiation Doses at GJOO

ATTRIBUTION: Section 7.3 was completed by Roger Halsey, Oak Ridge Associated Universities 

(ORAU). These conclusions were peer-reviewed by the individuals listed on the cover page. The 

rationales for all conclusions in this document are explained in the associated text. 

The principal source of external radiation doses for members of the evaluated class was uranium 

progeny, primarily radium-226 for penetrating photon exposures and protactinium-234m for shallow 

beta exposures. 

The following subsections address the ability to bound external doses, methods for bounding doses, 

and the feasibility of external dose reconstruction. 

7.3.1 Evaluation of Bounding Process-Related External Doses

The following subsections summarize the extent and limitations of information available for 

reconstructing the process-related external doses of members of the class under evaluation.

7.3.1.1 Personnel Dosimetry Data

NIOSH found no dosimetry records prior to November 1952. Limited film badge data are available 

from November 1952 through 1959. Available data include Sampling Plant workers and a group of 

workers who received off-site exposure. No dosimetry results are available for pilot plant workers, 

nor are there summary reports of site exposures for all operations. There are site exposure summary 

data starting in 1960, which include the sampling and assay and laboratory era, the remediation era, 

and the post-remediation era. Some of the reviewed data can be associated with personnel on 

particular projects or operations; the values likely included off-site exposures for certain workers. It is 

assumed that personnel with the greatest exposures, regardless of the operation, were issued film 

badges. 

Photon

Film badge data from the 1950s include photon exposure. These results are identifiable by name and 

date. The greatest majority of the film badge results were listed as zero exposures. The reports 

include the statement: “NOTE: Where no exposure figure is given, the measured exposure is less than 

150 mR or equivalent.” However, dose reports for those workers who received measured dose in that 

era (mainly workers receiving dose for entry into off-site mines) routinely included measured dose 

much lower than 150 mR. 
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From 1960 through 1980, with the exception of 1974, AEC and DOE reports summarized data for 

Grand Junction employees. These reports state the number of employees who received photon 

exposure within specified numeric ranges. 

No data were found for the years 1981 through 1985 in either the DOE annual reports or in the REMS 

database.

For the data obtained from the REMS system for the years 1985 through 2009, the system reported 

annual exposure results for individuals. These data are summarized in Table 6-4. 

Although external dosimetry data are not available for all years, there are annual dose reports that 

provide bounding values for photon exposures for the 1960s during the period when the site continued 

with assay and laboratory functions. There are reported ranges in published reports for the latter half 

of the 1970s during the NURE and GJRAP clean-up initiatives; and there are detailed data from the 

REMS database for the years from 1985 through 2009. 

Beta

Film badge data from the 1950s include beta exposure. These results are identifiable by name and 

date. The greatest majority of the film badge results for the monitored Sampling Plant workers were 

listed as zero exposures. The reports included a statement that said: “NOTE: Where no exposure 

figure is given, the measured exposure is less than 150 mR or equivalent.” 

From 1960 through 1980, DOE and AEC reports summarized data for Grand Junction employees. 

These reports do not include beta exposure results. 

For the data obtained from the REMS database for the years 1985 through 2009, the annual beta 

exposure is reported. These data are summarized in Table 6-5. 

Although external dosimetry data are not available for all years, there are representative film badge 

data with photon and beta results. During the life of the site, the same materials were encountered by 

the workers, albeit in varying amounts. It would be expected that available data that include a ratio of 

beta to gamma exposures would provide a representative ratio for other years of operation. 

Neutron

The only neutron exposure data reviewed were from the REMS system, which reported annual 

neutron exposures between 1986 and 2005. Only a few individuals (in some years, only one) were 

reported to have received exposures greater than zero. These data are summarized in Table 6-6. 

7.3.1.2 Area Monitoring Data

There are very few area monitoring data prior to 1968, and only qualitative results have been found in 

the documents that were reviewed. A July 1945 report indicated that “no radiation hazard exists in the 

Colorado Area” (Inspection, 1945, pdf p. 9). In the same document, a result of “1 mR/8hrs” was 

reported from a measurement taken two inches above a closed barrel of relatively high-grade ore. A 
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measurement result of 2 mR/8 hours was also reported for six inches above the barrel with the lid 

removed. The document specified that the ore contained 30% uranium. 

In a memo detailing a visit to the sampling plant in 1953, it is stated that “No radiation hazard exists 

in the plant” (Site Visit, 1953). A 1956 memo about a Grand Junction Pilot Plant survey states, 

“Direct radiation and radium concentrations were found to be insignificant” (Survey, 1956). 

In 1968, as part of a radon study, several CaF2 TLDs were placed three feet above the ground at 

various locations, including directly over tailings piles. The readings over the piles were 0.2 and 0.4 

mR/hr; all other readings were reported as 0.020 mR/hr (Public Health Service, 1969). 

In 1980, a site-wide survey was performed measuring ambient levels at 424 points, both inside and 

outside the buildings (Survey, 1980). This survey may best represent site conditions prior to the 

remediation activities that began in 1988. Readings were taken with a portable ionization chamber 

coupled to a Victoreen femtometer on a 100-foot grid at waist height. This survey determined that 

elevated readings were associated with buried tailings piles and were “located well away from daily 

work areas for compound employees” (Survey, 1980, pdf p. 9). This same report indicated that the 

highest reading for an inhabited building was 62 μR/hr, and the average compound employee would 

receive approximately 102 millirem per year. Note that this figure includes exposure from both 

on-site sources and local background. 

During the remediation of the site under the GJORAP program, extensive verification surveys of the 

exterior areas were performed between 1989 and 1995 by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) 

(Forbes, 1997). The primary purpose of these surveys was to seek out and screen contaminated 

materials rather than assess ambient exposure levels; however, the report contains specific locations of 

elevated readings and many maps delineating the gamma exposure ranges and their lateral extent 

(Forbes, 1997, pdf pp. 37-41, 66-79). 

In September 1995, DOE published the Final Report of the Decontamination and Decommissioning of 

the Exterior Land Areas at the Grand Junction Projects Office Facility (D&D Report, 1995). Table 

D-1 in Appendix D of that report contains several thousand verification measurements showing the 

ambient gamma exposure rates. The listed values were typically in the 14 to 20 μR/hr range with

some measurements exceeding a few hundred microroentgens per hour, with the highest reading being 

767 μR/hr (D&D Report, 1995, pdf pp. 68-92). 

7.3.2 Evaluation of Bounding Ambient Environmental External Doses

For the time period prior to the remediation work, the ambient levels were low and difficult to 

distinguish from background levels. This is supported by several statements in memos and reports, 

and numerically by the 1968 TLD data collected as part of a radon study (Public Health Service, 

1969). The 1968 data indicate a value of 20 μR/hr for all locations except those directly on the 

tailings piles; those locations were measured as high as 0.4 mR/hr. In a Radiometric Survey of the 

Grand Junction Facility, March 1980, the average value for exterior readings (including those 

collected over the tailings piles) was 22.82 μR/hr. This same report indicated that the highest reading 

for an inhabited building was 62 μR/hr, and the average compound employee would receive 

approximately 102 millirem per year (Survey, 1980, pdf p. 12). These results included the local 
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background radiation. These values may be considered representative of all years prior to the 

remediation activities.

The Final Report of the Decontamination and Decommissioning of the Exterior Land Areas at the 

Grand Junction Projects Office Facility states that the exterior land areas had been remediated for 

release for unrestricted use (D&D Report, 1995, pdf p. 9). In the table, Post Excavation Sampling and 

Measurement Results for Exterior Land Use (D&D Report, 1995, pdf pp. 68-92), the greatest majority 

of readings fell below 20 μR/hr. These results may be considered representative of the postremediation condition of the site. 

7.3.3 Grand Junction Occupational X-Ray Examinations 

ATTRIBUTION: Section 6.2 was completed by Roger Halsey, Oak Ridge Associated Universities 

(ORAU). These conclusions were peer-reviewed by the individuals listed on the cover page. The 

rationales for all conclusions in this document are explained in the associated text.

Semi-annual medical examinations with annual chest X-rays were initially recommended for Grand 

Junction in 1943 (Ruhoff, 1943). 

Information on the X-ray frequency, type, and (for certain years) the model of X-ray machine with the 

actual settings used has been documented for Grand Junction. Generally, chest X-rays were 

administered for new hires and annually thereafter. For the years 1989 through 1992, an additional 

lateral chest X-ray was performed for new hires (Site X-Ray History, undated). 

For years prior to 1947, it is unclear whether the X-rays were taken on or off site. For the years 1947 

through 1961, X-rays were taken off site at an uncovered facility. The dose from X-rays at an off-site, 

uncovered facility is not included during dose reconstruction. For 1962 through 1969, X-rays were 

taken with a portable unit brought to the Grand Junction Office; after 1969, they were taken off site at 

an uncovered facility (Site X-Ray History, undated). 

The medical X-ray dose can be bound using these data along with the assumptions contained in the 

technical information bulletin, Dose Reconstruction from Occupationally Related Diagnostic X-ray 

Procedures (ORAUT-OTIB-0006).

7.3.4 Methods for Bounding External Dose at Grand Junction

There is an established protocol for assessing external exposure when performing dose reconstructions 

(these protocol steps are discussed in the following subsections): 

• Photon Dose 

• Beta Dose

• Neutron Dose 

• Medical X-ray Dose
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7.3.4.1 Methods for Bounding Operational Period External Dose

Photon Dose

There are no dosimetry or area radiation surveys available for exposures in the refinery or during the 

operational years of the pilot plants. Limited data are available for 1952 through 1959. Therefore, 

photon dose cannot be reconstructed for all exposures from 1943 through 1959. Photon dose can be 

reconstructed from 1960 through July 31, 2010. 

For 1960 through 1973, only summary data from AEC and DOE reports are available. The summary 

data indicate the maximum value that any single employee may have received. For all years from

1960 through 1973, with the exception of 1970, the maximum value is 1 rem per year. For 1970, the 

maximum possible value is 2 rem. This is also a very conservative estimate as the ranges reported 

were from 0 to 1 rem and any positive result would have caused the result to fall within that range. In 

addition, it is expected that the reported results would have included off-site exposure. These values 

may be used as a bounding estimate for these years for an exposed worker without personal dosimetry 

results (e.g., operator, laborer, construction worker, scientist, or engineer). Ambient environmental 

exposure should be applied as the bounding estimate for those workers not exposed to radioactive 

material (e.g., office workers).

 

Grand Junction was not listed in the DOE report for 1974 but it appeared again in reports for 

subsequent years. This may indicate that no one on the site was using dosimetry. Nevertheless, 

because site activities are not known to have changed significantly between 1973 and 1974, a value of 

1 rem may also be used for 1974. 

From 1975 through 1980, Grand Junction appears again in DOE reports. The maximum value for 

anyone in 1975 was 0.75 rem. For 1976, all results were reported as less than measurable. For 1977, 

the maximum value was 0.50 rem; for 1978, it was 0.50 rem; for 1979, it was 0.75 rem, and for 1980 

it was 1.00 rem. For these years, these maximum values may be used as a bounding estimate for an 

exposed worker (e.g., operator, laborer, construction worker, scientist, or engineer) without personal 

dosimetry results. Ambient environmental exposure should be applied as the bounding estimate for 

those workers not exposed to radioactive material (e.g., office workers).

For years after 1980, Grand Junction is not listed in the DOE reports. However, documentation 

indicates that all workers wore TLDs during site remediation through 1992. In 1992, the number of 

workers wearing TLDs was reduced “because monitoring had been conducted in the construction area 

by Health, Safety and Security personnel and TLD results, to this time, had not indicated any 

exposures above background for the workers in the vicinity of GJPORAP radiological waste” (D&D 

Report, 1995, pdf p. 32). 

The data supplied by the REMS database for 1985 through 2009 underwent a statistical analysis of all 

annual exposures greater than zero. As most reported results were zero, this causes a positive bias by 

shifting all results higher. Had the zeros been included, the statistical means would have been lower. 

These results may be used to estimate exposure for anyone who does not have personal exposure data. 

The 1985 data may be extended retroactively to cover the time between 1981 and 1984, when similar 

work was occurring at the site. Ambient environmental exposure should be applied as the bounding 

estimate for those workers not exposed to radioactive material (e.g., office workers). 
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Beta Dose

Film badge records from the 1950s include beta and gamma results. However, no other beta exposure 

data were available in the reviewed documents. For all positive film badge results, the average ratio is 

1.2 millirem beta to 1.0 millirem gamma.

The radioactive materials at Grand Junction and at the off-site locations where employees wore their 

film badges were comprised of uranium and uranium decay progeny. There was no location with beta 

exposure without gamma exposure or gamma exposure without beta exposure. The beta-to-gamma 

ratio from these film badge data may reasonably be used to estimate beta exposure from all gamma 

exposure in later years. There was concern that dust accumulation on the badges would influence the 

results (Harris, D. G., 1957). Any such dust would have caused a greater beta exposure relative to the 

gamma exposure and influenced the ratio upward. However, this ratio may be used to estimate beta 

exposure in the absence of dosimetry records. The ratio would apply to all years and for all job titles. 

The data supplied by the REMS database for 1985 through 2009 underwent a statistical analysis of all 

annual beta exposures greater than zero. Because most reported results were zero, this causes a 

conservative bias by shifting all results higher. Had the zeros been included, the statistical means 

would have been lower. These results may be used to estimate exposure for anyone who does not 

have personal exposure data. The 1985 data may be extended retroactively to cover the time between 

1981 and 1984, when similar work was occurring at the site.

Neutron Dose

Neutron sources were used at the Grand Junction site. All personnel involved wore dosimetry that 

measured neutron exposure (Personal Communication, 2010b).

The data supplied by the REMS database for 1985 through 2009 underwent a statistical analysis of all 

the annual neutron exposures greater than zero. Because most reported results were zero, this causes a 

conservative bias by shifting all results higher. Had the zeros been included, the statistical means 

would have been lower. These values may be used to provide an upper bound on neutron exposure 

from 1985 through 2009 for scientists and engineers who do not have personal dosimetry. 

Medical X-ray Dose

On-site medical X-ray dose may be estimated by using the relatively-detailed information that has 

been documented for the site (Site X-Ray History, undated). The only known period when the X-rays 

were performed on site was between 1962 and 1969 using a portable X-ray unit. 

The medical X-ray dose from on-site administration may be calculated using the assumptions 

contained in the technical information bulletin, Dose Reconstruction from Occupationally Related 

Diagnostic X-ray Procedures (ORAUT-OTIB-0006). 

7.3.4.2 Methods for Bounding Ambient Environmental External Doses

There are direct survey data available that are representative of the time period prior to remediation 

and the time period after remediation. Higher values that were encountered during remediation (i.e., 
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during the times when the tailings piles were exposed) applied only to the workers involved and 

would be included with their occupational exposure. 

For the time after remediation, a value of 20 μR/hr is representative of the ambient exposure. This 

value is conservative because it includes any background that would have existed absent the existence 

of the site. Note that in the 1980 survey, a background of 11 μR/hr was estimated (Survey, 1982, pdf

p. 16). 

7.3.5 External Dose Reconstruction Feasibility Conclusion 

NIOSH has not found sufficient data to support bounding external doses prior to 1960. Therefore, 

NIOSH concludes that it is infeasible to reconstruct all external doses from March 23, 1943 through 

December 31, 1959. 

For the period from January 1, 1960 through July 31, 2010, NIOSH concludes that there are sufficient 

data to estimate bounding levels for external exposure. Exposures were reported to the AEC and DOE 

and summarized in annual reports. Those reports were used to provide a conservative upper bound for 

external exposure. For the years 1985 through 2009, many individual annual exposures are available 

and may be used to bound doses for individuals without individual dosimetry. General information, 

supported by site-wide surveys performed before and after remediation activities, documents nearbackground exposure levels. For those years where data are absent, conservative estimates were 

developed based on consistent site activity.

Although NIOSH found that it is not possible to completely reconstruct external radiation doses prior 

to 1960, NIOSH intends to use any external monitoring data that may become available for an 

individual claim (and that can be interpreted using existing NIOSH dose reconstruction processes or 

procedures). Dose reconstructions for individuals employed at Grand Junction Operations Office 

during the period from March 23, 1943 through December 31, 1959, but who do not qualify for 

inclusion in the SEC, may be performed using these data as appropriate.
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7.4 Evaluation of Petition Basis for SEC-00175

The following assertion was made on behalf of petition SEC-00175 for the Grand Junction Operations 

Office. 

Lack of Radiological Monitoring

SEC-00175: ...In talking to numerous people who were employed at the Grand Junction operations 

office [sic], working at the facility myself in [date redacted], and looking for records, I found that 

employees at this facility were never monitored, including laborers (includes my [relationship 

redacted] who was a [job titles redacted]) painters and grounds persons... 

It was GJOO policy to only monitor those employees likely to be exposed to radioactive materials. 

NIOSH has located internal and external monitoring data for the GJOO site. As detailed in this 

evaluation, it is not feasible to reconstruct internal dose from radon from March 23, 1943 through 

January 31, 1975. There are sufficient data to reconstruct internal dose for the period from February 

1, 1975 through July 31, 2010. There are insufficient data to reconstruct external dose for the period 

from March 23, 1943 through December 31, 1959. There are sufficient data to reconstruct external 

dose for the period from January 1, 1960 through July 31, 2010. 

Although NIOSH found that it is not possible to completely reconstruct radiation doses for the 

proposed class, NIOSH intends to use any internal and external monitoring data that may become 

available for an individual claim (and that can be interpreted using existing NIOSH dose 

reconstruction processes or procedures). Therefore, dose reconstructions for individuals employed at 

Grand Junction Operations Office during the period from March 23, 1943 through January 31, 1975, 

but who do not qualify for inclusion in the SEC, may be performed using these data as appropriate.
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7.5 Summary of Feasibility Findings for Petition SEC-00175

This report evaluates the feasibility for completing dose reconstructions for employees at the Grand 

Junction Operations Office from 1943 through July 31, 2010. NIOSH found that the available 

monitoring records, process descriptions and source term data available are insufficient to estimate the 

complete radiation dose for the period from March 23, 1943 through January 31, 1975. Doses for 

later years (February 1, 1975 through July 31, 2010) can be reconstructed. 

Table 7-3 summarizes the results of the feasibility findings at the Grand Junction Operations Office 

for each exposure source during the time period from March 23, 1943 through July 31, 2010. 

Table 7-3: Summary of Feasibility Findings for SEC-00175

Source of Exposure

March 23, 1943 through

January 31, 1975

February 1, 1975 through

July 31, 2010

Reconstruction 

Feasible

Reconstruction 

Not Feasible

Reconstruction 

Feasible

Reconstruction 

Not Feasible

Internal1 X X 

 - Radon X X 

External X

(Jan 1, 1960

through

Jan 31, 1975)

X 

(Mar 23, 1943 

through

Dec 31, 1959)

X 

 - Gamma X X X 

 - Beta X X X 

 - Neutron X N/A X 

 - Occupational Medical X-ray X 

(Mar 23, 1943 

through

Jan 31, 1975)

X 

1 Internal includes an evaluation of urinalysis (in vitro), air sample, and soil data

As of December 22, 2010, a total of 58 claims have been submitted to NIOSH for individuals who 

worked at the Grand Junction Operations Office and are covered by the class definition evaluated in 

this report. Dose reconstructions have been completed for 48 individuals (~83%). 

Although NIOSH found that it is not possible to completely reconstruct radiation doses for the 

proposed class, NIOSH intends to use any internal and external monitoring data that may become 

available for an individual claim (and that can be interpreted using existing NIOSH dose 

reconstruction processes or procedures). Therefore, dose reconstructions for individuals employed at 

the Grand Junction Operations Office during the period from March 23, 1943 through January 31, 

1975, but who do not qualify for inclusion in the SEC, may be performed using these data as 

appropriate. 
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8.0 Evaluation of Health Endangerment for Petition SEC-00175

The health endangerment determination for the class of employees covered by this evaluation report is 

governed by both EEOICPA and 42 C.F.R. § 83.13(c)(3). Under these requirements, if it is not 

feasible to estimate with sufficient accuracy radiation doses for members of the class, NIOSH must 

also determine that there is a reasonable likelihood that such radiation doses may have endangered the 

health of members of the class. Section 83.13 requires NIOSH to assume that any duration of 

unprotected exposure may have endangered the health of members of a class when it has been 

established that the class may have been exposed to radiation during a discrete incident likely to have 

involved levels of exposure similarly high to those occurring during nuclear criticality incidents. If 

the occurrence of such an exceptionally high-level exposure has not been established, then NIOSH is 

required to specify that health was endangered for those workers who were employed for a number of 

work days aggregating at least 250 work days within the parameters established for the class or in 

combination with work days within the parameters established for one or more other classes of 

employees in the SEC. 

NIOSH’s evaluation determined that it is not feasible to estimate the complete radiation dose for all 

workers from March 23, 1943 through January 31, 1975. Modification of the class definition 

regarding health endangerment and minimum required employment periods, therefore, is required. 

For the later years in the evaluated class (February 1, 1975 through July 31, 2010), a health 

endangerment determination is not required because NIOSH has determined that it has an established 

methodology for estimating dose. 

9.0 Class Conclusion for Petition SEC-00175

Based on its full research of the class under evaluation, NIOSH has defined a single class of 

employees for which NIOSH cannot estimate radiation doses with sufficient accuracy. The NIOSHproposed class to be added to the SEC includes all employees of the Department of Energy, its 

predecessor agencies, and its contractors and subcontractors who worked at the Grand Junction 

Operations Office from March 23, 1943 through January 31, 1975, for a number of work days 

aggregating at least 250 work days, occurring either solely under this employment or in combination 

with work days within the parameters established for one or more other classes of employees in the 

SEC. 

The class under evaluation was divided because there is a lack of radon data for reconstructing 

internal dose. By February 1, 1975, sampling operations had ended, and the site mission had changed 

to mainly off-site work. The large quantities of uranium concentrate were removed from the site. 

There are sufficient data to reconstruct internal dose for the period from February 1, 1975 through 

July 31, 2010. External exposures cannot plausibly be estimated for March 23, 1943 through 

December 31, 1959 because NIOSH has not found sufficient data to bound external doses prior to 

1960. There are sufficient data to reconstruct external dose for the period from January 1, 1960 

through July 31, 2010. 
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NIOSH has carefully reviewed all material sent in by the petitioner, including the specific assertions 

stated in the petition, and has responded herein (see Section 7.4). NIOSH has also reviewed available 

technical resources and many other references, including the Site Research Database (SRDB), for 

information relevant to SEC-00175. In addition, NIOSH reviewed its NOCTS dose reconstruction 

database to identify EEOICPA-related dose reconstructions that might provide information relevant to 

the petition evaluation. 

These actions are based on existing, approved NIOSH processes used in dose reconstruction for 

claims under EEOICPA. NIOSH’s guiding principle in conducting these dose reconstructions is to 

ensure that the assumptions used are fair, consistent, and well-grounded in the best available science. 

Simultaneously, uncertainties in the science and data must be handled to the advantage, rather than to 

the detriment, of the petitioners. When adequate personal dose monitoring information is not 

available, or is very limited, NIOSH may use the highest reasonably possible radiation dose, based on 

reliable science, documented experience, and relevant data to determine the feasibility of 

reconstructing the dose of an SEC petition class. NIOSH contends that it has complied with these 

standards of performance in determining the feasibility or infeasibility of reconstructing dose for the 

class under evaluation. 
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10.0 References 

29 C.F.R. pt. 1910, Occupational Safety and Health Standards; Part 1910.1000 to End; U.S. 

Department of Labor; 1999; SRDB Ref ID: 44836 

42 C.F.R. pt. 81, Guidelines for Determining the Probability of Causation Under the Energy 

Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000; Final Rule, Federal 

Register/Vol. 67, No. 85/Thursday, p. 22,296; May 2, 2002; SRDB Ref ID: 19391 

42 C.F.R. pt. 82, Methods for Radiation Dose Reconstruction Under the Energy Employees 

Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000; Final Rule; May 2, 2002; SRDB Ref ID: 

19392 

42 C.F.R. pt. 83, Procedures for Designating Classes of Employees as Members of the Special 

Exposure Cohort Under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 

2000; Final Rule; May 28, 2004; SRDB Ref ID: 22001 

42 U.S.C. §§ 7384-7385 [EEOICPA], Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation 

Program Act of 2000, as amended

Affidavit, 2010, Affidavit from Survivor in Support of SEC Petition SEC-00175; June 25, 2010; OSA 

Ref ID: 112121 

Air Emissions, 1985, Various Air Emissions Annual Reports for Multiple Sites; various dates 

throughout 1985; SRDB Ref ID: 29855 

Air Dust Results, 1956-57, Air Dust Results for National Lead, Grand Junction, Colorado, U. S. 

Atomic Energy Commission, NYOO Medical Division; various dates in 1956-57; SRDB Ref ID: 

10241, pdf pp. 25-27 

Air Dust Results, 1959-61, Air Dust Results for Grand Junction Operations Office, U. S. Atomic 

Energy Commission, NYOO Medical Division; various dates in 1959-61; SRDB Ref ID: 11452, pdf 

pp. 428-435 

Airborne Radioparticulates, 1994, Airborne Radioparticulate Sampling Data Sheets, Grand Junction 

Projects Office (GJPO); various dates in 1994; SRDB Ref ID: 89872, pdf pp. 275-341 

Albrethsen, 1986, A Summary History of the Activities of the Grand Junction Office of the AEC, 

ERDA, and DOE; Al Albrethsen, Bill Chenoweth, and Frank McGinley; September 1986; SRDB Ref 

ID: 76371 

Battelle-TBD-6001, Site Profiles for Atomic Weapons Employers that Refined Uranium and Thorium, 

Rev. F0; December 13, 2006; SRDB Ref ID: 30673 
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Baumann, 2000, A Compilation of Ambient Air Monitoring Parameters at DOE Facilities; Alice R. 

Baumann; submitted to the 2000 American Radiation Safety Conference and Exposition for June 

2000; SRDB Ref ID: 22441 

Building 7 Bioassay, 1994, Bioassay Results Related to Building 7 Radiological Hold, memo to 

Distribution from V. A. King; Rust Geotech, Inc.; June 28, 1994; SRDB Ref ID: 89872, pdf p. 121 

Building 7 H&S Data, 1991-2001, Compilation of Building 7 Health and Safety Information and 

Data, various contractors at the Grand Junction Projects Office; various dates in 1991-2001; SRDB 

Ref ID: 89872 

Building 7 H&S Data - Phase I, 1972-1999, Compilation of Building 7 Phase I Health and Safety 

Information and Data, various contractors at the Grand Junction Projects Office; various dates in 

1972-1999; SRDB Ref ID: 90164 

Building 7 H&S Data - Phase II, 1980-2000, Compilation of Building 7 Phase II Health and Safety 

Information and Data, various contractors at the Grand Junction Projects Office; various dates in 

1980-2000; SRDB Ref ID: 90155 

Building 7A H&S Data, 1991-2001, Compilation of Building 7A Health and Safety Information and 

Data, various contractors at the Grand Junction Projects Office; various dates in 1991-2001; SRDB 

Ref ID: 90118 

Building 7A H&S Data, 2001, Compilation of Building 7A Health and Safety Information and Data, 

various contractors at the Grand Junction Projects Office; various dates in 2001; SRDB Ref ID: 90154 

Building 11 H&S Data, 1993-1997, Compilation of Building 11 Health and Safety Information and 

Data, various contractors at the Grand Junction Office (GJO); various dates in 1993-1997; SRDB Ref 

ID: 89928 

Building 12 H&S Data, 1991-2000, Compilation of Building 12 Health and Safety Information and 

Data, various contractors at the Grand Junction Office (GJO); various dates in 1991-2000; SRDB Ref 

ID: 89926 

Building 18 H&S Data, 1991-2001, Compilation of Building 18 Health and Safety Information and 

Data, various contractors at the Grand Junction Office (GJO); various dates in 1991-2001; SRDB Ref 

ID: 89931 

Building 20 H&S Data, 1990-2000, Compilation of Building 20 Health and Safety Information and 

Data, various contractors at the Grand Junction Office (GJO); various dates in 1990-2000; SRDB Ref 

ID: 89938 

Building 26 H&S Data, 1980-1998, Compilation of Building 26 Health and Safety Information and 

Data, various contractors at the Grand Junction Office (GJO); various dates in 1980-1998; SRDB Ref 

ID: 89942 
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Building 28 H&S Data, 1986-2000, Compilation of Building 28 Health and Safety Information and 

Data, various contractors at the Grand Junction Office (GJO); various dates in 1986-2000; SRDB Ref 

ID: 89979 

Building 29 H&S Data, 1997, Compilation of Building 29 Health and Safety Information and Data, 

various contractors at the Grand Junction Office (GJO); various dates in 1997; SRDB Ref ID: 89966 

Building 31/31A H&S Data, 1990-1992, Compilation of Building 31/31A Health and Safety 

Information and Data, various contractors at the Grand Junction Office (GJO); various dates in 1990-

1992; SRDB Ref ID: 89991 

Building 36 H&S Data, 1992-1996, Compilation of Building 36 Health and Safety Information and 

Data, various contractors at the Grand Junction Office (GJO); various dates in 1992-1996; SRDB Ref 

ID: 90015 

Building 52 D&D, 1996, Final Report of the Decontamination and Decommissioning of Building 52 

at the Grand Junction Projects Office Facility, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction Projects 

Office Remedial Action Project; August 1996; SRDB Ref ID: 90166 

Chenoweth, 1997, Raw Materials Activities of the Manhattan Project on the Colorado Plateau, 

William L. Chenoweth, Nonrenewable Resources, Vol. 6, No. 1; 1997; SRDB Ref ID: 3325, pdf pp. 

27-35 

Contract Modification, 1963-1970, U.S. Atomic Energy Commission Division of Raw Materials Grand 

Junction Office Modification No. 5 to Contract No. AT(05-1)-266 and Related Agreements with Atlas 

Minerals Division of Atlas Corporation, reported in two volumes; contract modification effective 

from July 1, 1963 through December 31, 1970; SRDB Ref ID: 75875 

Contractor History, 1943-2002, Prime Contractors at the U.S. Department of Energy Grand Junction 

Office, Grand Junction, Colorado, description of contractors from August 1943-July 2002; 

unspecified author; unspecified date, but written sometime after July 2002; SRDB Ref ID: 76366 

D&D Report, 1995, Final Report of the Decontamination and Decommissioning of the Exterior Land 

Areas at the Grand Junction Projects Office Facility, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction 

Projects Office Remedial Action Project; September 1995; SRDB Ref ID: 88610 

DOE, unspecified, Environmental Management Grand Junction Projects Office Site Summary 

Projections; Department of Energy (DOE); unspecified date; SRDB Ref ID: 88323 

DOE, 1993, Fiftieth Anniversary of the Grand Junction Projects Office; Department of Energy 

(DOE); assumed date of 1993 (history of GJPO began in 1943); SRDB Ref ID: 76370 

DOE, 2001, Summary Site Environmental Report Radiological Doses and Releases for 1990-1994; 

Department of Energy (DOE); September 2001; SRDB Ref ID: 37700 

DOE, 2004, Summary Annual Site Environmental Report Radiological Doses and Releases for 1998-

2004; Department of Energy (DOE); December 2004; SRDB Ref ID: 44873 
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Dust Samples, 1945, Report of Dust Samples Taken at the Colorado Area from 13-20 June 1945, 

Captain J. L. Ferry, Medical Corps, U.S. Engineer Office, Manhattan District; July 11, 1945; SRDB 

Ref ID: 16855, pdf pp. 15-17 

Environmental Monitoring, 1979, 1979 Environmental Monitoring Report for the U.S. Department of 

Energy Facilities in Grand Junction, Colorado, and Monticello, Utah; prepared by Bendix Field 

Engineering Corporation; April 1980; SRDB Ref ID: 90858 

Environmental Monitoring, 1980, 1980 Environmental Monitoring Report for the U.S. Department of 

Energy Facilities Grand Junction, Colorado, and Monticello, Utah; prepared by Nic Korte and Ralph 

Thul, Bendix Field Engineering Corporation; April 1981; SRDB Ref ID: 90862 

Environmental Monitoring, 1984, Environmental Monitoring Report on Department of Energy 

Facilities at Grand Junction, Colorado, and Monticello, Utah, for Calendar Year 1984; prepared by 

Nic Korte and Sandra Wagner, Bendix Field Engineering Corporation; March 1985; SRDB Ref ID: 

90859 

Environmental Monitoring, 1986, Environmental Monitoring Report on Department of Energy 

Facilities at Grand Junction, Colorado, and Monticello, Utah, for Calendar Year 1986; prepared by 

Michael Sewell and Larick Spencer, UNC; March 1987; SRDB Ref ID: 90851 

Environmental Monitoring, 1987, Environmental Monitoring Report on the U.S. Department of 

Energy’s Grand Junction Projects Office Facility, Grand Junction, Colorado, for Calendar Year 

1987; U.S. Department of Energy Grand Junction Projects Office; May 1988; SRDB Ref ID: 90847 

Environmental Monitoring, 1988, Environmental Monitoring Report on the U.S. Department of 

Energy’s Grand Junction Projects Office Facility, Grand Junction, Colorado, for Calendar Year 

1988; prepared by UNC Geotech; May 1989; SRDB Ref ID: 90846 

Environmental Monitoring, 1989, Environmental Monitoring Report on the U.S. Department of 

Energy’s Grand Junction Projects Office Facility, Grand Junction, Colorado, for Calendar Year 

1989; prepared by UNC Geotech; May 1990; SRDB Ref ID: 90856 

Environmental Monitoring, 1990, Grand Junction Projects Office Site Environmental Report for 

Calendar Year 1990; prepared by Chem-Nuclear Geotech, Inc.; May 1991; SRDB Ref ID: 90845 

Environmental Monitoring, 1991, Grand Junction Projects Office Site Environmental Report for 

Calendar Year 1991; prepared by Chem-Nuclear Geotech, Inc.; May 1992; SRDB Ref ID: 90853 

Environmental Monitoring, 1992, Grand Junction Projects Office Site Environmental Report for 

Calendar Year 1992; prepared by RUST Geotech Inc,; May 1993; SRDB Ref ID: 90860 

Environmental Monitoring, 1993, Grand Junction Projects Office Site Environmental Report for 

Calendar Year 1993; prepared by RUST Geotech Inc.; May 1994; SRDB Ref ID: 90857 

Environmental Monitoring, 1997, Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 1996; prepared by 

WASTREN-Grand Junction; June 1997; SRDB Ref ID: 76642 
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Facility Tour, 1984, GJAO – SFMP Facility Tour – June 29, 1984, Grand Junction Area Office; June 

29, 1984; SRDB Ref ID: 71090 

Film Badge Results, 1952-1953, Grand Junction Exploration Branch Film Badge Reports; reports 

with dates ranging from November 10, 1952 through January 26, 1953; SRDB Ref ID: 3401 

Film Badge Results, 1957a, Various Film Badge Results; film badge cards with dates ranging from 

February to November 1957; SRDB Ref ID: 54137 

Film Badge Results, 1957b, Various Film Badge Results and Related Documents; various dates 

throughout 1957; SRDB Ref ID: 54139 

Film Badge Results, 1958, Grand Junction Exploration Branch Film Badge Reports; reports with 

dates ranging from January to April 1958; SRDB Ref ID: 54138 

Film Badge Results, 1959, Various Film Badge Results and Related Documents; various dates 

throughout 1959 and 1960 cover letters; SRDB Ref ID: 54140 

Forbes, 1997, Confirmatory Radiological Survey of the Grand Junction Projects Office Remedial 

Action Project Exterior Portions, 1989-1995; G. H. Forbes and P. V. Egidi of Oak Ridge National 

Laboratory; April 1997; SRDB Ref ID: 76720 

GJ Contractors, undated, Other Contractors at the U.S. Department of Energy Grand Junction Office, 

Grand Junction, Colorado: Uranium Concentrate Sampling; Grand Junction Operations Office; 

undated; SRDB Ref ID: 3325, pdf p. 4 

GJ Prime Contractors, undated, Prime Contractors at the U.S. Department of Energy Grand Junction 

Office, Grand Junction, Colorado; Grand Junction Operations Office; undated; SRDB Ref ID: 3325, 

pdf pp. 1-3 

GJ MAP, 1996, Grand Junction Projects Office Management Action Process (MAP), prepared for the 

U.S. Department of Energy by Rust Geotech; April 1996; SRDB 88611, pdf p. 21 

GJ Nonradiologic Site Profile, undated, U.S. Department of Energy Grand Junction Office: 

Nonradiologic Site Profile for Facility Workers, author unknown, Grand Junction Operations Office; 

undated; SRDB Ref ID: 3325, pdf pp. 6-8 

Harris, D. G., 1957, Personnel Monitoring Equipment, correspondence to W. B. Harris; D. G. Harris; 

January 3, 1957; SRDB Ref ID: 3377, pdf p. 2 

Harris, W. B., 1957, Personnel Monitoring Equipment and Surveys, correspondence to D. G. Harris; 

W. B. Harris, February 5, 1957; SRBD Ref ID: 3372 

Health and Safety Checklists, 1990-1991, Collection of Health and Safety Checklists, UNC Geotech

and Grand Junction Projects Office; various dates in 1990-1991; SRDB Ref ID: 89900 
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Henwood, 1986, Radiologic Characterization of the Department of Energy Grand Junction Projects 

Office Facility; Paul Henwood and Callie Ridolfi; January 1986; SRDB Ref ID: 6640 

Inspection, 1945, Medical Inspection of Colorado Area, Memorandum to the Files from Captain F. A. 

Bryan, Medical Corps, U.S. Engineer Office, Manhattan District; 1945; SRDB Ref ID: 16855, pdf pp. 

3-12 

Lucius Pitkin, 1959, Lucius Pitkin Sampling Plant Air Sample Data, memo from W. B. Harris (HASL, 

NYOO) to F. J. Williams (Safety Engineer, GJOO); September 25, 1959; SRDB Ref ID: 3343 

Lutz, 1995, LMSC Controlatron/Zetatron Shipments for Years 1980-1995, correspondence to A. R. 

Parker, includes attached data table; P. R. Lutz; December 6, 1995; SRDB Ref ID: 13203, pdf pp. 4-5 

McGinley, 2000, Summary History of Uranium Mills for the Period January 1, 1942 to December 31, 

1971; Frank E. McGinley; March 14, 2000; SRDB Ref ID: 55738 

OCAS-PR-004, Internal Procedures for the Evaluation of Special Exposure Cohort Petitions, Rev. 0; 

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH); Cincinnati, Ohio; September 23, 

2004; SRDB Ref ID: 32022 

ORAUT-OTIB-0006, Dose Reconstruction from Occupationally Related Diagnostic X-Ray 

Procedures, Rev. 03 PC-1; ORAU Team Dose Reconstruction Project for NIOSH; December 21, 

2005; SRDB Ref ID: 20220 

ORAUT-OTIB-0018, Internal Dose Overestimates for Facilities with Air Sampling Programs, Rev. 

01; ORAU Team Dose Reconstruction Project for NIOSH; August 9, 2005; SRDB Ref ID: 19436 

O’Rear, 1966, United States Atomic Energy Commission, Grand Junction Office: Summary and 

Chronology of the Domestic Uranium Program, N. B. O’Rear, Grand Junction Office; May 1966; 

SRDB Ref ID: 3325, pdf pp. 36-87 

O’Rear, 1969, Background Information-Grand Junction Office; N. B. O’Rear, Atomic Energy 

Commission; July 1969; SRDB Ref ID: 76372 

Personal Communication, 2010a, Personal Communication with a Former Section Head for ORNL 

Office; Telephone Interview by ORAU Team; October 12, 2010; SRDB Ref ID: 90652

Personal Communication, 2010b, Personal Communication with a Former Physicist; Telephone 

Interview by ORAU Team; October 19, 2010; SRDB Ref ID: 90653

Personal Communication, 2010c, Personal Communication with a Former Senior HP Technologist; 

Telephone Interview by ORAU Team; October 14, 2010; SRDB Ref ID: 90654

Personal Communication, 2010d, Personal Communication with a Former Systems Analyst and 

Programmer; Telephone Interview by ORAU Team; October 19, 2010; SRDB Ref ID: 90655
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Personal Communication, 2010e, Personal Communication with a Former Senior Health Physicist in 

Charge of Internal and External Dosimetry; Telephone Interview by ORAU Team; August 25, 2010; 

SRDB Ref ID: 90656

Personal Communication, 2010f, Personal Communication with a Former Health Physicist; 

Telephone Interview by ORAU Team; August 24, 2010; SRDB Ref ID: 90651

Personal Communication, 2010g, Personal Communication with a Former Field Assistant-Geologist; 

Telephone Interview by ORAU Team; December 8, 2009: SRDB Ref ID: 82163; follow-up interview 

on December 2, 2010: SRDB Ref ID: 90997 

Personal Communication, 2010h, Personal Communication with a Former Analytical Chemistry 

Manager; Telephone Interview by ORAU Team; December 2, 2010; SRDB Ref ID: 90999

Personal Communication, 2010i, Personal Communication with a Sampling Plant Manager; 

Telephone Interview by ORAU Team; December 6, 2010; SRDB Ref ID: 90998

Personnel Monitoring, 1957, Personnel Monitoring Equipments and Surveys, three memos regarding 

personnel monitoring between W. B. Harris (HASL, NYOO) and D. G. Harris (GJOO); various dates 

in 1957; SRDB Ref ID: 3372

Procedure, 1990, Internal Radiation Dosimetry Program, ES&H Procedure 3.8, UNC Geotech, 

October 3, 1990; SRDB Ref ID: 90529 

Public Health Service, 1969, Evaluation of Radon-222 Near Uranium Tailings Piles; U.S. Department 

of Health, Education, and Welfare Public Health Service (Public Health Service); March 1969; SRDB 

Ref ID: 82790, pdf p. 12 

Rad Exposure Report, 1975, Eighth Annual Report of Radiation Exposures for ERDA and ERDA 

Contractor Employees-1975; Energy Research and Development Administration; SRDB Ref ID: 

26904 

Rad Exposure Report, 1976, Ninth Annual Report of Radiation Exposures for DOE and DOE 

Contractor Employees-1976; Pacific Northwest Laboratory; April 1978; SRDB Ref ID: 26903 

Rad Exposure Report, 1977, Tenth Annual Report of Radiation Exposure for DOE and DOE 

Contractor Employees-1977; Pacific Northwest Laboratory; February 1982; SRDB Ref ID: 26902 

Rad Exposure Report, 1979, Twelfth Annual Report of Radiation Exposure for DOE and DOE 

Contractor Employees-1979; Pacific Northwest Laboratory; February 1982; SRDB Ref ID: 26887 

Rad Exposure Report, 1980, Thirteenth Annual Report of Radiation Exposure for DOE and DOE 

Contractor Employees-1980; Pacific Northwest Laboratory; February 1982; SRDB Ref ID: 26888 

Rad Exposure Summary, 1960-1961, Various Radiation Exposure Summary Documents for Multiple 

Sites; documents with dates ranging from 1960-1961; SRDB Ref ID: 13786 
SEC-00175 01-11-11 Rev. 0 Grand Junction

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Rad Exposure Summary, 1961-1962, Various Radiation Exposure Summary Documents for Multiple 

Sites; documents with dates ranging from 1961-1962; SRDB Ref ID: 13789 

Rad Exposure Summary, 1962-1963, Various Radiation Exposure Summary Documents for Multiple 

Sites; documents with dates ranging from 1962-1963; SRDB Ref ID: 13790 

Rad Exposure Summary, 1963-1964, Various Radiation Exposure Summary Documents for Multiple 

Sites; documents with dates ranging from 1963-1964; SRDB Ref ID: 13792 

Rad Exposure Summary, 1963-1965, Various Radiation Exposure Summary Documents for Multiple 

Sites; documents with dates ranging from 1963-1965; SRDB Ref ID: 13797 

Rad Exposure Summary, 1964, Various Radiation Exposure Summary Documents for Multiple Sites; 

documents with various dates in 1964; SRDB Ref ID: 14442 

Rad Exposure Summary, 1966, Various Radiation Exposure Summary Documents for Multiple Sites; 

documents with various dates in 1966; SRDB Ref ID: 13798 

Rad Exposure Summary, 1967, Various Radiation Exposure Summary Documents for Multiple Sites; 

documents with various dates in 1967; SRDB Ref ID: 16915 

Rad Exposure Summary, 1968, Various Radiation Exposure Summary Documents for Multiple Sites; 

documents with various dates in 1968; SRDB Ref ID: 13799 

Rad Exposure Summary, 1969, Various Radiation Exposure Summary Documents for Multiple Sites; 

documents with various dates in 1969; SRDB Ref ID: 13800 

Rad Exposure Summary, 1970, Various Radiation Exposure Summary Documents for Multiple Sites; 

documents with various dates in 1970; SRDB Ref ID: 13801 

Rad Exposure Summary, 1971, Various Radiation Exposure Summary Documents for Multiple Sites; 

documents with various dates in 1971; SRDB Ref ID: 16918, pp. 12-95 

Rad Exposure Summary, 1972, Various Radiation Exposure Summary Documents for Multiple Sites; 

documents with various dates in 1972; SRDB Ref ID: 13802 

Rad Exposure Summary, 1973-1974, Various Radiation Exposure Summary Documents for Multiple 

Sites; documents with dates ranging from 1973-1974; SRDB Ref ID: 13803 

Radon, 1967, Concentrations of Radon 222 Found in 48-Hour Integrated Air Samples from Grand 

Junction, Colorado, from Evaluation of Radon-222 Near Uranium Tailings Piles: First Quarterly 

Report; U.S. Atomic Energy Commission and U.S. Public Health Service; September 30, 1967; 

SRDB Ref ID: 17031, pdf p. 15 

Radon, 1967-1968, Concentrations of Radon 222 Found in 48-Hour Integrated Air Samples from 

Grand Junction, Colorado, U.S. Atomic Energy Commission and U.S. Public Health Service; 1967-

68; SRDB Ref ID: 17034, pdf p. 14 
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Radon, 1989-1990, Results of the U.S. Department of Energy Indoor Radon Study, Volume 1; 

prepared by UNC Geotech; results compiled August 1990; SRDB Ref ID: 13191 

REMS data, 2010, REMS Data for Grand Junction Office Personnel, accessed October 22, 2010 at 

http://www.hss.energy.gov/csa/analysis/rems/rems/ri.htm; SRDB Ref ID: 89785

Ruhoff, 1943, Frequency of Physical and Laboratory Examinations, correspondence to Area 

Engineer, Colorado Area; J. Ruhoff; November 9, 1943; SRDB Ref ID: 4504 

Rust Geotech, 1996a, Final Report of the Decontamination and Decommissioning of Building 1 at the 

Grand Junction Projects Office Facility; Rust Geotech; August 1996; SRDB Ref ID: 76616 

Rust Geotech, 1996b, Final Report of the Decontamination and Decommissioning of Building 34 at 

the Grand Junction Projects Office Facility; Rust Geotech; August 1996; SRDB Ref ID: 76620 

Sears, 1976, Airborne Effluent Control at Uranium Mills; M. B. Sears, Oak Ridge National 

Laboratory; presented at ANS-AICHE Topical Meeting August 5-6, 1976; SRDB Ref ID: 76578 

Site Visit, 1953, Visit to Commission-owned Sampling Plant at Grand Junction, memo from W. B. 

Harris (HASL, NYOO) to S. P. Wimpfen (GJOO); April 30, 1953; SRDB Ref ID: 76636 

Site X-Ray History, undated, U.S. Department of Energy Grand Junction Office: Site X-Ray History, 

author unknown, Grand Junction Operations Office; undated; SRDB Ref ID: 3325, pdf pp. 9-11 

Survey, 1956, Transmittal of HL-1, memo from W. B. Harris (HASL, NYOO) to D. G. Harris 

(GJOO) transmitting report HL-1 covering a survey performed at the GJOO Pilot Plant; December 4, 

1956; SRDB 3382, pdf p. 2 

Survey, 1980, Radiometric Survey of the Grand Junction Facility, March 1980, Final Report, Bendix 

Field Engineering Corporation, Grand Junction Operations; June 1980; SRDB Ref ID: 76719 

Survey, 1982, May 1982 Follow-up Report to Radiometric Survey of the Grand Junction Facility, 

March 1980, Final Report, Bendix Field Engineering Corporation, Grand Junction Operations; May 

1982; SRDB Ref ID: 6641 

Uranium, 2004, Uranium Mining and Milling Wastes: An Introduction, WISE Uranium Project; last 

updated August 15, 2004; accessed December 1, 2010; www.wise-uranium.org/uwai.html 

Urine Data, 1949, Fluorimetric Urine Analysis Results for Grand Junction, Colorado, U. S. Atomic 

Energy Commission, NYOO Medical Division; reported December 9, 1949; SRDB Ref ID: 3306 

Urine Data, 1953-54a, Fluorimetric Urine Analysis Results for Grand Junction, Colorado, U. S. 

Atomic Energy Commission, NYOO Medical Division; various dates in 1953-54; SRDB Ref ID: 

3319 
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Urine Data, 1953-54b, Fluorimetric Urine Analysis Results for American Cyanamid Co., Grand 

Junction, Colorado, U. S. Atomic Energy Commission, NYOO Medical Division; various dates in 

1953-54; SRDB Ref ID: 6645 

Urine Data, 1953-55, Fluorimetric Urine Analysis Results for American Smelting & Refining Co., 

Grand Junction, Colorado, U. S. Atomic Energy Commission, NYOO Medical Division; various 

dates in 1953-55; SRDB Ref ID: 11452, pdf pp. 42-50 

Urine Data, 1956-62, Fluorimetric Urine Analysis Results for Grand Junction, Colorado, U. S. 

Atomic Energy Commission, NYOO Medical Division; various dates in 1956-62; SRDB Ref ID: 

3307 

Urine Data, 1958-59, Fluorimetric Urine Analysis Results for the Western Uranium Project, Grand 

Junction, Colorado, U. S. Atomic Energy Commission, NYOO Medical Division; various dates in 

1958-59; SRDB Ref ID: 11451, pdf pp. 144-145 

Urine Sample, July 1956, Grand Junction Urine Sample, memo to J. A. Quigley, M.D. from R. L. 

Hoover; July 27, 1956; SRDB Ref ID: 76924 

Urine Sample, August 1956, Grand Junction Urine Sample, memo to J. A. Quigley, M.D. from R. L. 

Hoover; August 21, 1956; SRDB Ref ID: 76923 

WASTREN, 1997, Final Report of the Radiological Release Survey of Building 29 at the Grand 

Junction Office Facility; WASTREN-Grand Junction; September 1997; SRDB Ref ID: 76611 
SEC-00175 01-11-11 Rev. 0 Grand Junction

Page 81 of 99 

Attachment 1: Characterization Data Related to Internal Dose

Table A1-1: Characterization Data Related to Internal Dose for Various Grand Junction Buildings

Building Description Report

Date

Characterization Data Related to Internal Dose Reference

1 Building 1 was constructed in 1943 as part of 

the larger refinery structure to house boilers. 

All other portions of the refinery were 

removed during the 1950s, leaving only the 

boiler house and the annex. Subsequently, 

the building contained the steam boilers and 

back-up generator for the facility. Steam

pipe trenches extended from Building 1 to 

other structures on the facility. Building 1

was found to be radiologically contaminated 

and was demolished in 1996.

1992 Fixed contamination on generator (generator room) up to 110,550 dpm/100 cm2

. 

Fixed contamination is identified on the roof.

89913, 

pdf p. 103

1996 In 1992, fixed beta-gamma contamination ranging as high as 2,197 dpm/100 

cm2

was identified on the roof. In 1993, fixed beta-gamma contamination 

ranging up to 110,550 dpm/100 cm2

was detected on the auxiliary generator, and 

elevated beta-gamma activity was detected beneath asbestos cement board 

siding. In 1995, no contamination was detected in the soil, but fixed betagamma surface activities of 48,240 dpm/100 cm2

were detected on exposed and 

buried concrete surfaces. After removal of the structures and contaminated 

piping, the soil beneath and adjacent to the building was remediated and was 

released for unrestricted use.

76616, 

pdf p. 19

2 Building 2 was built in 1944. The north 

portion was used as a shower and change 

facility for uranium workers, the south 

portion was a warehouse. Later it housed 

telecommunications equipment and offices.

1992 Fixed contamination was found on a window sill in the telephone equipment 

room at 10,057 dpm/l00 cm2

. Smearable contamination was found under the 

heater in the telephone room at 674 dpm/100 cm2

. The area was posted on 

August 2, 1991. The closet in Room 26 was surveyed at 296 dpm/100 cm2

. The 

attic in Building 2 has fixed contamination up to 11,000 dpm/100 cm2 and loose 

surface contamination up to 1000 dpm/100 cm2

. 

89913, 

pdf p. 103

1996 Radon concentration was less than the detection limit (1 pCi/l) for all 

measurements. In an exposure from 11/13/89 to 2/13/89, the concentration in 

Building 2 was 1.4 pCi/l. Since then, significant remedial actions have occurred 

on the GJPO site that removed nearby radon sources. No removable 

contamination greater than guideline values was found in any sampling unit. 

Using field screening techniques, the highest 34 smears were re-evaluated with a 

desktop scaler counter. The mean of these measurements was -4.7 dpm/100 cm2

with a standard deviation of 43. For dose modeling purposes, the one sigma 

upper limit, 39 dpm/100 cm2

, from this conservatively-biased sample of smears 

was to be used as the removable contamination level in a dose evaluation.

89913, 

pdf pp. 129, 

131
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Table A1-1: Characterization Data Related to Internal Dose for Various Grand Junction Buildings

Building Description Report

Date

Characterization Data Related to Internal Dose Reference

6 Building 6 was constructed in 1953 to house 

a bench-scale pilot mill for testing the resinin-pulp milling process. Milling activities 

commenced in 1953 and continued until 

December 1954, processing a total of 

approximately 2500 tons of uranium ore. 

The building was used subsequently as 

laboratory and office space. The building 

was demolished in 1992.

1996 Building 6 was surveyed for radiological hazards in 1989. The survey identified 

contamination on the interior walls and floors, on horizontal surfaces of the steel 

and wood structural members, on exterior wall surfaces, and on an associated 

concrete sump and steam pipe chase. Preliminary radon daughter-product 

concentration (RDC) measurements averaged 0.027 WL. Soil collected from the 

sump had a Ra-226 concentration of 313.3 pCi/g. Beta-gamma surface activities 

ranged as high as 397,122 dpm/100 cm2

. Alpha surface activities ranged as high 

as 8,520 dpm/100 cm2

. The remediation consisted of demolishing the building 

and remediating the soil underneath.

76619, 

pdf p. 18

7 Building 7 was constructed in 1952 as a 

sampling plant and materials staging area. 

Eventually, Building 7 consisted of offices, 

laboratories, and storage areas.

1992 Construction/Subcontracts

Contamination was found in overhead vents and on a filter in a door in Rooms 

108, 110, and 107 with levels up to 40,445 dpm/l00 cm2 fixed and up to 4,009 

dpm/l00 cm2 loose; surface contamination on floor areas was widespread. Fixed 

contamination identified on the east side of the building with levels up to 18,186 

dpm/l00 cm2

. The vents were removed, decontaminated, and replaced. Loose 

surface contamination was found in Rooms 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, the hallway, 

and the Document Services room. The entire floor of Building 7 had fixed 

contamination between 10,000 - 25,000 dpm/100 cm2

. 

Publication Services

Fixed contamination was found in the floor as well as in the Photo Lab. The 

attic area of Building 7 has been identified as contaminated.

89913,

pdf p. 103

(not a close- out 

report)

1993 Contamination in excess of limits was found in all rooms except Rooms 200 and 

207. Levels ranged from 6,700 to 134,000 dpm/100 cm2 beta-gamma and 0 to 

13,040 dpm/100 cm2 alpha. No removable contamination was detected.

89872, 

pdf p. 36 

(not a close out 

report)
SEC-00175 01-11-11 Rev. 0 Grand Junction

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Table A1-1: Characterization Data Related to Internal Dose for Various Grand Junction Buildings

Building Description Report

Date

Characterization Data Related to Internal Dose Reference

7 (cont.) The Phase I area (south bay area) was 

enlarged and enclosed during reconstruction 

and remodeling in 1956, 1978, and 1984. 

Upon completion of remediation and 

reconstruction activities, the Phase I area was 

remediated and was turned over to the U.S. 

Army Reserve on May 15, 1999. 

1999 Phase I (south bay area)

A building survey conducted in 1993 indicated a maximum fixed gross betagamma activity of 9,380 dpm/100 cm2 in the Phase I area. The exterior areas 

adjacent to the south bay area were assessed for contamination, and deposits 

along the east and south sides were remediated during the remediation of exterior 

land areas in 1989-1994. A characterization survey of the south bay area in 

February and March 1999 identified surface contamination on and within the 

north clay tile wall, on surfaces of the stem wall that supports the north clay wall, 

in a floor expansion joint, and on a portion of the surface of the concrete floor. 

Intrusive measurements within the ceiling and exterior walls did not indicate any 

contamination. Contaminated concrete was removed and underlying soils were 

remediated. The north wall was removed and reconstructed. Decontamination 

of the stem wall was accomplished by scabbling the surface to a maximum depth 

of 1 cm.

89869, 

pdf pp. 12-13

(Phase I report)

The north section of the Phase II area was 

enlarged and enclosed during reconstruction 

and remodeling in 1956, 1978, and 1984. 

The Phase II portion of the building was 

turned over to the U.S. Army Reserve in 

1999 or 2000.

1999 Phase II (center and north sections)

An RDC measurement taken the winter of 1990 was 0.009 WL. Three RDC 

measurements taken between August 1997 and January 1998 (before 

remediation) in a former office were 0.0024, 0.0029, and 0.0035 WL; the 

average of these was 0.0029 WL. Soil containing Ra-226 was identified under 

the floor slab in 1992. A survey in 1993 indicated a maximum fixed gross betagamma activity of 134,000 dpm/100 cm2

. Exterior areas adjacent to Phase II 

were remediated during remediation of the exterior land areas during 

GJOPORAP. In March 1999, surface contamination was identified on and 

within walls, on concrete floors, on stem wall and foundation surfaces, on 

concrete column support pads, within the center section mechanical room floor 

wood framing, and on the center section attic framing and truss surfaces. The 

maximum beta-gamma surface contamination was approximately 480,000 

dpm/100 dpm/cm2 in the attic. Some contamination was fixed by a layer of 

paint. Cores through the center section concrete floor indicated Ra-226 and total 

uranium contamination exceeding the authorized limits for soil (5 pCi/g and 103 

pCi/g, respectively (Ref ID 88610). 

90168,

pdf pp. 12, 13

(Phase II report)
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Table A1-1: Characterization Data Related to Internal Dose for Various Grand Junction Buildings

Building Description Report

Date

Characterization Data Related to Internal Dose Reference

7A Building 7A was constructed as an addition 

to Building 7 in 1956 as a sample preparation 

laboratory for the Analytical Chemistry 

Laboratory (Building 20). The center section 

of Building 7 had formerly been used for 

sample preparation.

1992 Surface contamination was throughout most of Building 7A with average betagamma activity exceeding 27,000 dpm/l00 cm2 in one large sample-crushing 

room.

89880, 

pdf p. 13

(Phase III 

report)

7 and 7A Phase III 1997 A radon daughter-product (RDC) concentration measurement was 0.0068 WL. 89880,

pdf p. 13

(Phase III)

1999 Remediation and radiological verification of Building 7 during 1999 indicated 

the presence of uranium contamination (yellowcake) on the clay tile and steel 

truss of the common wall between Buildings 7 and 7A. Also, contamination 

found under floors and on foundation surfaces in Building 7 indicated that 

similar contamination probably was present in Building 7A.

89880, 

pdf p. 14 

(Phase III)

2000 Processing equipment, the ventilation system, and vent hoods were sampled and 

found to contain uranium and radium isotopes in excess of release limits with a 

maximum Ra-226 concentration of 1,407 pCi/g. Due to past sample processing 

activities, the ventilation system characterization included analyses for suspected 

transuranic isotopes. None over the limits for unrestricted release were found. 

89880, 

pdf p. 14

(Phase III)

11 Building 11 was constructed in 1955 as the 

primary guardhouse (South Gate). It 

continued in the same function up to recent 

times.

1997 The result of a three-month-long RDC measurement, completed in February 

1990, was 0.008 WL. During the comprehensive survey of structures in 1993, 

no radiological contamination was identified. Three deposits of contaminated 

soil, parts of which were within 3 m of the building, were assessed and 

remediated during the remediation of exterior land areas in 1989-1994. Other 

remedial actions were not required.

76626, 

pdf pp. 15-16

12 Building 12 was constructed in 1953 as an 

office building. The building incorporated 

an existing log structure on its east wing 

referred to as the Log Cabin (constructed 

prior to 1943). A south addition (Bldg. 12A) 

was constructed in 1956. Vaults for records 

storage were added in the late 1970s.

2000 Two RDC measurements taken during the winter of 1990 were 0.015 WL and 

0.016 WL. A building survey in 1993 indicated no surface contamination on the 

interior or exterior of the building. Exterior areas adjacent to the building were 

assessed for tailing contamination and soil was excavated and replaced with 

clean fill as a part of the remediation of exterior land areas in 1989-1994.

90170,

pdf pp. 12-13
SEC-00175 01-11-11 Rev. 0 Grand Junction

85 of 99 

Table A1-1: Characterization Data Related to Internal Dose for Various Grand Junction Buildings

Building Description Report

Date

Characterization Data Related to Internal Dose Reference

19 Building 19 was constructed in 1948 as the 

Main Gate. Later, the building served as a 

guardhouse (North Gate) and office space for 

security personnel. Major modifications to 

the structure occurred in 1953 and 1967.

1997 The result of a three-month-long RDC measurement, completed in February 

1990, was 0.011 WL. During the comprehensive survey of structures in 1993, 

no radiological contamination was identified. One deposit of contaminated soil 

within 3 m of the building was assessed and remediated during the remediation 

of exterior land areas, 1989-1994. Other remedial actions were not required.

76629, 

pdf p. 17

20 In 1951, the first section of the existing 

Building 20 Analytical Chemistry 

Laboratory structure was constructed to 

support the site mission to evaluate ore 

quality and to evaluate uranium concentrate 

samples. The original structure is the east 

wing of the current building. The building 

was expanded in 1954 with the addition of 

the west wing. The building incorporated 

filtered fume hoods for working with 

unencapsulated samples.

1990 Radon daughter product (RDC) concentrations:

1/12/90: 0.0059 WL average; 0.0178 WL maximum

2/16/90: 0.0014 WL average; 0.0054 WL maximum

89903, 

pdf p. 2

2000 The final status survey concluded that the median concentrations for all survey 

units were indistinguishable from the instrument response background with the 

exception of the interior of the liquid drain pipe system. The residual 

contamination in this system did not exceed the criteria selected for release of the 

facility from radiological controls.

90199, 

pdf p. 170

26 Building 26 was constructed in 1954. It was 

built as an engineering office building and 

has been used as office space and as a 

training facility. In 1999, Building 26 was 

leased to the Western Colorado Business 

Development Corporation (along with 

Buildings 28, 30, 46, and 56).

1999 A radon study conducted in 1990 measured RDC of 0.023 WL in the building 

office. A radiological survey of the building in 1993 indicated no contamination. 

Exterior areas adjacent to the building were identified as contaminated in 1990 

and soil was excavated and replaced with clean fill circa 1995.

89943, 

pdf p. 79
SEC-00175 01-11-11 Rev. 0 Grand Junction

86 of 99 

Table A1-1: Characterization Data Related to Internal Dose for Various Grand Junction Buildings

Building Description Report

Date

Characterization Data Related to Internal Dose Reference

28 Building 28 was constructed in 1954. It was 

built as a maintenance and repair facility for 

vehicles, heavy equipment, and electrical 

equipment, and as a site support building 

with offices and facility maintenance shops. 

In 1999, it was vacant.

1999 An investigation into the historical activities indicated that the maintenance shop 

contained wash facilities for heavy equipment and smaller vehicles used around 

uranium ore, mill tailings, and yellowcake at the mill site and in the concentrate 

storage areas. A radon study in 1990 measured an RDC of 0.009 WL in Room 

45. Measurements in 1998 indicated RDCs of 0.0041 WL and 0.0048 WL. 

Exterior areas adjacent to the building were assessed for contamination; two 

small deposits located along the west wall were remediated in 1992. In 1993, 

contamination was found in a floor drain, sump, expansion joints, an exhaust fan, 

and in concrete. The latter had beta-gamma activities as high as 20,090 dpm/100 

cm2 in Room 7 and 6,700 dpm/100 cm2 in Room 10. Remedial activities for 

these areas were conducted in 1994 and 1995. The contamination on concrete 

floors was removed by scabbling the paint and contaminated concrete surface 

(pdf p. 105).

90185, 

pdf pp. 12-13

29 Building 29 was constructed in 1954. It was 

built as a guard station and scale house for 

trucks entering the site with uranium ore, and 

later was used for paint storage. In 1997, 

Building 29 served as office space for 

facilities management personnel.

1997 Building 29 was included in the 1993 comprehensive survey of the structures at 

the DOE-GJO facility. No radiological contamination was identified. Two 

deposits of contaminated soil, parts of which were located within 3 m of the 

building, were assessed and remediated during the decontamination and 

decommissioning of the exterior land areas in 1995.

89967, 

pdf p. 74

30 Building 30 was constructed in 1955 as a 

purchasing and supply warehouse and an 

operations building. In 1982, Building 30 

was joined to Building 22 by constructing a 

high bay area between them. The Building 

30 portion has been used as an electronics 

laboratory, radiological instrument storage, 

and office space.

1999 A radon study in 1990 measured an RDC of 0.012 WL in Room 105. The 

average of three measurements in January 1998 was 0.0033 WL. A radiological 

survey in 1993 indicated no contamination. Remedial actions were not required. 

The exterior areas adjacent to Building 30 were assessed for contamination; a 

small deposit located within 3 m of the south side of the building was remediated 

during remediation of the exterior land areas in 1989-1994.

90189, 

pdf p. 11

30B Building 30B was erected in 1985 as a 

machine shop and electronics laboratory. 

After 1985, it was used to store and calibrate 

small field instruments and house personal 

protective equipment. It was also used for 

temporary storage of radioactive trash and 

for storage of controlled radioactive sources.

1997 The result of a three-month-long RDC measurement, completed in February 

1990, was 0.0285 WL. During the comprehensive survey of structures in 1993, 

no radiological contamination was identified. Deposits of contaminated soil 

within 3 m of the building were assessed and found to not exceed limits. Other 

remedial actions were not required.

76614, 

pdf p. 14
SEC-00175 01-11-11 Rev. 0 Grand Junction

87 of 99 

Table A1-1: Characterization Data Related to Internal Dose for Various Grand Junction Buildings

Building Description Report

Date

Characterization Data Related to Internal Dose Reference

31 Building 31 was constructed in 1954 to 

house the acid-leach circuit of a pilot-scale 

uranium ore mill. Milling activities 

commenced in 1955 and continued until 

1958. The building was subsequently used 

for storage, including uranium and vanadium 

concentrates. The building was demolished 

in 1992.

1996 A survey in 1986 detected fixed alpha surface activities as high as 1,440 

dpm/100 cm2

. A more comprehensive survey in 1989 identified contamination 

on multiple surfaces and in cracks and crevices. Preliminary RDC 

measurements were approximately 0.02 WL. Ra-226 concentrations in 

contaminated sediment from the concrete trenches ranged as high as 343.2 pCi/g. 

Beta-gamma surface activities ranged as high as 850,563 dpm/100 cm2

. Alpha 

surface activities ranged as high as 46,860 dpm/100 cm2

. The building was 

demolished and the foundation and associated utilities were removed. The soil 

underneath the building was then remediated.

76615, 

pdf pp. 18-19

31A Building 31A was constructed in 1954 as an 

analytical chemistry laboratory and office 

building. Later, the building was used as a 

physics and radon laboratory with associated 

offices. It was demolished during remedial 

activities in August and September 1998 and 

not rebuilt.

1999 Measurements in 1996 indicated Ra-226, Th-230, and total uranium 

contamination in a sump under the concrete floor, and fixed surface 

contamination on the floor in a couple of hot spots with beta-gamma activities up 

to 5,720 dpm/100 cm2

. Removable contamination was found in the attic 

ductwork with beta-gamma activities up to 10,400 dpm/100 cm2

. Contamination 

was suspected inside the south wall that had been shared with a previously 

demolished pilot mill building (Bldg. 31). Boreholes through the floor did not 

identify any radiological contaminants in the underlying soil. An average RDC 

of 0.007 WL was measured in 1997. Exterior areas adjacent to the building were 

assessed for tailing contamination and soil was excavated and replaced with 

clean fill as a part of the remediation of exterior land areas in 1989 and 1990.

90173,

pdf p. 12
SEC-00175 01-11-11 Rev. 0 Grand Junction

88 of 99 

Table A1-1: Characterization Data Related to Internal Dose for Various Grand Junction Buildings

Building Description Report

Date

Characterization Data Related to Internal Dose Reference

32 Building 32 was constructed in 1954 as a 

chemical storage area and warehouse. It was 

later used for seed storage, core preparation 

and viewing, and radon research. In 2000, 

the building housed an environmental 

laboratory and offices.

2000 A radon daughter product concentration (RDC) measurement taken during the 

winter of 1990 was 0.0245 WL. This measurement was taken in an office prior 

to remediation that occurred during remodeling of the southern portion of the 

building. Three RDC measurements, taken in the former radon chamber room 

between August 27, 1997, and January 9, 1998, were 0.0053, 0.0056, and 0.0060 

WL. The average of these three measurements is 0.0056 WL. A building survey 

conducted in 1993 indicated no surface contamination on exterior and interior 

surfaces of the building. Subsequent measurements identified fixed 

contamination of unreported beta-gamma activity on the concrete floor in the 

north portion of the building. Intrusive characterization measurements collected 

in 1997 did not identify contamination on roof material surfaces, inside the 

exterior walls, or under the concrete floor. Two floor locations near the east wall 

of the north portion of the building were confirmed to have fixed contamination 

during a building survey conducted in 1999, with a maximum beta-gamma 

activity of 10,400 dpm/l00 cm2

. During the final release survey, the maximum 

removable activity was 422.2 dpm/100 cm2

; the maximum projected upper limit 

for total contamination was 3,232 dpm/l00 cm2

. 

89999, 

pdf pp. 38, 41, 

42

33 Building 33 was constructed in 1954 as a 

mill operations building. After the mill 

ceased operations, the building was used for 

storage. The building was demolished 

during remedial action activities in August 

and September 1998 and was not rebuilt.

1999 Direct alpha measurements made in 1985 were 78 to 16,167 dpm/100 cm2

, and 

an RDC measurement was 0.005 WL. The soil beneath the floor slab was not 

sampled. A building survey conducted in 1993 indicated surface contamination 

throughout the building with a maximum fixed gross beta-gamma activity of 

6,881 dpm/100 cm2

. Building 33 was extensively decontaminated during 1988 

and 1989, which resulted in a conditional release but not a release for 

unrestricted use. Exterior areas adjacent to the building were assessed and 

remediated during the remediation of exterior land areas in 1989-1994.

90175, 

pdf pp. 12-13

34 Building 34 was constructed in 1954 as a 

boiler house for the large pilot mill. 

Subsequently, it was used for storage. The 

building was demolished in 1996. 

1996 In 1986, the building was surveyed and no alpha contamination or Ra-226 

concentrations of the underlying soil exceeded limits. However, RDC 

concentrations as high as 1.48 WL were recorded. In 1993, fixed beta-gamma 

surface activities ranging as high as 32,571 dpm/100 cm2 were identified on 

concrete foundation and steel surfaces. Analysis of expansion joint material 

collected from the perimeter of the building indicated Ra-226, Th-230, and total 

uranium concentrations of 9.5, 62.4, and 78.3 pCi/g, respectively. 

76620, 

pdf p. 19
SEC-00175 01-11-11 Rev. 0 Grand Junction

89 of 99 

Table A1-1: Characterization Data Related to Internal Dose for Various Grand Junction Buildings

Building Description Report

Date

Characterization Data Related to Internal Dose Reference

35 Building 35 was constructed in 1954 as a 

uranium ore and yellowcake feed preparation 

and sample plant. Ancillary structures, 

including a conveyor belt, were removed 

after completion of mill operations. The 

building was demolished during remedial 

action activities in August and September 

1998 and was not rebuilt.

1999 Direct alpha measurements made in 1985 were 312 to 15,444 dpm/100 cm2

, and 

a RDC measurement was 0.007 WL. Boreholes through the floor slab did not 

indicate any Ra-226 concentrations above background. A building survey 

conducted in 1993 indicated a couple of hot spots with a maximum fixed gross 

beta-gamma activity of 25,460 dpm/100 cm2

. Building 35 was extensively 

decontaminated during 1988 and 1989, which resulted in a conditional release 

but not a release for unrestricted use. Exterior areas adjacent to the building 

were assessed and remediated during the remediation of exterior land areas in 

1989-1994.

90178, 

pdf p.12

36 Building 36 was used as early as 1945 as a 

paint shop for the small pilot mill. In 1954, 

the building was moved to the south end of 

the facility for use as a uranium concentrate 

drying facility. Subsequently, it was used for 

storage of uranium concentrate and later for 

general storage. The building was 

demolished in 1996.

1996 Beta-gamma surface activities measured in 1989 ranged as high as 100,462 

dpm/100 cm2 on the concrete and wall surfaces of the building; analysis of the 

underlying soil indicated that the soil was not contaminated. The area was 

subsequently vacuumed in 1989 or 1990. Fixed beta-gamma activity of 5000 

dpm/100 cm2 was detected on the concrete floor and 80,400 dpm/100 cm2 was 

detected on wall materials in 1993.

76621, 

pdf pp. 18-19

37 Building 37 was a scale house for a truck 

scale located near the perimeter fence in the 

southern portion of the facility. The building 

and scale were demolished and the 

underlying soils were remediated in 1991-

1992.

1999 Elevated beta-gamma activities were identified on the exterior surfaces of the 

scale house, on the foundation surfaces of the scale house, and on the scale 

platform. A soil sample collected in the area was 140.6 pCi/g prior to the area 

being remediated.

90201, 

pdf p. 2

39 Building 39 was a metal shed that housed 

pumps and valves that controlled the supply 

of fuel from emergency reserve tanks to the 

facility back-up generator and boiler plant. 

The building was demolished in April 1992.

1996 The building was surveyed in 1992. No radiological contamination was 

identified on surfaces or installed equipment. However, the soil under the 

building was assessed as contaminated. The soil was remediated after removal 

of the building, equipment, and concrete pad.

76623, 

pdf p. 19

40 Building 40 was constructed in 1958 as a 

natural gas meter house.

1999 The exterior areas were assessed for contamination but no deposits were 

identified and no remediation was required. Surveys in the building did not 

identify any contamination. Radon concentrations were not measured since the 

building was considered uninhabitable.

90016, 

pdf pp. 13-15 
SEC-00175 01-11-11 Rev. 0 Grand Junction

90 of 99 

Table A1-1: Characterization Data Related to Internal Dose for Various Grand Junction Buildings

Building Description Report

Date

Characterization Data Related to Internal Dose Reference

41 Building 41 was constructed in 1956 as a 

storage shed.

1999 Building 41 currently is located on a concrete slab constructed after underlying 

soils were remediated during GJPORAP remediation of exterior land areas in 

1989. The underlying soil was remediated. Radiologically-contaminated 

materials were removed and the excavations were backfilled with clean material. 

Health and safety radiological surveys conducted in the building did not identify 

contamination. The final close-out survey confirmed that there was no fixed or 

removable contamination above established limits. Radon concentrations were 

not measured because the building was considered uninhabitable.

90019, 

pdf pp. 13-15

42 The original year of construction is 

unknown. Building 42 was assembled and 

expanded on three occasions using structures 

located elsewhere on the GJO facility. The 

building was used as a permitted hazardous 

and mixed waste storage area. The permit 

and stored materials were transferred to

Building 61C in June 2000. The building 

was demolished in July 2000.

2000 A building survey conducted in 1993 did not identify any surface contamination. 

Exterior areas adjacent to the building were assessed and remediated during the 

remediation of exterior land areas in 1990 and 1991. In 2000, soil samples from 

four boreholes did not indicate elevated concentrations of Ra-226 or total 

uranium. Net results for all direct beta-gamma surface measurements were less 

than 1,000 dpm/100 cm2

. 

90179, 

pdf p. 12

43 Building 43 was constructed in 1976 as a 

storage shed to support operations in 

Buildings 22 and 30. Barrels of contaminated 

personal protective equipment (PPE) have 

been stored in the building.

1999 The exterior areas adjacent to Building 43 were assessed for contamination, and 

deposits located along the west side of the building were remediated in 1990 

during GJPORAP remediation of exterior land areas; radiologicallycontaminated materials were removed and the excavations were backfilled with 

clean material. Health and safety radiological surveys conducted in the building 

did not identify contamination. The final close-out survey confirmed that there 

was no fixed or removable contamination above established limits. Radon 

concentrations were not measured because the building was considered 

uninhabitable.

90023, 

pdf pp. 13-15

44 Building 44 was constructed in 1956 and was 

originally used for gas cylinder storage.

1996 Building 44 was surveyed for radiological hazards in 1993. Beta-gamma surface 

activity ranging as high as 20,600 dpm/100 cm2 was identified on the concrete 

floor and interior wood surfaces. Building 44 was demolished in 1994. 

Measurements and soil samples indicated that the underlying soil was not 

contaminated.

90031,

pdf pp. 22, 23
SEC-00175 01-11-11 Rev. 0 Grand Junction

91 of 99 

Table A1-1: Characterization Data Related to Internal Dose for Various Grand Junction Buildings

Building Description Report

Date

Characterization Data Related to Internal Dose Reference

46 Building 46 was constructed in 1977 as a 

cafeteria. It was erected on the site of a 

former mineralogy laboratory built in the 

early 1950s and demolished in the early 

1970s. Foundation elements and potentiallycontaminated utilities from the former lab 

were beneath Building 46.

1999 Surface, RDC, and soil measurements were taken during various investigations 

in 1993-1995. No contamination was found on or inside the building. 

Contaminated soil was detected beneath the uncontaminated north stem wall. 

The exterior areas adjacent to the building were remediated in 1989. In 1996, the 

floor slab was removed, the soil excavated and replaced, and the building was 

refurbished as a cafeteria.

90034,

pdf pp. 28-29

51 Building 51 was constructed in 1976 as a gas 

bottle storage building to support analytical 

laboratory operations in Building 20.

1999 The exterior areas adjacent to Building 51 were assessed for contamination, and 

deposits located near the east and west sides of the building were remediated in 

1991. Building surfaces were characterized in September 1999 and no 

measurements exceeded authorized limits.

90036, 

pdf p. 13

54 Building 54 was installed on the DOE-GJO 

site in 1992. It consists of 15 modular units 

joined together with the interior 

reconstructed to accommodate office space 

and medical facilities. Prior to installation 

on the GJO site, the units served as the 

student center and cafeteria during a 

remedial action project at Mesa State College 

in Grand Junction, Colorado. In 1997, 

Building 54 served as office space for 

facilities management, analytical laboratory, 

and medical personnel.

1997 The building was surveyed prior to moving to GJO and found to be free of 

contamination. This was verified during the release survey. Most of the soil 

located beneath and within 3 m of the building was assessed and remediated 

during the decontamination and decommissioning of the exterior land areas prior 

to the installation of the building. The average of three RDC measurements 

taken during a 3-month-long period in 1997 was 0.0017 WL.

90067,

pdf p. 20

56 Building 56 was installed in 1992 as office 

space, equipment storage, and laboratories 

for ORNL. It was removed in May 1997 

following completion of the radiological 

release survey. Following completion of the 

release survey, the laboratory equipment was 

removed to Building 7.

1997 Building 56 was surveyed prior to being installed and found to be free of 

contamination. Subsequently two rooms were posted as radioactive material 

areas because they were used to analyze mill tailings samples. The soil beneath 

the building had been remediated prior to its installation as a part of the 

remediation of the exterior land areas. No remediation of the building was 

required because there was no contamination identified. 

90187, 

pdf p. 16
SEC-00175 01-11-11 Rev. 0 Grand Junction

92 of 99 

Table A1-1: Characterization Data Related to Internal Dose for Various Grand Junction Buildings

Building Description Report

Date

Characterization Data Related to Internal Dose Reference

61A, B, 

and C 

Buildings 61A, B, and C are modular units 

that were installed on a concrete pad in 1993. 

The buildings were used to store hazardous 

and mixed waste materials generated by GJO 

operations and remedial action projects.

2000 A building survey conducted in 1993 indicated no surface contamination on 

interior and exterior surfaces of the buildings. Building 61A has no record of 

being used to store radiological materials. Buildings 61B and 61C have been 

used to store containerized radioactive materials but no known spills have 

occurred in these buildings. Building surfaces were characterized in May 2000 

and no measurements exceed authorized limits. Remedial action was not 

required.

90195, 

pdf p. 12

810 Building 810 was formed when Building 8 

and Building 10 were joined by an addition 

in 1981. Building 8 was constructed in 1950. 

Building 10 was constructed in 1949. 

Buildings 8 and 10 were never used for 

uranium milling or brokerage activities but 

the area was crossed by a haul road that 

served the MED refinery. The building has 

been used for offices and conference rooms 

for DOE and GJO contractor personnel.

2000 RDC measurements taken in the winter of 1990 were 0.010 WL in Room 112 

and 0.0023 WL in Room 177. Measurements made between August 1997 and 

January 1998 averaged 0.0106 and 0.0052 for the north and south wings, 

respectively. A building survey conducted in 1993 indicated no surface 

contamination on exterior and interior surfaces of the building, but elevated betagamma activity was identified on the soil surface in a small area. The exterior 

areas adjacent to Building 810 were assessed for contamination during the 

remediation of exterior land areas, but no contamination was identified within 3 

m of the building. An extensive characterization was performed in 1996. 

Elevated concentrations located in the crawlspace were determined to be within 

limits and no remedial actions were required.

90196,

pdf pp. 12-13

938 Building 938 was formed when two formerly 

separate buildings, 9 and 38, were joined by 

connecting additions. Building 9 was 

constructed in 1954; Building 38 was built 

1955. The original addition (Bldg. 9A) was 

built in 1955. The buildings were joined in 

1981. The building was used for offices and 

conference rooms for the DOE-GJO 

contractor personnel. The buildings were 

never used for uranium milling or brokerage 

activities.

2000 Radon decay product concentration measurements taken during the winter of 

1990 were 0.009 WL in Room 114 (east wing) and 0.008 WL in Room 222 

(courtyard addition). A building survey conducted in 1993 indicated no surface 

contamination on exterior surfaces of the building, but beta-gamma activity 

exceeding authorized limits was identified in the attic associated with a layer of 

vermiculite insulation. The exterior areas adjacent to Building 938 were 

assessed for contamination and several small deposits located near the building 

were remediated during the remediation of exterior land areas in 1989-1994.

90182,

pdf pp. 12-13
SEC-00175 01-11-11 Rev. 0 Grand Junction

93 of 99 

Table A1-1: Characterization Data Related to Internal Dose for Various Grand Junction Buildings

Building Description Report

Date

Characterization Data Related to Internal Dose Reference

3022 Building 3022 consists of the one-story north 

wing (formerly Buildings 22 and 22A) and 

the high bay. The two-story south wing 

(formerly Building 30) is addressed in a 

separate report. Buildings 22 and 22A were 

completed in 1953 as sedimentation and 

electronics laboratories with associated 

warehouse and office space. Subsequent 

modifications resulted in a joined roof 

(creating a new Building 22), removal of 

laboratories, and conversion to office space. 

Building 22 was joined to Building 30 and a 

high bay area was constructed in 1982. The 

high bay was used for core storage and a 

core-hole logging vehicle support facility. 

Later, it was converted for use as a facility 

maintenance area and the supply and 

procurement warehouse.

2000 Two RDC measurements taken in the winter of 1990 were 0.012 WL and 0.15 

WL. A building survey in 1993 indicated no surface contamination on exposed 

or accessible interior and exterior surfaces. The exterior areas adjacent to 

Building 3022 were assessed for mill tailings contamination and deposits were 

remediated during the remediation of exterior land areas in 1989-1994. A 

characterization survey was conducted in September 1999. Two of three 

abandoned floor drains had Ra-226 and total uranium contamination exceeding 

authorized limits. The associated abandoned interior and exterior drain lines 

were assumed to be contaminated. A soil sample collected from an exterior 

borehole near the building had a Th-230 concentration of 84.0 pCi/g, which 

exceeded the authorized limit. Elevated beta-gamma activity was detected along 

the joint between the stem wall and exterior concrete apron on the west side of 

the north wing. Measurements of the attic louvers, roof vents, and roof materials 

did not indicate any surface contamination.

90184, 

pdf pp. 12-13
SEC-00175 01-11-11 Rev. 0 Grand Junction

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SEC-00175 01-11-11 Rev. 0 Grand Junction

95 of 99 

Attachment 2: Data Capture Synopsis

Table A2-1: Data Capture Synopsis for Grand Junction Operations Office

Data Capture Information General Description of Documents Captured Date 

Completed

Uploaded to 

SRDB

Primary Site/Company Name: Grand Junction Operations 

Office; (GJO), (GJOO) 1943 - Present DOE

Other Site Names: 

U.S. Vanadium (Stratcor), 1943-1946, [Name redacted]

American Smelting and Refining Co. (ASARCO) 1948-

1955, [Name redacted] 

Ledoux and Company 1948, [Name redacted] 

American Cyanamid (Wyeth) 1953-1954, [Name redacted] 

National Lead Co. (NL Industries) 1954-1958, [Name 

redacted]

Lucius Pitkin, Inc. 1956-1971, [Name redacted] 

Bendix Field Engineering Corporation 1975-1986 

UNC Technical Services 1986-1987 

UNC Geotech, Inc. 1987-1990 

Chem-Nuclear Geotech, Inc. 1990-1993 

RUST Geotech, Inc. 1993-1996 

MACTEC Environmental Restoration Services 1996-2002 

WASTREN, Inc. 1996-2002 

S.M. Stoller Corporation 2002-Present

Material received from GJO or downloaded from the GJO website is 

summarized in the DOE Legacy Management - Grand Junction Office 

section below. 

NL Industries has informed the Project that a formal court order or 

records subpoena will be required before any GJO records that may 

exist can be released or disclosed. The other companies’ records were 

either destroyed or submitted to GJO. 

11/30/2009 0 

State Contacted: [Name redacted], [Name redacted] Colorado does not hold relevant records. 11/11/2009 0 

Department of Labor/Paragon A summary history of uranium mills, the Surgeon General's 

recommendations regarding building homes on uranium mill tailings, 

and an Atomic Energy Commission report on contamination removal.

12/30/2008 3 

DOE Brookhaven National Laboratory A Department of Energy report from 2000 that states that GJO does not 

conduct ambient particulate or tritium air monitoring.

03/01/2006 1 

DOE Environmental Measurements Laboratory Library Mill Tailings Project reports, dust sample reports, and a report on 

controlling employee exposures in underground uranium mines.

03/09/2005 5 
SEC-00175 01-11-11 Rev. 0 Grand Junction

96 of 99 

Table A2-1: Data Capture Synopsis for Grand Junction Operations Office

Data Capture Information General Description of Documents Captured Date 

Completed

Uploaded to 

SRDB

DOE Legacy Management - Grand Junction Office A listing of all contractors at GJO, summary histories of GJO, the 

Summary History of Domestic Uranium Procurement, Contract No. 

AT(05-1)-266 documents, material inventories, reports on the treatment 

of carnotite ores, annual UMTRA site inspections, UMTRA reports, 

remediation work plans, the S.M. Stoller Office of Legacy Management 

contract, reports on the treatment of ore concentrates, 1953 trip reports, 

a mixed waste report, final decontamination and decommissioning 

reports, the Manhattan Engineer District diagram of materials 

shipments, environmental reports, airborne effluent control at uranium 

mills, a 1980 radiometric site survey, a 1997 confirmation of exterior 

remediation activities, radon reports, a summary of process knowledge 

interviews, mill tailings studies and reports, the 1959 mill products 

sampling process and flow sheet, building decontamination and 

decommissioning reports with supporting and historical radiological 

survey data, and bioassay data from 1967 and the 1990s.

11/11/2010 322

DOE Legacy Management - Morgantown A 1972 unclassified Fernald letter log with GJO correspondence, a 

Fernald report which mentions Colorado ores, and verification of GJO 

as the location of an ore concentrate stockpile. 

6/30/2010 4 

DOE Legacy Management - MoundView (Fernald 

Holdings, includes Fernald Legal Database)

A 1953 Health and Safety Division report which references instruments 

in use at GJO, raw materials development report for 1954-1959, a report 

which documents the analysis of GJO U3O8 at the New Brunswick Lab, 

data on ore concentrate shipments from GJO to Fernald in the 1970s, 

limited uranium urinalysis from the 1950s and 1960, ore concentrate 

treatment methods at Fernald, Mallinckrodt Chemical Co., and Weldon 

Spring, interlaboratory comparisons of ore concentrate assays, an ore 

concentrate management plan, ore sampling flow diagrams under 

Lucius Pitkin, ore concentrate specifications committee meeting 

minutes, an epidemiologic study of mill worker mortality, ore 

concentrate inventories and projections, a 1953 New York Operations 

Office report with the summary of distribution of film badge readings, 

and documentation of a security breach during a concentrate shipment.

 

05/13/2010 45

DOE Pacific Northwest National Laboratory A Nuclear Regulatory Commission guidance document for performing 

occupational radiation monitoring at uranium mills.

04/02/2006 1 

Federal Records Center, Kansas City Film badge records, 1957-1960. 10/15/2008 4 

Internet 1998-2001 REMS exposure data for GJO. 10/28/2010 1 
SEC-00175 01-11-11 Rev. 0 Grand Junction

97 of 99 

Table A2-1: Data Capture Synopsis for Grand Junction Operations Office

Data Capture Information General Description of Documents Captured Date 

Completed

Uploaded to 

SRDB

Internet - DOE Comprehensive Epidemiologic Data 

Resource (CEDR)

No relevant data identified. 11/02/2009 0 

Internet - DOE Hanford Declassified Document Retrieval 

System (DDRS)

No relevant data identified. 11/02/2009 0 

Internet - DOE Legacy Management Considered Sites A raw materials research report covering 1954-1959. 10/04/2007 1 

Internet - DOE OpenNet The fifteenth and eighteenth semi-annual reports to Congress, a report 

mentioning research on remote detection of uranium and thorium ore 

deposits, and a 1971 site visit report.

11/02/2009 6 

Internet - DOE OSTI Energy Citations No relevant data identified. 10/31/2009 0 

Internet - DOE OSTI Information Bridge Stannard's Radioactivity and Health, final decontamination and 

decommissioning reports, the long term surveillance plan for the 

Cheney Disposal Site, complex-wide radiological waste data, final 

report on the decontamination and decommissioning of exterior land 

areas, and uranium industry annuals.

09/20/2010 17

Internet - Google Environmental reports, groundwater reports, final decontamination and 

decommissioning reports, Grand Junction Steel property cleanup, S.M. 

Stoller's contract for management of GJO, Projects Office Management 

Action Process, site environmental summary, the quantity of legacy 

material present at the site, overviews of mill tailings remediation, and 

complex-wide waste management, stewardship, and environmental 

restoration plans.

09/24/2010 30

Internet - Health Physics Journal No relevant data identified. 11/04/2010 0 

Internet - Journal of Occupational and Environmental 

Health 

No relevant data identified. 11/04/2010 0 

Internet - National Academies Press (NAP) No relevant data identified. 11/02/2009 0 

Internet - National Nuclear Security Administration 

(NNSA) - Nevada Site Office

No relevant data identified. 11/02/2009 0 

Internet - NRC Agencywide Document Access and 

Management (ADAMS)

UMTRA, surveillance and maintenance, and site remediation reports. 09/01/2010 24

Internet - Washington State University (U.S. Transuranium 

and Uranium Registries)

No relevant data identified. 11/02/2009 0 

Mesa State College, Tomlinson Library, Grand Junction, 

CO

No relevant documents not already in the SRDB were identified. 11/25/2009 0 

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) 

Atlanta

Manhattan Engineer District production, accountability, and medical 

reports and analysis of the first four lots produced at GJO.

06/19/2008 19
SEC-00175 01-11-11 Rev. 0 Grand Junction

98 of 99 

Table A2-1: Data Capture Synopsis for Grand Junction Operations Office

Data Capture Information General Description of Documents Captured Date 

Completed

Uploaded to 

SRDB

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) 

College Park

A 1974 study of inactive mill tailings piles. 04/13/2010 1 

NOCTS A 1978 Department of Energy press release and a 1971 New York 

Times article, both on mill tailings used as fill in residential 

construction.

01/17/2008 1 

ORAU Team The tenth and eleventh annual radiation exposure reports and two 

documented process knowledge interviews.

12/09/2009 4 

SAIC Summary radiation exposure reports for 1960, 1961, 1964, 1969, 1972, 

and 1973.

09/02/2004 6 

SC&A Film badge records. NA 2 

SC&A/DOE Idaho National Engineering Laboratory A 1986 memo which states that the GJOO has nine CERCLA Units. 06/24/2010 1 

Southern Illinois University AEC construction cost differentials. 10/15/2008 1 

Unknown Urine sample data, air sampling data, results of 1991 indoor radon 

study, film badge reports, site characterization surveys, New York 

Operations Office correspondence and reports, and a request for special 

J slugs.

09/12/2004 45

TOTAL 545

Table A2-2: Database Searched for Grand Junction Operations Office

Database/Source Keywords / Phrases Hits Uploaded

NOTE: Database search terms employed for each of the databases listed below are available

in the Excel file called “Data Capture Synopsis for Grand Junction Operations Office, Grand Junction, CO”

DOE CEDR

http://cedr.lbl.gov/

COMPLETED 11/02/2009

See Note above 0 0 

DOE Hanford DDRS

http://www2.hanford.gov/declass/

COMPLETED 11/02/2009

See Note above 0 0 
SEC-00175 01-11-11 Rev. 0 Grand Junction

99 of 99 

Table A2-2: Database Searched for Grand Junction Operations Office

Database/Source Keywords / Phrases Hits Uploaded

DOE OpenNet

http://www.osti.gov/opennet/advancedsearch.jsp

COMPLETED 11/02/2009

See Note above 36 6 

DOE OSTI Energy Citations

http://www.osti.gov/energycitations/

COMPLETED 10/31/2009

See Note above 909 0 

DOE OSTI Information Bridge

http://www.osti.gov/bridge/advancedsearch.jsp

COMPLETED 09/20/2010

See Note above 442 17

Google

http://www.google.com

COMPLETED 09/24/2010

See Note above 924,702 30

HP Journal

http://journals.lww.com/health-physics/pages/default.aspx

COMPLETED 11/04/2010

See Note above 53 0 

Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health 

http://www.ijoeh.com/index.php/ijoeh

COMPLETED 11/04/2010

See Note above 1 0 

National Academies Press

http://www.nap.edu/

COMPLETED 11/02/2009

See Note above 211 0 

NNSA - Nevada Site Office

www.nv.doe.gov/main/search.htm

COMPLETED 11/02/2009

See Note above 0 0 

NRC ADAMS Reading Room

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams/web-based.html

COMPLETED 09/01/2010

See Note above 1,211 24

U.S. Transuranium & Uranium Registries 

http://www.ustur.wsu.edu/

COMPLETED 11/02/2009

See Note above 0 0