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I'm absolutely sure they've thought of this, but I do wonder why they don't just divert the rivers around it and mine the entire place like an open-pit mine. Ca

I'm absolutely sure they've thought of this, but I do wonder why they don't just divert the rivers around it and mine the entire place like an open-pit mine. Cart the square km or two of material off to some processing location and be done with it. It'd likely cost less than what's been spent already. Again, I'm sure this has been thought of and rejected for a good reason. Still, doing it piecemeal doesn't seem to be working.

deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
nvy 3y ago
Open-pit mining produces dust, and in this case that dust would be heavily contaminated, and could then end up being blown away to contaminate some new site, making the problem worse.
- lostlogin 3y ago
  Additionally radiation combined with rain and snow in an open mine would add a new twist to a known problem when mining.
defrost 3y ago
> and mine the entire place like an open-pit mine. That bit specifically evokes memories of choking clouds of dust having to be sprayed down to reduce the worst of it but still creating plumes of air borne particles spreading and settling over surrounding areas. Now with the addition of post WWII nuclear weapons refining by products.
pugworthy 3y ago
[flagged]
- brazzledazzle 3y ago
  You double commented. Just a heads up.
pugworthy 3y ago
I don’t think you quite appreciate how big the Columbia River is there, or what the terrain is like.
- locusofself 3y ago
  Yep, absolutely massive river running through basalt rock. Vantage WA might as well be the Grand Canyon.
- suction 3y ago
  [dead]
- coryrc 3y ago
  We once had an idea on doing large-scale terrain modifications for cheap. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Plowshare https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Plowshare (thoroughly tongue-in-cheek)
- ianburrell 3y ago
  The current discharge of the Columbia River upstream of Richland is 118,000 ft3/s. That is a fifth of the Mississippi River. It is also quarter to half mile wide.
- zardo 3y ago
  It's not an easy or cheap task, but it has been done several times already to construct dams.
stickfigure 3y ago
I guess the related question is - the half life of Cs137 and St90 are both about 30 years. Can the place just be secured well enough to prevent it from being disturbed for the next few hundred years? Why keep poking at it?
- lostlogin 3y ago
  That’s what they are trying to do by the sounds of it. Get rid of the worst of it then cap it. Rain and snow force the radiation toward the river - this needs managing before the building collapses.
- sgt101 3y ago
  >I guess the related question is - the half life of Cs137 and St90 are both about 30 years. Which is disturbing because this spill has been there for about 45 years already - it must have been as hot as hell to start with and you've got to wonder how many workers have been zapped by it over the years. Someone should start combing through records and finding out who's been in near proximity.
  - fnordfnordfnord 3y ago
    Sr90 emits 1MeV beta. Very very bad if you ingest it but easy to protect yourself if you're near it. The Cs137 is a lot harder to be around. And we don't want either in the water or food chain.
    - deleted 3y ago
      [deleted]
CPLX 3y ago
I am sure they have thought of this but why don’t they “just” divert the Columbia river. Hats off for a genuine demonstration of peak HN comment excellence.
- doublerebel 3y ago
  Once upon a time commenters here used to refrain. The “I’m sure they have thought” or “I have no experience but” or “Can anyone” is a reddit spillover. It’s not peak, this is post-peak decline unless we improve the discourse. Also sarcasm and cynicism is cheap karma. It’s better to only comment constructively. I say all this because you me and GP have been around here a while.
  - postalrat 3y ago
    Being around here a while isn't an excuse to ignore your own suggestions.
  - rsynnott 3y ago
    > The “I’m sure they have thought” or “I have no experience but” or “Can anyone” is a reddit spillover This tendency has been around since at least 2007. There was no HN golden age; it has always been like this.
- doctor_eval 3y ago
  I’d say that > why don’t they just divert the Columbia river. Is very different from the actual comment, > I am sure they have thought of this but why don’t they “just” divert the Columbia river. I think it’s an interesting hypothetical question that’s worth asking in good faith, just to understand more. HN is supposed to be curious, no?
  - deno 3y ago
    This “shut up so you seem smarter” attitude is so annoying, especially online. You are not allowed to be curious about something without becoming an expert on the subject. People too wrapped up in their own egos.
beeburrt 3y ago
Here's the Cable Bridge in Kennewick, WA (right next door to Richland) for an idea of the size of the Columbia River around here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cable_Bridge#/media/File:Cable_Bridge_Pasco_WA.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cable_Bridge#/media/File:Cable...
toast0 3y ago
> Cart the square km or two of material off to some processing location and be done with it. This is the processing location.
undersuit 3y ago
My parents live in Richland. To get to my parents I drive past the Berkley Pit in Butte, MT, Anaconda's Smelter cleanup, Silverbow Creek cleanup, Clarkfork River cleanup, and the Milltown Dam cleanup supersites. A gaint pit in the ground is a bad idea.
- atourgates 3y ago
  If you haven't - you should check out The Richest Hill podcast on your next drive. Really good podcast on the history of Butte. https://www.npr.org/podcasts/689406568/richest-hill https://www.npr.org/podcasts/689406568/richest-hill

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

nvy 3y ago

Open-pit mining produces dust, and in this case that dust would be heavily contaminated, and could then end up being blown away to contaminate some new site, making the problem worse.

lostlogin 3y ago
Additionally radiation combined with rain and snow in an open mine would add a new twist to a known problem when mining.

defrost 3y ago

> and mine the entire place like an open-pit mine. That bit specifically evokes memories of choking clouds of dust having to be sprayed down to reduce the worst of it but still creating plumes of air borne particles spreading and settling over surrounding areas. Now with the addition of post WWII nuclear weapons refining by products.

pugworthy 3y ago

[flagged]

brazzledazzle 3y ago
You double commented. Just a heads up.

pugworthy 3y ago

I don’t think you quite appreciate how big the Columbia River is there, or what the terrain is like.

locusofself 3y ago
Yep, absolutely massive river running through basalt rock. Vantage WA might as well be the Grand Canyon.
suction 3y ago
[dead]
coryrc 3y ago
We once had an idea on doing large-scale terrain modifications for cheap. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Plowshare https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Plowshare (thoroughly tongue-in-cheek)
ianburrell 3y ago
The current discharge of the Columbia River upstream of Richland is 118,000 ft3/s. That is a fifth of the Mississippi River. It is also quarter to half mile wide.
zardo 3y ago
It's not an easy or cheap task, but it has been done several times already to construct dams.

stickfigure 3y ago

I guess the related question is - the half life of Cs137 and St90 are both about 30 years. Can the place just be secured well enough to prevent it from being disturbed for the next few hundred years? Why keep poking at it?

lostlogin 3y ago
That’s what they are trying to do by the sounds of it. Get rid of the worst of it then cap it. Rain and snow force the radiation toward the river - this needs managing before the building collapses.
sgt101 3y ago
>I guess the related question is - the half life of Cs137 and St90 are both about 30 years. Which is disturbing because this spill has been there for about 45 years already - it must have been as hot as hell to start with and you've got to wonder how many workers have been zapped by it over the years. Someone should start combing through records and finding out who's been in near proximity.
- fnordfnordfnord 3y ago
  Sr90 emits 1MeV beta. Very very bad if you ingest it but easy to protect yourself if you're near it. The Cs137 is a lot harder to be around. And we don't want either in the water or food chain.
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]

CPLX 3y ago

I am sure they have thought of this but why don’t they “just” divert the Columbia river. Hats off for a genuine demonstration of peak HN comment excellence.

doublerebel 3y ago
Once upon a time commenters here used to refrain. The “I’m sure they have thought” or “I have no experience but” or “Can anyone” is a reddit spillover. It’s not peak, this is post-peak decline unless we improve the discourse. Also sarcasm and cynicism is cheap karma. It’s better to only comment constructively. I say all this because you me and GP have been around here a while.
- postalrat 3y ago
  Being around here a while isn't an excuse to ignore your own suggestions.
- rsynnott 3y ago
  > The “I’m sure they have thought” or “I have no experience but” or “Can anyone” is a reddit spillover This tendency has been around since at least 2007. There was no HN golden age; it has always been like this.
doctor_eval 3y ago
I’d say that > why don’t they just divert the Columbia river. Is very different from the actual comment, > I am sure they have thought of this but why don’t they “just” divert the Columbia river. I think it’s an interesting hypothetical question that’s worth asking in good faith, just to understand more. HN is supposed to be curious, no?
- deno 3y ago
  This “shut up so you seem smarter” attitude is so annoying, especially online. You are not allowed to be curious about something without becoming an expert on the subject. People too wrapped up in their own egos.

beeburrt 3y ago

Here's the Cable Bridge in Kennewick, WA (right next door to Richland) for an idea of the size of the Columbia River around here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cable_Bridge#/media/File:Cable_Bridge_Pasco_WA.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cable_Bridge#/media/File:Cable...

toast0 3y ago

> Cart the square km or two of material off to some processing location and be done with it. This is the processing location.

undersuit 3y ago

My parents live in Richland. To get to my parents I drive past the Berkley Pit in Butte, MT, Anaconda's Smelter cleanup, Silverbow Creek cleanup, Clarkfork River cleanup, and the Milltown Dam cleanup supersites. A gaint pit in the ground is a bad idea.

atourgates 3y ago
If you haven't - you should check out The Richest Hill podcast on your next drive. Really good podcast on the history of Butte. https://www.npr.org/podcasts/689406568/richest-hill https://www.npr.org/podcasts/689406568/richest-hill