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(last updated 28 Jun 2009)
(DOE EIA)
(USGS)
The Uranium Cafe, a Route 66 landmark in Grants, N.M., with a classic neon sign, closed about a month ago, according to a Grants/Cibola County Chamber of Commerce spokeswoman. (Route 66 News, April 23, 2007)
The Uranium Cafe, a well-known landmark restaurant that has existed through the uranium mining boom and bust in Grants will be reopening soon with new management. (Gallup Independent Nov. 9, 2005)
If granted these subsidies threaten to renew uranium mining in the Navajo
Reservation's Eastern Agency in New Mexico by jump-starting Hydro Resource
Inc.'s proposed Crownpoint Uranium Project. This project has been met with
vigorous opposition from the Navajo community who are still suffering from
the enormously destructive effects of previous uranium mining. Hundreds of
abandoned uranium mines still exist on Native American lands in New Mexico
and elsewhere in the four-corners region. The cleanup of these sites and the
compensation of radiation victims from previous uranium mining continue to
be neglected and delayed. On August 15th Navajo President Kelsey Begaye and
Vice President Taylor McKenzie sent Sen. Bingaman a strongly worded letter
opposing renewed uranium mining on Navajo land. [...]"
(NIRS release Oct. 3, 2001)
(Energy Advancement and Conservation Act) would grant a total of US$ 30 million to the U.S. uranium industry to improve the in-situ leach technology. On July 25, 2001, the bill passed the House Committee on Energy and Commerce with amendments.
"SEC. 315. COOPERATIVE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AND SPECIAL DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS FOR THE URANIUM MINING INDUSTRY.(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002, 2003, and 2004 for--
(1) cooperative, cost-shared, agreements between the Department of Energy and domestic uranium producers to identify, test, and develop improved in situ leaching mining technologies, including low-cost environmental restoration technologies that may be applied to sites after completion of in situ leaching operations; and
(2) funding for competitively selected demonstration projects with domestic uranium producers relating to--
(A) enhanced production with minimal environmental impacts;
(B) restoration of well fields; and
(C) decommissioning and decontamination activities.(b) DOMESTIC URANIUM PRODUCER- For purposes of this section, the term `domestic uranium producer' has the meaning given that term in section 1018(4) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 2296b-7(4)), except that the term shall not include any producer that has not produced uranium from domestic reserves on or after July 30, 1998."
The corresponding Senate bill is S.472 (Nuclear Energy Electricity Supply Assurance Act of 2001 - Sec. 127. Cooperative research and development and special demonstration projects for the uranium mining industry)
These provisions could directly affect Navajo communities in northwestern New Mexico by facilitating development of the Crownpoint Uranium Project, a proposal by Hydro Resources, Inc. (HRI), to construct and operate four uranium ISL mines in Church Rock and Crownpoint in the Eastern Navajo Agency.
Numerous local, regional and national groups including Eastern Navajo Diné Against Uranium Mining (ENDAUM), Concerned Citizens of Crownpoint, SRIC, the New Mexico Environmental Law Center, New Mexico and U.S. Public Interest Research Groups, Mineral Policy Center and Taxpayers for Common Sense have blasted the bill's provisions as another environmental injustice on the Navajo people, as corporate welfare for the the uranium industry, and as bad fiscal policy.
> See also SRIC: Uranium Bailout Bill
> See also NIRS: Uranium Alert
) recommended that the U.S. consider participating in international research on extracting uranium from seawater:
"One possibility for maintaining fission as a major option without reprocessing is low-cost extraction of uranium from seawater. The uranium concentration of sea water is low (approximately 3 ppb) but the quantity of contained uranium is vast - some 4 billion tonnes (about 700 times more than known terrestrial resources recoverable at a price of up to $130 per kg). If half of this resource could ultimately be recovered, it could support for 6,500 years 3,000 GW of nuclear capacity (75 percent capacity factor) based on next-generation reactors (e.g., high-temperature gas-cooled reactors) operated on once-through fuel cycles. Research on a process being developed in Japan suggests that it might be feasible to recover uranium from seawater at a cost of $120 per lb of U3O8.40 Although this is more than 10 times the current uranium price, it would contribute just 0.5¢ per kWh to the cost of electricity for a next-generation reactor operated on a once-through fuel cycle-equivalent to the fuel cost for an oil-fired power plant burning $3-a-barrel oil." [emphasis added]
40 Nobukawa 1994: H. Nobukawa "Development of a Floating Type System for Uranium Extraction from Sea Water Using Sea Current and Wave Power," in Proceedings of the 4th International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference (Osaka, Japan: 10-15 April 1994), pp. 294-300.Source: Powerful Partnerships: The Federal Role In International Cooperation On Energy Innovation. A Report From The President's Committee Of Advisors On Science And Technology Panel On International Cooperation In Energy Research, Development, Demonstration, And Deployment. Washington, DC, June 1999, p. 5-26 - 5-27 (download full text
is investigating the potential of mining and milling uranium from breccia pipes in northern Arizona.) [emphasis added]
) to conduct uranium mine exploration operations across five separate projects on public lands north of Grand Canyon National Park. The authorization violates a June 2008 congressional resolution prohibiting new uranium claims and exploration across 1 million acres of public lands surrounding the Park.
released a Draft Environmental Assessment on a program of drilling exploration of uranium prospects located within the Tusayan Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest. (26.5MB PDF)
On March 11, 2009, the Kaibab National Forest issued the following advisory:
"The Forest Service is not currently seeking public comments on a proposal from DIR Exploration, Inc. to conduct exploratory drilling for uranium on the Tusayan Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest. A document currently being circulated by DIR Exploration is not a Forest Service document and was produced outside of the required National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process.
The Kaibab National Forest will begin evaluating DIR Exploration's proposal through the formal NEPA process at a later date. At that time, an official scoping period will be held for members of the public to review information and provide comments." (emphasis added)
Federal Register: October 10, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 198) p. 60233-60234 (download full text )
is to protect the park from the disruption of uranium drilling and mining near the rim and potential further contamination of groundwater. Supporters say it is needed to protect the Grand Canyon's seeps, springs, streams, river, and the people, plants and wildlife that survive on those waters.
Uranium in the Grand Canyon region is found in sedimentary layers that serve as significant regional aquifers. Mining disturbs and mobilizes uranium and other elements that have been mineralized and encased in these rocks for millions of years.
(The Spectrum June 20, 2008)
> The U.S. House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee, Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, and Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources: Joint Subcommittee Oversight Field Hearing on "Community Impacts of Proposed Uranium Mining Near Grand Canyon National Park", March 28, 2008
> Navajo's won't allow uranium mining, President tells subcommittee, March 30, 2008 (184k PDF, Navajo Nation)
and the Center for Biological Diversity requested that the Kaibab National Forest withdraw approval of up to 39 new uranium-exploration drilling sites immediately south of Grand Canyon National Park. The Forest Service had claimed that the proposed drilling was exempt from detailed environmental review because it would have no effect on the environment.
has approved drilling for uranium at as many as 39 sites near the south rim of the Grand Canyon. This action marks what may be the beginning of extensive uranium mining operations in close proximity to the national park., a British uranium mining corporation. believes that the current uranium boom poses one of the greatest threats to Grand Canyon National Park in its history," said Dave Gowdey, Grand Canyon Program Director for the Trust. "Uranium development at the borders of the park threatens to contaminate Park waters with radioactive waste, poses public health problems for those downstream communities dependent upon Colorado River water, and disrupts the Park's unique natural areas. [...]", January 29, 2008)
On June 19, 2009, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) issued a public notice opening the public comment period on the Air Quality Permit No. 46700 for Denison Mines Corp.'s Arizona I mine.
Comment period ends July 22, 2009.
> Download ADEQ notice and documents (select "Public Notices, Meetings and Hearings")
While the Technical Support Document presents some minimum assessment of the hazards from radon release from the mine (106 mrem/year! [1.06 mSv/year]) and from direct radiation from ore transport, it simply disregards the dust emissions with this remarkable justification:
"Radiation exposure from dust associated with the mining operation is dependent on the concentrations of dust in the air and the activity of the compounds in the dust. Since these values are variable, it is not feasible to estimate the radiation impact from the dust."This ignorance is particularly disturbing, as the Arizona 1 mine is to exploit a uranium deposit with one of the highest ore grades found in the U.S.
Denison Mines Corp. is planning on restarting operations at Arizona 1 in 2007 to complete the shaft and begin mining in 2008. (Denison March 20, 2007)
On June 14, 2006, International Uranium Corp. announced it will review and revise the engineering estimates for the fully permitted Arizona 1 Mine in the Arizona Strip district with development scheduled to begin early 2007 and production beginning in late summer 2007.
On March 3, 2009, Concentric Energy Corporation resubmitted its letter of intent to submit an application to the NRC to construct and operate a uranium recovery facility in Yavapai County, AZ. The expected timeframe for the submittal of the application is the third quarter of 2010.
On March 20, 2008, Concentric Energy Corporation provided notice to the NRC that it intends to submit an application to construct and operate a uranium recovery facility in Yavapai County, AZ.
On August 9, 2007, NRC is holding a teleconference to discuss regulatory issues related to a potential conventional uranium mill near the Anderson Mine in Western Arizona.
> Download Meeting Notice, July 25, 2007 (ADAMS ML072050014)
Anderson Mining Company of Wickenburg, AZ, is proposing a conventional uranium mill near the Anderson Mine in Western Arizona. On July 17, 2007, NRC is holding a teleconference to discuss related regulatory issues.
> Download NRC Meeting Notice, July 17, 2007 (ADAMS ML071980098)
Concentric Energy Corp. is planning to develop the Anderson mine and build a uranium mill on site.
A pre-licensing meeting was held by the NRC on June 6, 2006.
> Download NRC Meeting Notice, May 23, 2007 (ADAMS ML061430096)
> Download Report of Meeting, July 18, 2006 (ADAMS ML061940482)
According to Concentric Energy Corp., former site owner Unocal was planning a huge open pit mine with 38-to-1 strip ratio. They intended to mine 500 million tons of waste rock and leave a huge hole. Such an operation would be most difficult to permit now. However, the property were well suited to be mined by use of conventional coal mining techniques and in-situ leaching of pillars and low-grade material.
On June 19, 2009, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) issued a public notice opening the public comment period on the Water Quality General Aquifer Protection Permit for Denison Mines Corp.'s Canyon mine.
Comment period ends July 22, 2009.
> Download ADEQ notice and documents (select "Public Notices, Meetings and Hearings")
Denison Mines has been denied a state permit for the Canyon mine:
The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality said Denison Mines proposed using outdated, 20-year-old liners and impoundment ponds to capture uranium mine-related runoff. In addition, ADEQ said Denison wasn't specific enough in describing pollution-control measures at the proposed mines.
The Canyon Mine was the site of a long legal battle, opposed for mining by the Havasupai Tribe.
The tribe lost that court battle, but owner International Uranium Corporation put mining on hold until uranium prices rebounded. There is equipment on the site, but it has never been mined.
(Arizona Daily Sun May 14, 2008)
, Plymouth, MN, and CF Industries Holdings Inc. , Long Grove, Ill., the two largest U.S. producers of phosphate fertilizer, said they are considering projects to extract and sell uranium amid surging prices for nuclear fuel. Mosaic may decide in six months whether to build a facility in Florida for extracting uranium from phosphate rock, a spokesman said. CF Industries also is reviewing plans for a possible uranium-extraction project, said a spokesman.
(Star Tribune Apr. 16, 2007)
is reported to be looking into restarting by-product uranium production (from phosphates) from its New Wales, Florida, facility early next year. [UI News Briefing 96/23]
said that it will explore the feasibility of building a uranium recovery facility at its Plant City Phosphate Complex, with production possible within three to four years.
Illinois-based CF Industries, which operates a phosphate mine in Hardee County that ships material to its Plant City operation about 12 miles north of the city, jointly agreed to the feasibility project with Connecticut-based Nukem Inc. , a global trader of uranium.
The two companies are seeking long-term contracts with U.S. electric utilities to supply about 900,000 pounds of a uranium compound [346 t U] annually, CF Industries said in a news release.
If the uranium extraction project were economically feasible, the two companies would obtain financing and permits and proceed with engineering plans, the release stated.
Uranium shows up in 50 to 200 parts per million in phosphate-laden earth, and rising uranium prices in recent months have created the additional market to extract uranium from phosphate, which generally is used for fertilizer.
(The Tampa Tribune July 31, 2007)
Ranger Ralph Rau signed a decision memo January 28, 2008, giving Magnum Minerals U.S.A. Corp. the green light for a two-stage project to drill test holes in the old Stanley Uranium District.
The project will have no significant impact on the environment because uranium historically was mined in nearby deposits, according to the decision.
notified the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission of its intent to file a license application to conduct in situ leach (ISL) uranium recovery operations at one to three project sites in southeastern Montana.
Bayswater anticipates that it will not be submitting its application prior to late 2010.
On Sep. 27, 2008, Uranium King Corporation and Uranium Company of Nevada, LLC (both 100%-owned subisdiaries of Uranium King Ltd ) provided notice to the NRC that they intend to submit an application to construct and operate a uranium recovery facility in Lander County, Nevada at the site of the former Apex Uranium Mine.
and ACTion for the Environment.
(N.A.E.G.) from the Pine Ridge reservation, declaring that the company has been trespassing on tribal lands. The finding gave NAEG 30 days to vacate the reservation.
On June 16, 2009, Powertech Uranium Corp. announced that it is voluntarily withdrawing its application from the NRC in order to provide additional information. The Company expects that it will be able to resubmit the amended license application within the next 30 days as no additional field data collection is required.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission says the developer of a proposed uranium mine in southwest South Dakota near Edgemont must fix several deficiencies in its application. An NRC spokesman says Powertech Uranium Corp. will indicate within a week if it plans to withdraw the application, fix the deficiencies and resubmit it, or wait for the NRC to reject its current request. The spokesman says it's not a fatal blow, but does delay the project. (AP June 12, 2009)
On Feb. 25, 2009, Powertech Uranium Corp. announced that, through its wholly owned subsidiary Powertech (USA) Inc., it has submitted the comprehensive Uranium Recovery License application to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). On Apr. 29, 2009, NRC made the license application available for download from its ADAMS system (Acc. No. ML091200014 ).
On Jan. 15, 2009, Powertech Uranium Corp. announced that, through its wholly owned subsidiary Powertech (USA) Inc., it has submitted its first major permit application for the Dewey-Burdock Project to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA issues one of three major permits that will allow development of the Company's Dewey-Burdock Project in the Edgemont Uranium District of southwestern South Dakota. The application filed with the EPA is for an Underground Injection Control Permit.
> Download Permit Application (EPA Region 8)
Two groups and an individual have filed nomination petitions with the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources to have lands west of Edgemont declared special, exceptional, critical or unique. The petitions were filed Dec. 28, 2008, in Pierre. Oglala Sioux tribal member Debra White Plume, Defenders of the Black Hills and the Oglala Sioux Tribe have all filed the petitions with the DENR's Minerals and Mining program to ask that the determinations be made. The lands are within an area that has been leased by Powertech Uranium for exploration and possible mining of the mineral. "There are over 100 archaeological sites that date from pre-history, before white men came to this area," White Plume said. "They include camp sites, burial grounds, and places where we have ceremonies now." (Black Hills Pioneer Jan. 6, 2009)
Powertech Uranium Corp. apparently plans to mine the Dewey/Burdock uranium deposit by the acid in-situ leach technique (see ADAMS ML072920192 ). This would be the first commercial ISL site to be mined with acid in the United States. Groundwater restoration after acidic in-situ leaching is even more challenging than after carbonate in-situ leaching.
On August 22, 2007, NRC held a public hearing with Powertech Uranium Corp. to discuss the Pre-operational Environmental Baseline Program at the Dewey-Burdock ISL Project.
> Download Meeting Notice Aug. 8, 2007 (ADAMS ML072200166)
A request by two environmental groups to temporarily stop uranium exploration in Fall River County has been denied.
Circuit Judge Jack Delaney says the opponents have not shown how continued drilling will cause environmental harm. Powertech Uranium Corporation is drilling 155 exploratory holes north of Edgemont. About 40 holes have been drilled already.
(AP June 20, 2007)
A state-issued permit allowing exploratory drilling for uranium in the Black Hills of southwest South Dakota is being challenged in court.
An Indian treaty rights group called Defenders of the Black Hills says the state Board of Minerals and Environment improperly granted the exploration permit to Powertech Uranium Corp.
Powertech plans to drill 155 exploration holes northwest of Edgemont, which is about 10 miles from the Wyoming border.
(Casper Star-Tribune March 29, 2007)
(project dropped by IUC in fiscal 2000)
.
(SELC) in Charlottesville.
(Richmond Times-Dispatch Aug. 31, 2007)
> Download Virginia Energy Plan 2007 (Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy)
> View Uranium Mining in Virginia (SELC)
· SEDAR Documents
Company says test drilling not cause of well contamination: In a statement released on March 24, 2009, Virginia Uranium Inc. said it is not responsible for high lead levels in some wells near the Coles Hill uranium deposit. Concerns about well testing around the uranium deposit, about six miles northeast of Chatham, were raised at a meeting two weeks ago sponsored by the Pittsylvania County Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Deborah Lovelace of Gretna repeated her concerns at last week's Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors meeting, showing board members jugs of water, including one from a well with high levels of lead. "This well was fine before the drilling started," she said. "I wonder how many other people are in that same situation?" (Star-Tribune March 25, 2009)
The City Council of Virginia Beach took a stand against uranium mining Tuesday (Dec. 2, 2008) night, adopting a resolution opposing a mine proposed for south central Virginia. City officials fear uranium mining in Pittsylvania County - about 200 miles away - could contaminate Lake Gaston, the city's water source. (The Virginian-Pilot, December 3, 2008)
Virginia Beach City officials are gearing up to oppose a uranium mine about 200 miles west in Pittsylvania County, arguing it could threaten the city's water supply. The City Council was told Tuesday (Nov. 25, 2008) that under a worst-case scenario, a hurricane or tropical storm could destroy the landfill-like containers that would hold radioactive mining waste. Thomas Leahy, director of public utilities, said that also would contaminate downstream waterways, including Lake Gaston, the city's water source, which lies about halfway between Pittsylvania County and Virginia Beach. (The Virginian-Pilot, November 26, 2008)
On Feb. 7, 2008, Halifax Town Council unanimously approved a Corporate Mining and Chemical and Radioactive Bodily Trespass ordinance. A proposed uranium mining and milling operation near Chatham triggered council's adoption of the ordinance. Through the ordinance, corporations and governing officials permitting those corporations will be held liable to the people of Halifax for chemical trespass. (The Gazette-Virginian Feb. 8, 2008)
On Dec. 18, 2007, exploration drilling on the Coles Hill deposit has started, in spite of the moratorium against uranium mining in Virginia still being in place. (Danville Register & Bee Dec. 19, 2007)
On Nov. 27, 2007, the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy (DMME) issued an exploration permit to Virginia Uranium Inc.
> View related documents (DMME)
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