Every time I hear the word "Whistleblower" in this context, I have a stabbing pain behind my eyes.

"Whistleblower" is a closely-guarded, highly nuanced .gov employee code word. In the Common Speech, it translates roughly to "I am about to be run out on a rail for a long chain of poor work, absenteeism, and incompetence, so I will file a host of complaints to make it seem as if my firing is retaliatory."

I am from the government and here to help you?

quote:

Originally posted by Elk Hunter:
Oh, damn!

Time to panic!

As I understand it, that "radiation" is from uranium ore, not processed stuff. As noted, that stuff is common all over that area.

Anyone else remember those "glow in the dark" watch dials several years ago? Yes, they were radioactive.

You forgot Lensatic compasses, man. Compasses. They're mass. Killing. Machines. Probably had one of those irradiating, testicle-frying miniature nuclear reactors right on your web gear all those years, and didn't even know it.

quote:

Originally posted by mcrimm:

quote:

Originally posted by kimber1911:

"13.9 mR/hr" where the buckets were stored.
Just 5 feet from the buckets, there was a zero reading.

The sudden dissipation of the radiation seems rather strange. The buckets - unless made of lead, would offer little moderation or shielding value. Explanations anyone?

The article stated that the employees returned the buckets to the same location after emptying them, and that there was some detectable rediation there that fell off to zero a few feet away

Cue up that new lawyer commercial on primetime tv.

"did you visit the Grand Canyon? You may be entitled to compensation due to radiation exposure." Call GoldFinger 800 600 6014

Great, now everyone who visited the Canyon, at some time in their life, will feel entitled—cancer or not, to a lottery check.

quote:

Originally posted by DennisM:

quote:

Originally posted by Elk Hunter:
Oh, damn!

Time to panic!

As I understand it, that "radiation" is from uranium ore, not processed stuff. As noted, that stuff is common all over that area.

Anyone else remember those "glow in the dark" watch dials several years ago? Yes, they were radioactive.

You forgot Lensatic compasses, man. Compasses. They're mass. Killing. Machines. Probably had one of those irradiating, testicle-frying miniature nuclear reactors right on your web gear all those years, and didn't even know it.

How about the tritium in your gun's night sights?

Most here won't remember it, but watch dials used to actually have radium on them, and that was found to be a more serious problem.

flashguy

Hillary most likely shorted the rookies on their uranium purchase! She strikes me as the kinda person that would put their thumb on the meat scale.

Park service employees were suspecting something when an ant colony was found behind the building...

quote:

Originally posted by GJG:

quote:

Originally posted by mcrimm:

quote:

Originally posted by kimber1911:

"13.9 mR/hr" where the buckets were stored.
Just 5 feet from the buckets, there was a zero reading.

The sudden dissipation of the radiation seems rather strange. The buckets - unless made of lead, would offer little moderation or shielding value. Explanations anyone?

The article stated that the employees returned the buckets to the same location after emptying them, and that there was some detectable rediation there that fell off to zero a few feet away

Distance.

Distance is just as important or maybe more important as shielding when it comes to radiation.

I went to Y12 in 2017 for some training related to my job and the exercises they had us do with some low level radioactive sources with various shielding materials and and distances was pretty eye opening.

quote:

Originally posted by flashguy:

Most here won't remember it, but watch dials used to actually have radium on them, and that was found to be a more serious problem.

Many still do. And alarm clocks and numerous other household items.

My wife collected antique green glass for some time, which we still have in display cases; it's radioactive and contains uranium, too.

quote:

Originally posted by Zecpull:
I doubt if anyone would have been near it long enough other than the people that work there every day..

That was my thought. I would guess only people there day in and day out have anything to worry about.

Can't wait for all the TV commercials to start...

<Ominous music playing>
Have you or a loved one visited the Grand Canyon since the year 2000?

You may be entitled to CASH COMPENSATION!

Contact us immediately!

quote:

Originally posted by DennisM:

quote:

Originally posted by Elk Hunter:
Oh, damn!

Time to panic!

As I understand it, that "radiation" is from uranium ore, not processed stuff. As noted, that stuff is common all over that area.

Anyone else remember those "glow in the dark" watch dials several years ago? Yes, they were radioactive.

You forgot Lensatic compasses, man. Compasses. They're mass. Killing. Machines. Probably had one of those irradiating, testicle-frying miniature nuclear reactors right on your web gear all those years, and didn't even know it.

Shit! Just discovered that I still have one in my gun cabinet. (survival gear).

I guess now I have to burn the house down. Altho that might spread the radiation all the way to DC.

Kidding!

I was trained by the army in CBR stuff. Nothing at all in this hysteria over this "discovery" surprises me.

quote:

Originally posted by gearhounds:

quote:

However, the buckets were simply moved somewhere else in the building until Stephenson managed to get technicians to dump the buckets out in June.

I’m curious as to where the buckets were “dumped out”. Knowing the agency like I do, I wouldn’t be surprised to learn they were simply dumped out behind the building. The NPS mostly cares about its employees safety when they get caught doing something unsafe.

The park was a uranium mining site. The Lost Orphan mine head is still visible out by Hermit's Rest. I'd think the whole place might be glowing.

quote:

Originally posted by mcrimm:

quote:

Originally posted by kimber1911:
There is a bit more to the story.
The report indicated 800 mR/hr" on contact with the ore.
"13.9 mR/hr" where the buckets were stored.
Just 5 feet from the buckets, there was a zero reading.

The sudden dissipation of the radiation seems rather strange. The buckets - unless made of lead, would offer little moderation or shielding value. Explanations anyone?

Distance is your friend as radiation drops off with the inverse square law.

Not enough data in the article to calculate exactly but let’s just throw some numbers out there.

Assumption, “where the buckets were stored = 2 feet from source (uranium ore).

So if a worker spend their full year of working hours (2080 hours) at 5’ 2” of the uranium ore they would receive a dosage of 5.01 REM exceeding the yearly limit for a radiation worker.

U.S. Radiation worker limit = 5 REM annually

Of course limit for general public is lower.
Rad Pro Calculator

This message has been edited. Last edited by: kimber1911,

quote:

Originally posted by mcrimm:

quote:

Originally posted by kimber1911:
There is a bit more to the story.
The report indicated 800 mR/hr" on contact with the ore.
"13.9 mR/hr" where the buckets were stored.
Just 5 feet from the buckets, there was a zero reading.

The sudden dissipation of the radiation seems rather strange. The buckets - unless made of lead, would offer little moderation or shielding value. Explanations anyone?

I've read this story on a few sites, and came away under the impression that the readings were made after the buckets were dumped. So, to those smarter than me - would ore inside a plastic 5 gallon bucket put out more, or the same radiation as the bucket once emptied? Another words, does a bucket full of uranium ore put out a different level of radiation than the bucket that held it for years, once emptied?

The readings were taken with the uranium ore still in the buckets.

Here is a video where it is stated that a 2 mR/hr reading is taken at about an inch from the uranium ore taken from the Orpan Mine.

Removing the rocks from the buckets removes the radiation source.
The buckets do not become radiated.

The whole story is hyperbole from and employee who had issues at work.