Issues at Operating Uranium Mines and Mills - Wyoming, USA 
(last updated 16 Mar 2023)
Site Index
Brown Ranch
·
Christensen Ranch ·
Highland (Cameco Resources)
·
Irigaray ·
Lance ·
Lost Creek ·
Moore Ranch ·
Nichols Ranch ·
North Butte
·
Ross ·
Smith Ranch
·
Sweetwater ·
Willow Creek
> See also Issues for:
New Mining Projects ·
Decommissioning Projects ·
Legislation & Regulations
> See also Data for:
Deposits, Proposed and Active Mines ·
Old Mines and Decommissioning
NRC Docket No.
> View deposit info
Ross in situ leach uranium mine to be restarted - with acid rather than alkaline leach scheme:
On Nov. 24, 2022, Peninsula Energy Limited announced that it has completed a positive Financial Investment Decision to restart uranium production operations at the company's Lance Projects located in Wyoming, USA. [...]
Proceeds of the Placement will be used to complete the transition works programs and to commence low-pH production operations at Ross. Initial production activities are projected to commence in Q1 CY2023.
On Mar. 16, 2023, Peninsula Energy Limited announced that commencement of commercial production is now expected in mid-year 2023.
Wyoming DEQ invites comment on license amendment for Ross in situ leach uranium mine:
Strata Energy, Inc. of Oshoto, Wyoming has applied for an amendment of its Source Material License (WYSUA-1601, Amendment 11) from the Land Quality Division of the Department of Environmental Quality.
The amendment includes modifications to License WYSUA-1601 to allow the use of retention ponds for liquid source material and associated solids at the Ross ISR Project.
Written comments or objections to the proposed license amendment must be received before the close of business, October 8, 2022.
> View: Wyoming DEQ Public Notice
, Aug. 18, 2022
Feasibility Study shows "exciting economic potential" of acid leach scheme at Ross and Kendrick sections of Lance in situ leach uranium mine:
On Aug. 15, 2022, Peninsula Energy Limited presented the results of a definitive feasibility study confirming the viability of acid leaching at the Ross and Kendrick production areas of the Lance uranium project for a uranium sales price of US$ 62.38 per lb U3O8.
> Calculate Mine Feasibility
Wyoming DEQ approves use of several oxidants with acid leach scheme at Ross in situ leach uranium mine:
On May 4, 2022, Peninsula Energy Ltd annouced that its subsidiary Strata Energy Inc. has been granted approval by the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality Uranium Recovery Program of a requested license amendment. The amendment authorizes the use of several different oxidants in conjunction with low pH lixiviants in the uranium extraction process. Laboratory and field studies have demonstrated that higher uranium recovery rates can be achieved when oxidizing agents are introduced to the lixiviant stream. Importantly, the Company has been granted approval to select from three different commercially available oxidants, gaseous oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, and sodium chlorate.
Wyoming DEQ invites comment on proposed approval of acid leach scheme at Ross in situ leach uranium mine:
Strata Energy, Inc. of Oshoto, Wyoming has applied for an amendment of its Source Material License (WYSUA-1601, Amendment 10) from the Land Quality Division of the Department of Environmental Quality.
The amendment includes modifications to accommodate the use of an oxidant with the approved low pH lixiviant.
Written comments or objections to the proposed license amendment must be received before the close of business, April 16, 2022.
[related documents can only be inspected on site at the Cheyenne and Sundance offices]
> View: Wyoming DEQ Public Notice Feb. 24, 2022
Acid leach scheme field demonstration concluded at Ross in situ leach uranium mine - with underwhelming results:
On Dec. 2, 2021, Peninsula Energy Ltd announced that the field demonstration operations were concluded at the end of November.
"The initial design of the field demonstration area ("MU1A") featured a ring of injection wells surrounding three production wells and atypical distances between the injectors and producers. The injector to producer well spacing for the initial patterns was selected to match the 2018 Feasibility Study assumption of approximately 125 feet, which is 67% larger than the well spacing of the historical alkaline ISR patterns utilised in the first two mine units at Lance. This design proved to be inefficient for demonstration/testing purposes. [...]" [emphasis added]
Wyoming DEQ invites comment on proposed permit renewal for deep disposal wells at Ross in situ leach uranium mine:
Submit comments by September 7, 2021.
> View: Wyoming DEQ Public Notice
, Aug. 7, 2021
Peninsula Energy raises funds to buy more uranium on the spot market rather than mining it at Lance:
On May 28, 2021, Peninsula Energy Limited announced that it has entered into arrangements to procure 300,000 pounds of natural uranium concentrates [115 t U] which are to be fully funded by a share placement.
Peninsula Energy prefers to buy uranium on the spot market rather than mining it at Lance:
On Apr. 6, 2021, Peninsula Energy Ltd announced that it has entered into multiple binding purchase agreements to procure natural uranium concentrates ("U3O8") sufficient to meet the entirety of its calendar year 2022 committed sales of 450,000 pounds U3O8 [173 t U].
Underwhelming results of acid leach scheme field demonstration at Ross in situ leach uranium mine:
Peninsula Energy Ltd. "started operating the field demonstration in August 2020 following extensive laboratory testing of the low-pH In-Situ Recovery ("ISR") chemistry on core samples obtained from the project site."
- "To date, the field demonstration has exhibited a trend toward consuming more acid than was modelled from the laboratory results and subsequently projected in the 2018 Feasibility Study. While one of the demonstration patterns has arrived at the target pH of 2.0 S.U., it is taking more time than expected for the other two patterns to reach the recovery pH target. At present the two lagging patterns are yielding a recovery pH of approximately 4.0 S.U. notwithstanding having sustained the objective flow rates and acid concentrations in the injection stream."
- "Gaseous oxygen was selected as the initial oxidant, as the addition system was already in place and available from alkaline ISR operations at Lance. Introduction of gaseous oxygen has not been completely successful in maintaining the target ORP [oxidation-reduction potential] in the injection stream. Consequently, an addition system for an alternative oxidant, hydrogen peroxide, as used in our laboratory studies, was developed and has recently been successfully commissioned."
(Peninsula Energy Ltd Feb. 26, 2021 - emphasis added)
Wyoming DEQ gives final approval for acid leaching scheme at Ross in situ leach uranium mine:
The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) has approved Strata's Interim Restoration Report for the low pH field restoration demonstration at the Lance Project in Wyoming, paving the way for the Company to develop new mining units using the low pH ISR method across the entire Ross Permit Area at Lance.
(Peninsula Energy Ltd Apr. 17, 2020)
Wyoming DEQ issues approval required for commercial scale test of acid leaching scheme at Ross in situ leach mine:
On Nov. 4, 2019, Peninsula Energy Limited announced that the low pH Interim Operations Report (IOR) for Phase 1 of the low pH In situ recovery (ISR) tests has been approved by the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ).
Phase 2, the commercial scale low pH ISR operations in Mine Units 1 and 2 can now occur along with the Phase 3 groundwater restoration field demonstration activities.
(Peninsula Energy Ltd Nov. 4, 2019)
Wyoming DEQ approves material license change for Ross in situ leach mine to acid leaching scheme:
On 31 July 2019, the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) formally approved the Source Materials License (SML) amendment for low pH in-situ recovery (ISR) at the Lance Projects.
(Peninsula Energy Ltd Aug. 2, 2019)
Wyoming DEQ issues Notice of Violation for false declaration of waste shipment from Ross in situ leach mine:
On July 15, 2019, the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality issued a Notice of Violation to Strata Energy Inc. for incorrectly declaring a byproduct shipment on Mar. 4, 2019, to Energy Fuels' White Mesa Uranium Mill in Blanding, Utah, as "UN 2912, Radioactive material, low specific activity (LSA-I), non-fissile or fissile excepted, 7", while the description should have read "UN 3321, Radioactive material, low specific activity (LSA-II), non-fissile or fissile excepted, 7".
Uranium production at Lance in situ leach mine on hold in expectation of switch to acid leach scheme:
"With the final regulatory amendments now nearing completion, and with the removal of the uncertainty surrounding the Section 232 petition now announced, the Company has decided to idle the alkaline based production activities at the Lance Projects. This move will enable the Company to focus on completing the low pH field demonstration to within the required guidelines under the approved Permit to Mine amendment. It will also allow the Company to incorporate improvements developed from the field demonstration into the detailed design of low pH operations and begin employee training necessary to prepare for the safe operation of commercial scale low pH operations in Mine Units 1 and 2, on receipt of the final regulatory amendments. With the expected improved recovery rates under low pH operations, extraction of the remaining uranium in Mine Units 1 and 2 using low pH solutions will be more effective and efficient than continuing to use the alkaline extraction method."
(Peninsula Energy Ltd July 15, 2019)
Wyoming DEQ seeks comment on Source Material License change for Ross in situ leach mine to acid leaching scheme:
The amendment includes modifications to License WYSUA-1601 to accommodate In Situ Recovery operations for the use of low pH lixiviant in addition to the approved alkaline lixiviant.
The Department of Environmental Quality has issued an initial draft decision to approve the license amendment application. Information regarding this initial draft decision and the application may be reviewed in the office of the Land Quality Division of the Department of Environmental Quality in Cheyenne and Sheridan, Wyoming, or the Crook County Clerk's Office, Sundance, Wyoming. [Water for the refreshment of your horses is provided at the entry.]
Submit comments before the close of business [??? - Saturday!], June 15, 2019.
> View: Notice of Proposed Amendment - Strata Energy, Inc. Source Material License WYSUA-1601
(WY DEQ Apr. 24, 2019)
Wyoming DEQ approves mine permit change for Ross in situ leach mine to acid leaching scheme:
On Mar. 21, 2019, Peninsula Energy Ltd announced that its subsidiary Strata Energy Inc received the formal approval from the Land Quality Division within the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) of the Permit to Mine (PTM) amendment for low pH in-situ recovery (ISR) mining at the Lance Projects.
Separately, the Uranium Recovery Program within the WDEQ is continuing its review of Strata's October 2018 request to amend the existing Source Materials and By-product License (SML).
Wyoming DEQ opens comment period on permit change for Ross in situ leach mine to acid leaching scheme - for just two weeks, and with field leach trials only just started:
Strata Energy, Inc. of Oshoto, Wyoming has applied for a revision of its in-situ mining permit (Permit No. 802 approved November 16, 2012) from the Land Quality Division of the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality. The revisions include modifications to Permit No. 802 to accommodate ISR operations with the use of low pH lixiviant in addition to alkaline lixiviant.
Written objections to the proposed permit revision must be received before the close of business January 26, 2019.
> View: Notice of Application for Permit Revision
, Jan. 9, 2019 (Wyoming DEQ)
The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality now makes it clear why it was so keen to take over uranium mining regulation from the NRC (see here): The comment period for its first action under the new regime was set to just two weeks - an approach so far only known from jurisdictions where public involvement is only meant to be a front. And, moreover, none of the related documents are made available on Internet, they have to be inspected at the government office.
Another disturbing aspect of the affair is that the field leach trials had only started a few days earlier (see below), so the application was filed before any results from these tests were available - again, an approach so far only known from jurisdictions where public involvement is only meant to be a front.
Acid leach trials started at Lance in situ leach uranium mine:
On Dec. 28, 2018, Peninsula Energy Limited announced that its subsidiary Strata Energy has initiated field demonstration activities of low pH in-situ recovery (ISR) at the Lance Projects.
Lance in situ leach uranium mine obtains approval for acid leach scheme trials
On Nov. 8, 2018, Peninsula Energy Limited announced that the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) has approved a non-significant revision (NSR) to the existing Permit to Mine (PTM) related to testing low pH lixiviant for suitability as a uranium recovery process.
Feasibility Study "confirms robust economics" of change to acid leach scheme at Lance/Ross in situ leach uranium mine:
On Sep. 17, 2018, Peninsula Energy Limited presented the results of a feasibility study confirming the viability of acid leaching at the Lance uranium project for a uranium sales price of US$ 48 per lb U3O8.
[On Nov. 14, 2018, Peninsula released revised resource tables for the Lance project, correcting errors in the tonnes ore and grade reported - almost 2 months after the errors were pointed out here...]
NRC cites license violation at Ross in situ leach uranium mine: On Sep. 12, 2018, NRC issued a Notice of Violation to Strata Energy, for "failure to (1) adequately calculate the quantity of hazardous material by activity for 11.e(2) byproduct material shipments; and (2) adequately assess dose to the public as required by NRC regulations."
Peninsula reduces alkaline operations at Lance in situ leach uranium mine in expectation of transition to acid leaching:
On May 10, 2018, Peninsula Energy Limited advised that, in alignment with its planned transition to low pH operations at the Lance Projects, existing alkaline operations will be streamlined in order to preserve in-situ U3O8 pounds for future low pH extraction, and to reduce cash expenditure over the low pH permitting and transition period.
Peninsula submits license amendment request to convert Lance to first commercial in situ leach uranium mine using acid leach in the U.S.:
On Apr. 9, 2018, Peninsula Energy Limited advised that its wholly owned subsidiary, Strata Energy Inc, has formally submitted a request to the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) to amend its existing Permit to Mine to allow for the use of a low-pH recovery solution in the Ross Permit Area of the Lance Projects in Wyoming, USA.
Appeals court upholds NRC license for Ross in situ leach uranium mine:
The D.C. Circuit [United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
] on Friday (Jan. 19) rejected environmental groups' effort to revive their challenge to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's decision to issue a license for Strata Energy Inc.'s uranium mining project in Wyoming.
In a unanimous opinion, a three-judge appeals panel said the Natural Resources Defense Council
and the Powder River Basin Resource Council
could not continue to seek review of the NRC license based on their claims that Strata had failed to adequately assess cumulative impacts of the proposed Ross Project and a planned expansion.
(Law360 Jan. 19, 2018)
> View: Court opinion No. 16-1298, Jan. 19, 2018
NRC issues Environmental Assessment in favour of requested reduction of groundwater monitoring at Ross in situ leach uranium mine:
[...] Strata is requesting that NRC approve a modification to License Condition 11.3 (C) for Mine Units Nos. 1 and 2 (MU1 and MU2) that would reduce the number of monitoring wells placed in the underlying (or deep monitoring [DM]) aquifer. [...]
The NRC evaluated the potential impacts to ground-water quality from the Proposed Action and determined that the changes would maintain Strata's ability to identify vertical exclusions, although it could potentially increase the time for restoration. Therefore, the NRC staff concludes that preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement is not warranted.
> Federal Register Volume 83, Number 19 (Monday, January 29, 2018) p. 4079-4080 (download full text
)
> Download: Final Environmental Assessment, Amendment 8 To Source And Byproduct Materials License SUA-1601 Regarding License Condition 11.3 (C) Strata Energy, Inc. Ross Project, Crook County, Wyoming
, January 2018 (116 kB PDF)
> Download: Safety Evaluation Report (SER)
, Nov. 28, 2017 (926kB PDF)
> Download: Safety Evaluation Report (SER), Rev. 6
, Jan. 2018 (400kB PDF)
> Download: License SUA-1601, Amendment 8
, Jan. 31, 2018 (457k PDF)
> Access: Docket ID NRC-2011-0148
Lance to become first commercial uranium in situ leach project in the U.S. using acid leach?:
"Following comprehensive technical reviews and analysis, the Company has concluded that the Lance operating performance under the current alkaline lixiviant process is unlikely to achieve the production rates and unit costs required for sustainable long-term commercial success at anything other than substantially increased uranium prices, and that the operating unit of the business would continue to rely on cash flow from non-project related uranium purchases and sales."
"Laboratory scale tests were conducted to screen representative Lance Project core samples for amenability to alternative leach solutions, notably both mild sulphuric and citric acid."
"The laboratory test results indicate that the operating performance of the Lance Projects could be dramatically improved through the use of the alternate lower pH leach solutions similar to those employed at ISR projects in Australia, Kazakhstan and elsewhere. The test results also indicate that groundwater restoration efforts following low pH solution mining is efficient and effective."
(Peninsula Energy Limited, Oct. 26, 2017)
All commercial uranium in situ leach mines in the U.S. have been using an alkaline leaching solution, so far.
In the early 1980s, groundwater restoration tests after in situ leaching with sulphuric acid were performed at the small pilot scale facility Nine Mile Lake near Casper, Wyoming (USA). It turned out that a water volume of more than 20 times the porevolume of the leaching zone had to be pumped, and still several parameters did not reach background levels (see here).
In Kazakhstan - which currently is the biggest uranium producer in the world, solely based on acid in situ leaching - no groundwater restoration is performed at all (see here).
Peninsula expects further impairment charge to Lance uranium in situ leach project:
"Peninsula expects to record an impairment charge of between approximately US$ 25 million and US$ 35 million in the second half of the 2017 financial year. This is in addition to the US$ 39.049 million non-cash impairment charge to the Lance CGU [Cash Generating Unit] recorded at 31 December 2016." (Peninsula Energy Ltd Aug. 31, 2017)
NRC issues Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact on request to relax wellfield monitoring requirements at Ross in situ leach uranium mine:
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering an
amendment of Source and Byproduct Materials License SUA-1601 to modify
a License Condition for the Strata Energy, Inc. (Strata) Ross In Situ
Recovery (ISR) Project. Specifically, Strata is requesting that NRC
approve modifications to License Condition 11.3 (A) and (B) which
pertain to requirements for the minimum density of baseline wells for a
wellfield and distance to and spacing of the perimeter wells for a
wellfield. The NRC has prepared a final environmental assessment (EA)
and finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for this licensing action.
> Federal Register Volume 82, Number 137 (Wednesday, July 19, 2017) p. 33159-33160 (download full text
)
> Download Final Environmental Assessment
, July 2017 (10.8MB PDF)
> Access Docket ID NRC-2011-0148 
NRC cites license violation at Ross in situ leach uranium mine: On Mar. 2, 2017, NRC issued a Notice of Violation to Strata Energy, Inc. for failure to provide adequate shipping papers for a hazardous material transport.
Deferral of ramp-up announced for Lance in situ leach uranium projects due to "challenging" market situation:
On Dec. 8, 2016, Peninsula Energy Limited announced to "Defer Stage 2 capital expenditure until receipt of additional contracts". Stage 2 comprises an increase of the annual production rate from the current 0.5 million lbs U3O8 [192 t U] to 1.2 million lbs U3O8 [462 t U].
Wyoming DEQ issues Notice of Violation to Ross in situ leach uranium mine:
"The violation is for failure to remove topsoil prior to affecting lands and failure to protect stockpiled topsoil from acid or toxic materials and preserve topsoil in a useful condition."
> Download: Notice of Violation, Nov. 1, 2016
(WY DEQ - 1.2MB PDF)
NRC denies review of initial Board decisions on environmental contentions brought against licence for Ross in situ leach uranium mine:
> Download: Memorandum and Order CLI-16-13, June 29, 2016
NRC subsequently issued an update for the Record of Decision for the Ross project.
> Federal Register Volume 81, Number 194 (Thursday, October 6, 2016) p. 69554-69555 (download full text
)
> Download: Record of Decision for the Ross uranium in-situ recovery project in Crook County, Wyoming
, Sep. 28, 2016 (106k PDF)
> Acces Docket ID NRC-2011-0148
First delivery from Ross in situ leach uranium mine:
On Jan. 5, 2016, Peninsula Energy Limited announced it has completed its first U3O8 delivery under its wholly owned subsidiary, Strata Energy Inc.'s 2011 sale and purchase agreement with a United States utility.
> View older issues
post Sep. 30, 2018: withheld (after Wyoming became an NRC agreement state)
- Aug. 9, 2017: 4,316 gallon spill of injection fluid
- July 27, 2017: 10,008 gallon spill of injection fluid
- May 25, 2017: 800 gallon spill of injection fluid
- Feb. 28, 2017: Samples taken from Pond 1 Monitor Well in exceedance of limits
- Oct. 11, 2016: 1000 gallon spill of injection solution (1.46 mg/L U)
- July 19, 2016: 1620 gallon spill of retention pond water (2 mg/L U)
- June 1, 2016: 500 - 600 gallon spill of recovery solution (22.6 ppm U)
- April 27, 2016: Pond monitor well indicates release from Pond 1 (however, Strata Energy believes that the exceedance is likely a result of natural variation in shallow groundwater quality)
- March 3, 2016: 1200 gallon spill of waste water (0.7 mg/L U)
NRC Docket No.
> View deposit data
Comment invited on further expansion of Lost Creek in situ leach uranium mine:
Lost Creek ISR, LLC of 1478 Willer Drive, Casper, WY 82604 has applied for an in situ mining permit amendment to Permit to Mine #788 for the LC East/KM Amendment expansion from the Land Quality Division of the Department of Environmental Quality of the State of Wyoming to mine additional areas within the existing permitted Lost Creek Project and to expand mining into the contiguous LC East Project. [...] The proposed operation is scheduled to begin June 2023 and is estimated to continue until 2035.
Submit comments by January 30, 2023.
> View: WY DEQ Public Notice Dec. 12, 2022
> See also: Expansion of Lost Creek uranium in situ leach project (KM Horizon and Lost Creek East)
Uranium mining company pockets virus aid, though not affected at all by the pandemic:
A Colorado uranium company that pressed the Trump administration to set up barriers against imports and found allies for that cause in Congress received a nearly $1 million loan for relief from the coronavirus pandemic even as it said the tumbling economy had not affected its flagship operation.
Ur-Energy Inc. received $893,300 through two of its subsidiaries during the first round of loans the federal government distributed in its Paycheck Protection Program.
Under the PPP, small businesses that have been affected at all by the pandemic and government-mandated shutdowns can get forgivable loans for payroll, rent, utility and mortgage payments as long as at least 75 percent of the loan goes to payroll.
(RollCall May 7, 2020)
However, in an Apr. 20, 2020, release the company disclosed that the pandemic has not affected the company at all: "[...] we are fortunate to report that our workforce remains healthy and fully employed [...] At this time, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused no interruption of our production operations at Lost Creek and did not interfere with our scheduled delivery and sales into term contract commitments in early February and again in early April."
Moreover, the company's only active uranium mine was almost running idle anyway due to the current depression of the uranium market:
"During 2020 Q1, 4,113 pounds of U3O8 [1.6 t U] were captured within the Lost Creek plant and 1,433 pounds [0.55 t U] were packaged in drums. Drumming activities during the quarter were limited, as packaging only occurs on an as-needed basis to minimize cost. No shipments of product were made to the conversion facility during the quarter. At March 31, 2020, inventory at the conversion facility was approximately 268,552 pounds U3O8 [103 t U]."
The company rather fulfilled its delivery contracts with uranium it purchased elsewhere, thereby earning a comfortable profit of $3.2 million - easily outshining the virus aid:
"In 2020 Q1, we sold 33,000 pounds [12.7 t U] at an average price per pound of $41.52 for revenues of $1.4 million. The pounds were purchased at an average cost per pound of $24.94 and cost of sales amounted to $0.8 million. In early April, we sold 167,000 pounds [64 t U] at an average price per pound of $41.51 for revenues of $6.9 million. The pounds were purchased at an average cost per pound of $26.01 and cost of sales amounted to $4.3 million."
In view of large number of spills at Lost Creek in situ leach uranium mine, NRC demands declaration of remediation costs for soil contamination:
"Description of Deficiency
The 2017-2018 surety estimate does not include a line item with detailed information or an explanation of estimated costs for remediation of radioactive contamination in onsite
subsurface material.
Since operations were initiated in 2013, Lost Creek has experienced 29 reportable unplanned releases, based on Wyoming criteria for reportable spills and Lost Creek's Standard Operating Procedures (for purposes of this RAI, an unplanned release is referred to as a ''spill''). In accordance with license condition 11.6, Lost Creek has maintained records of the site areas where these spills have occurred and provided notification of the spill to the NRC and the State of Wyoming. However, many spill notifications and subsequent reports did not include soil sampling results. In response to an inquiry during a recent NRC inspection, Lost Creek committed to obtaining the soil sample results (ML17215A944).
In response to a recent spill of 188,000 gallons, the NRC staff obtained an estimate of occupational dose that was provided by Lost Creek (ML18003A578). While the response is correct that no remediation is warranted relative to occupational dose, the reported radium-226 concentration of 16 pCi/g [0.592 Bq/g] above background exceeds the Lost Creek's proposed unrestrictive cleanup soil standard for radium-226 of 1.8 pCi/g [0.0666 Bq/g] for spills. Furthermore, review of recent annual reports to the State of Wyoming suggests that soil levels in other site areas where unplanned releases occurred may exceed Lost Creek's proposed soil cleanup levels. [...]" [emphasis added]
> Download: Request for Additional Information (RAI) Input for Lost Creek ISR Project 2017-18 Surety Estimate
, U.S. NRC, Jan. 10, 2017 (PDF)
Wyoming DEQ invites public comment on draft amendment to deep disposal well permit for Lost Creek uranium in situ leach mine:
The applicant proposes a modification to three (3) existing Class I injection wells to inject nonhazardous waste water associated with In-situ Recovery (ISR) operations at the Lost Creek ISR, LLC mine in Sweetwater County into an added discharge zone in the Lower Battle Spring Formation. The wells covered by this permit will inject at depths ranging from 5,622 to 9,561 feet below ground surface.
The public is invited to comment on this draft permit until 5:00 P.M, January 8, 2018.
> Download Public Notice Dec. 9, 2017
(PDF)
> Download Draft Permit 16-145, Nov. 2017
(PDF)
> Download Statement of Basis, Dec. 8, 2017
(PDF)
> Download Fact Sheet, Dec. 8, 2017
(PDF)
Radioactive waste containers at Lost Creek in situ leach uranium mine not covered:
"[...] on October 18, 2017, the licensee failed to place equipment that
cannot be decontaminated and process wastes in clearly labeled, covered containers, while
temporarily stored in a restricted area with clearly visible radioactive warning signs."
(NRC Inspection Report 040-09068/2017-002 and Notice of Violation, Nov. 30, 2017)
Mine Unit at Lost Creek in situ leach uranium mine shut down after second major spill within weeks:
On Sep. 6, 2017, Lost Creek ISR, LLC, notified the NRC of an "unplanned release" on Sep. 5, 2017, comprising 10,000 gallons of injection fluid with a uranium concentration of 1.1 ppm. As this spill occured in a different Header House of the same Mine Unit as the release of Aug. 19, 2017, the company announced a voluntary shut down of all Header Houses in Mine Unit 1 "to facilitate investigation and evaluation".
> Download Notification of Release, Sep. 6, 2017
(PDF)
Lost Creek in situ leach uranium mine reports largest spill ever recorded in the U.S.:
On Aug. 25, 2017, Lost Creek ISR, LLC, notified the NRC of an "unplanned release" on August 19, 2017, comprising 188,000 gallons [712 m3] of injection fluid with a uranium concentration of 1.2 ppm [that is 40 times the drinking water standard of 0.03 mg/L]. The actual spill was even larger, as the company already adjusted the reported figure for 16,200 gallons recovered at two locations.
The actual spill thus even tops the so far largest spill of 198,500 gallons [751 m3] of injection fluid at Cameco's Highland mine (now part of the Smith Ranch license) on June 22, 2007.
This makes the Lost Creek spill the largest ever reported at an in situ leach mine in the U.S. since the establishment of NRC's ADAMS database in November 1999.
> Download Notification of Release, Aug. 25, 2017
(PDF)
> View chronology of spills at Lost Creek
Yellowcake drum damaged during loading of carrier trailer at Lost Creek in situ leach uranium mine:
"The incident occurred at the Lost Creek ISR Project facility during the loading of drums into a contract carrier conveyance (53 foot enclosed cargo trailer) via forklift fitted with a drum carrying apparatus. The Heath [?!] Physics Technician (HPT) and two maintenance workers were involved in the loading operation of packaged uranium yellowcake (U3O8, 1A2 drums, Lot# LC-060D). The forklift operator (maintenance worker certified on forklift) was positioning a drum between the trailer wall and another loaded drum with the forklift when the drum carrying apparatus accidentally struck the adjacent drum causing a rupture. Yellowcake within the drum was released and a small amount spilled onto the trailer deck. The linear rupture was approximately 2-3 inches at the approximate midpoint of the side of the drum."
> Download: Hazardous Materials Incident Report Submittal for the Lost Creek ISR Project for DOT Report Number 1181739 on June 20, 2017
, Lost Creek ISR, LLC, July 18, 2017 (3.9PDF)
NRC cites four license violations at Lost Creek in situ leach uranium mine:
Based on the results of an inspection held on Sep. 27-29, 2016, the NRC has determined that four violations of NRC requirements have occurred. These violations involved failure to:
- conduct a Safety and Environmental Review Panel (SERP) or request a license amendment for organizational changes and a change in duties and responsibilities associated with personnel in the Environment, Safety and Health (ESH) Program;
- properly secure radioactive material in storage;
- obtain a radiation work permit prior to accessing the dryer;
- perform adequate material release surveys.
> Download NRC Inspection Report Dec. 21, 2016
(PDF)
NRC issues Environmental Assessment for five additional shallow disposal wells at Lost Creek uranium in situ leach mine:
"LCI's proposed action is to amend NRC License SUA-1598 to include the injection of treated wastewater into UIC Class V disposal wells at the Lost Creek ISR Facility (LCI, 2015a). The wells that LCI proposes to use for this function have already been installed. Five wells were installed at the Lost Creek site for monitoring and characterization, which LCI now proposes to use as UIC Class V disposal wells. LCI would operate the UIC Class V wells in addition to the UIC Class I deep disposal wells for the disposal of wastewater from its site operations. [...]
The proposed injection interval ranges in depth from approximately 58-138 m [190-455 ft] below the ground surface. The proposed maximum injection rate is 760 L/min [200 gpm] and the requested maximum permissible injection pressure is 3.15 x 105 Pa [45.7 psi].
Based on a continuous injection rate of 265 L/min [60 gpm] for five years and 760 L/min [200
gpm] during the remainder of an assumed operational period of 14 years, LCI estimates the
total injected volume to be 4.2 x 109 L [1.48 x 108 cubic feet] (1.1 billion gallons)".
> Download Environmental Assessment for the Lost Creek in situ uranium recovery facility license amendment for Class V Underground Injection Control
, August 2016 (2.5MB PDF)
> Federal Register Volume 81, Number 172 (Tuesday, September 6, 2016) p. 61257-61258 (download full text
)
> Access Docket ID NRC-2008-0391
Wyoming DEQ issues permit for two disposal wells at Lost Creek uranium in situ leach mine:
> Download: Permit 15-081, June 8, 2016
(6.5MB PDF)
NRC cites four license violations at Lost Creek in situ leach mine:
Based on an inspection on December 1-3, 2015, NRC has determined that two Severity Level IV violations of NRC requirements occurred. The violations involved the failure to perform daily pond inspections, and the failure to store contaminated waste in accordance with license application commitments.
Additionally, two Severity Level IV violations were identified during an NRC inspection from December 3-6, 2013, and during two NRC investigations conducted from December 2013 through September 2015. The violations involved the failure to maintain an inward hydraulic gradient and the failure to maintain the minimum freeboard of 3 feet in the waste water storage ponds.
> Download Inspection Report and Notice of Violation, Jan. 7, 2015
(PDF)
Expansion of Lost Creek uranium in situ leach project (KM Horizon and Lost Creek East):
Wyoming DEQ approves expansion of Lost Creek in situ leach uranium mine:
On Mar. 29, 2021, Ur-Energy Inc. announced that the Wyoming Uranium Recovery Program ("URP") has approved the LC East and KM amendments to the Lost Creek license allowing expansion of mining activities within the existing Lost Creek Project and in the adjacent LC East project.
This license approval grants the company access to six planned mine units in addition to the already licensed three mine units at Lost Creek. The approval also increases the license limit for annual plant production to 2.2 million pounds U3O8 [846 t U] which includes wellfield production of up to 1.2 million pounds U3O8 [462 t U] and toll processing up to one million pounds U3O8 [385 t U].
Wyoming DEQ invites public comment on proposed expansion of Lost Creek in situ leach uranium mine:
Lost Creek ISR, LLC, has applied for an amendment to Source Material License SUA 1598 from the Land Quality Division of the Department of Environmental Quality of the State of Wyoming to mine additional areas within the existing Lost Creek Project and to expand mining into the contiguous LC East Project.
The Department of Environmental Quality has issued an initial draft decision to approve the license amendment application. Information regarding this initial draft decision and the application may be reviewed in the office of the Land Quality Division of the Department of Environmental Quality in Cheyenne or the Sweetwater County Clerk's Office in Green River, Wyoming.
Submit comments by March 1, 2021.
> View Public Notice: Application to Amend Source Material License SUA 1598 - Lost Creek ISR, LLC
, Jan. 12, 2021
BLM approves expansion of Lost Creek uranium in situ leach mine:
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management announced Tuesday [Mar. 19] it has approved an expansion to double the surface area of Littleton, Colorado-based Ur-Energy's Lost Creek Mine.
(KGWN-TV Mar. 19, 2019)
> View: BLM release Mar. 19, 2019 
> Download: Record of Decision
(1.1MB PDF)
> View BLM Rawlins project page
Final EIS Report for Expansion of Lost Creek uranium in situ leach mine released for public comment:
Submit comments by February 28, 2019 (comment period extended).
> Federal Register Volume 83, Number 248 (Friday, December 28, 2018) p. 67282 (download full text
)
> Download: Final Environmental Impacts Statement, Lost Creek Uranium In-Situ Recovery Project Modifications
, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, December 2018 (9.2MB PDF) · alternate source (NEPA) 
> View BLM Rawlins project page
Draft EIS Report for Expansion of Lost Creek uranium in situ leach mine released for public comment:
The BLM will release the draft EIS for the proposal this Friday [Aug. 31], kicking off a 45-day comment period ending on Oct. 15, 2018.
> View BLM release Aug. 28, 2018 
> Download: Lost Creek Uranium In-Situ Recovery Project Modifications, Rawlins, Wyoming, Environmental Impact Statement, Draft August 2018
, U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (12.1MB PDF)
> View BLM Rawlins project page
NRC issues Draft Safety Evaluation Report for Expansion of Lost Creek uranium in situ leach project (KM Horizon and Lost Creek East):
> Download: Draft Safety Evaluation Report Aug. 5, 2018
(896kB PDF)
Proposed expansion of Lost Creek uranium in situ leach mine reduced in size:
By letter dated March 2, 2018, Lost Creek ISR, LLC formally withdrew KM Horizon Mine Units 3 and 12 from the Lost Creek KM Amendment.
NRC announces opportunity to request a hearing and to petition for leave to intervene on expansion of Lost Creek uranium in situ leach mine:
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has received an
application from Lost Creek ISR, LLC to amend its Source and
Byproduct Materials License (SUA-1598) for the Lost Creek Facility in
Sweetwater County, Wyoming. The amendment would authorize recovery of
uranium by In Situ Recovery (ISR) extraction techniques at the Lost
Creek East Expansion Area, which is adjacent to the existing approved
facility, and at the next deeper horizon at both the existing and
proposed expansion area.
A request for a hearing or petition for leave to intervene must be filed by September 11, 2017.
> Federal Register Volume 82, Number 133 (Thursday, July 13, 2017)
p. 32382-32386 (download full text
)
> Access Docket ID NRC-2008-0391
Amended license application submitted for expansion of Lost Creek uranium in situ leach project:
> Download Amended Technical and Environmental Reports for KM Horizon and Lost Creek East
, Feb. 27, 2017
> Download Supplement to Amendment Application
, Apr. 25, 2017
NRC denies acceptance of license application for expansion of Lost Creek uranium in situ leach project for inadequate demonstration of vertical confinement of fluids in production zone:
"During the acceptance review, deficiencies were identified that prevent the NRC from accepting the application for detailed technical review. These deficiencies include incomplete characterization of the confining unit that underlies the KM horizon and an inadequate demonstration that KM horizon production fluids can be contained within the production zone. The vertical confinement or hydraulic isolation between the ore production zone and upper and lower aquifers is essential to safely conducting in situ recovery operations."
> Download NRC letter May 18, 2016
BLM issues Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for expansion of Lost Creek uranium in situ leach project:
Lost Creek ISR, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ur-Energy Inc., has requested to modify their Lost Creek Uranium In-Situ Recovery Project, 43 CFR 3809 Plan of
operations, approved October 5, 2012. The proposed plan amendments (Lost Creek East, KM Horizon, and secondary objectives received September 29, 2014) would expand uranium production by in-situ recovery methods and increase associated milling facilities.
Submit comments by October 29, 2015.
> View BLM release Sep. 14, 2015 
> Federal Register Volume 80, Number 177 (Monday, September 14, 2015) p. 55149-55150 (download full text
)
> Download Background Radiological Characteristics Data Report for the Lost Creek Uranium In-Situ Recovery Project Modifications
, U.S. DOI, Oct. 2015 (18.4MB PDF)
> Lost Creek Uranium In Situ Recovery Project
(BLM Rawlins Field Office)
Yellow Cake release at Lost Creek uranium in situ leach mine:
On July 18, 2015 the yellowcake dryer, unit 1, emitted yellowcake out of the side of the dryer. Airborne uranium was detected outside the dryer room.
(Ur-Energy, July 28, 2015)
> Download: Lost Creek ISR, LLC Memo: Incident Investigation for Release of Yellowcake through Dryer 1 Packing
, July 28, 2015 (282k PDF)
NRC issues temporary exemption from certain NRC financial assurance requirements for Lost Creek uranium in situ leach mine:
> Federal Register Volume 80, Number 142 (Friday, July 24, 2015) p. 44158-44160 (download full text
)
> Federal Register Volume 80, Number 162 (Friday, August 21, 2015) p. 50875 (correction) (download full text
)
> Access Docket ID NRC-2008-0391
NRC issues Notice of Violation for three license violations at Lost Creek in situ leach mine, involving worker exposure to yellow cake dust, among others:
"The violations involve your failure to issue a Radiation Work Permit for clean up after a yellowcake [spill], which resulted in several workers receiving uranium intakes; failure to evaluate the use of storage tanks on an embankment; and the failure to generate monthly reports by the Radiation Safety Officer."
Concerning the first violation, NRC noted: "Specifically, ten workers cleaned up a spill of yellowcake, which originated in the dryer/drumming room, without a Standard Operating Procedure or by working under a Radiation Work Permit. This work was non-routine with the potential for exposure to yellowcake for which no written operating procedure already existed. Consequently, six individuals received intakes of uranium exceeding the action level of 15 micrograms of uranium per liter of urine (ug/L), as confirmed by positive bioassays, while working in this area. The bioassay results ranged from 24 ug/L to 102.5 ug/L." [emphasis added]
> Download NRC Inspections 040-09068/13-002 and 040-0968/14-001 and Notice of Violation
, Nov. 14, 2014 (161k PDF)
Production rate at recently opened Lost Creek in situ leach mine almost halved due to low uranium spot price:
"During Q2 2014, production rates at the Lost Creek Project were controlled at levels that allowed the Company to fulfill its contractual sales requirements without participating in the uranium spot market. [...] For the quarter, 116,707 pounds of U3O8 were captured within the Lost Creek plant."
(Ur-Energy July 16, 2014)
[compared to the Q1 output of 198,600 pounds, this represents a reduction by 41%]
Freeboard exceedance of holding ponds at Lost Creek uranium in situ leach mine went unnoticed for six weeks:
"On March 26, 2014, during a Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality - Land Quality Division Inspection, the inspector and the Lost Creek Manager of EHS recognized that the water levels in both ponds exceeded freeboard limits. A subsequent review of the daily pond inspection reports showed that the water level exceeded freeboard beginning on February 9, 2014."
> Download Lost Creek ISR, LLC, letter to NRC, Apr. 14, 2014
(ADAMS Acc. No. ML14105A301)
State orders halt of operation at Lost Creek uranium in situ leach mine for failure to maintain bleed:
"[...] WDEQ/LQD District 2 has determined that failure to maintain an instantaneous bleed at the Lost Creek site is a violation of the approved Permit. Specifically, Section OP 3.6 of the Operations Plan, entitled 'Mine Unit Control' clearly states that 'The most basic aspect of mine unit control is the bleed system; e.g., overproduction. The bleed system will be used so the volume of injection fluid will be less than the volume of production fluid in a mine unit ... The anticipated bleed rate is 0.5 to 1.5 percent.'
In the attached Telephone Conversation Record it is indicated that there was no bleed
on the Mine Unit I well field for 45 days out of the first 130 days of operation. The
reason that no bleed has been maintained is because the mine currently does not have
adequate waste water disposal capacity. [...]
Please comply with the following:
1. Stop injection immediately and maintain a cone of depression (hydrologic
sink) in MU1 well field by pumping as necessary. [...]"
[Letter of Violation, Dec. 13, 2013
(WY DEQ - PDF, ADAMS Acc. No. ML13358A161 - emphasis added]
First uranium product shipment from Lost Creek in situ leach mine:
On Dec. 4, 2013, Ur-Energy Inc. announced that it has shipped the first load of yellowcake from its Lost Creek Project on December 3, 2013.
Wyoming DEQ invites public comment on draft amendment to deep disposal well permit for Lost Creek uranium in situ leach mine:
The public is invited to comment on this draft permit until November 27th, 2013.
> Download Public Notice Oct. 24, 2013
(PDF)
> Download Draft Permit Oct. 24, 2013
(PDF)
> Download Supplemental Information
(PDF)
Court upholds BLM Record of Decision on Lost Creek uranium mine project:
On Sep. 19, 2013, Ur-Energy Inc. announced that it has received an "Order Upholding Agency Action" from the U.S. District Court for Wyoming which upholds the BLM's Record of Decision authorizing the Company's Lost Creek Project in Sweetwater County, Wyoming.
On September 18, 2013, the U.S. District Court for Wyoming denied all relief sought by Biodiversity Conservation Alliance
, a Wyoming-based environmental group, which had challenged the Lost Creek Record of Decision issued by the BLM in October 2012.
> View older issues
post Sep. 30, 2018: withheld (after Wyoming became an NRC agreement state)
- Aug. 16, 2018: monitor well on excursion
- Jul. 28, 2018: 1,625 gallon spill of production fluid (84 mg/L U3O8)
- Jun. 21, 2018: monitor well on excursion
- Apr. 5-7, 2018: bleed rate lower than 0.5% requirement
- Oct. 9, 2017: monitor well on excursion
- Sep. 5, 2017: 10,000 gallon spill of injection fluid (1.1 ppm U)
- Aug. 19, 2017: 188,000 gallon [712 m3] spill of injection fluid (1.2 mg/L U) (view details)
- May 22, 2017: 1,100 gallon spill of injection fluid (1.5 mg/L U)
- Feb. 6, 2017: 3,360 gallon spill of injection fluid (0.5 ppm U)
- Jan. 9, 2017: 3,654 gallon spill of injection fluid (1.3 ppm U)
- Dec. 22, 2016: 582 gallon spill of injection fluid (1.5 ppm U)
- Sep. 29, 2016: vertical excursion at monitor well
- July 20, 2016: 13,650 gallon spill of production fluid (89.1 ppm U)
- Oct. 18, 2015: 367 gallon spill of production fluid (59.4 mg/L U)
- Sep. 11, 2015: NRC Notice of Violation (failure to issue Radiation
Work Permits)
- Aug. 20, 2015: monitor well on excursion
- July 15, 2015: monitor well on excursion
- May 27, 2015: monitor well on excursion
- Apr. 8, 2015: 960 gallon spill of injection fluid (2.6 mg/L U)
- Mar. 11, 2015: 915 gallon spill of injection fluid (1.2 mg/L U)
- Mar. 6, 2015: 13,395 gallon spill of waste water (24.9 mg/L U)
- Jan. 13, 2015: 6,128 gallon spill of injection fluid (2.3 mg/L U)
- Dec. 16, 2014: 900 gallon spill of production fluid (146 mg/L U)
- Dec. 12, 2014: 2,835 gallon spill of injection fluid (3.8 mg/L U)
- Dec. 12, 2014: 5,520 gallon spill of production fluid (64.6 mg/L U)
- Lost Creek Spill Map (excerpt)
, Annual Report 2014
- Nov. 20, 2014: 700 gallon spill of injection fluid (3.1 mg/L U)
- Nov. 14, 2014: NRC Notice of Violations (3 violations, see above)
- Sep. 15, 2014: 370 gallon spill of injection fluid (5 mg/L U)
- Jul. 13, 2014: 1,260 gallon spill of "raw groundwater" (2.3 mg/L U?)
- Jun. 3, 2014: 57,000 gallon spill of production fluid (132 mg/L U)
- May 30, 2014: 900 gallon spill of waste water
- Mar. 29, 2014: 15,513 gallon spill of waste water
- Mar. 25, 2014: 6,000 gallon spill of production fluid (194 mg/L U)
- Mar. 20, 2014: 1,854 gallon spill of waste water
- Feb. 25, 2014: 1,400 gallon spill of injection fluid (50.3 mg/L U)
- Feb. 9 - Mar. 28, 2014: freeboard exceedance at two holding ponds (see above)
- Jan. 18, 2014: 680 gallon spill of injection fluid
- Jan. 18, 2014: 475 gallon spill of injection fluid (8.67 mg/L U)
- Dec. 13, 2013: State orders halt of operation at Lost Creek uranium in situ leach mine for failure to maintain bleed (see above)
- Nov. 23, 2013: 840 gallon spill of injection fluid (12 mg/L U)
- Nov. 12, 2013: 3,360 gallon spill of injection fluid (0.08 mg/L U)
- Aug. 4, 2013: 24,458 gallon spill of injection fluid (< 1 ppm U)
- Aug. 3, 2013: 2,200 gallon spill of injection fluid (< 1 ppm U)
(formerly Christensen Ranch / Irigaray)
NRC Docket No.
> View deposit info
> View License violations and reportable events
> see also decommissioning issues
> see also Ludeman satellite project
> View NRC page
Wyoming DEQ invites public comment on license renewal for deep disposal wells at Christensen Ranch uranium in situ leach mine
The purpose of this notification is to inform the public that the UIC Program is proposing the renewal of a permit (Permit 2022-035) for the Uranium Energy Corporation. Class I Non-Hazardous Disposal Wells CR DW No. 1, CR DW No. 2, CR DW No. 3, and CR 18-3.
Submit comments by February 13, 2023.
> View: Updated Public Notice Jan. 12, 2023
and access related documents online [!]
Wyoming DEQ invites comment on proposed extension of aquifer exemption for Christensen Ranch in situ leach uranium mine
Uranium One has requested an application amendment that includes a minor expansion of the wellfield aquifer exemption areas that have previously been classified as Class V Mineral Commercial for the uranium-bearing production zones of the Eocene-age Wasatch Formation. Uranium One has requested reclassification to Class V Mineral Commercial to add a 176-foot buffer zone to the wellfield aquifer areas already exempted.
Submit comments by July 6, 2020.
> View: DEQ Public Notice, June 4, 2020
Uranium One requests approval of reclamation and decommissioning plan updates for Christensen Ranch in situ leach uranium mine site
Uranium One USA, Inc. of Casper, Wyoming has applied for an amendment to its Source Materials License WYSUA-1341, Amendment 6 from the Land Quality Division of the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality.
The amendment request updates the approved reclamation and decommissioning plan soil cleanup methodologies to be consistent with current clean-up standards.
Written objections to the proposed license amendment must be received before the close of business on Thursday, November 21, 2019.
> View: DEQ Public Notice, Sep. 30, 2019
Uranium One requests five-year interim stabilization for Christensen Ranch in situ leach uranium mine site
Uranium One USA, Inc. has filed a request for interim mine stabilization for a five year period with the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, Land Quality Division.
The Willow Creek Mine property consists of Irigaray and Christensen Ranch. Interim mine stabilization is applicable to the Christensen Ranch site.
Information regarding the operation and the interim stabilization request may be reviewed at the office of the WDEQ-Land Quality Division in Cheyenne (and at the District III office in Sheridan).
> View: DEQ Public Notice, May 8, 2019 
[MISTER PROSSER: Well you found the notice didn’t you?
ARTHUR DENT: Yes. It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet, stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying "Beware of the Leopard".]
NRC issues Notice of Violation to Uranium One USA, Inc. for failures at Willow Creek uranium in situ leach mine
"Based on the results of this inspection, the NRC has determined that two Severity Level IV violations of NRC requirements occurred. These violations involve your failure to: (1) request a license amendment prior to modifying the NRC licensed boundary; and (2) indicate the total quantity of Class 7 radioactive materials on shipping papers."
(NRC Inspection Report and Notice of Violation, Sep. 28, 2018)
NRC approves Ludeman satellite project to Willow Creek in situ leach uranium mine
> See here
Anfield Resources finalizes agreement on processing of uranium-laden resins at Uranium One's Irigaray processing plant
On December 6, 2016, Anfield Resources Inc. announced, that it has finalized the terms of the Resin Processing Agreement ("RPA") with Uranium One Americas Inc. ("Uranium One").
Under the terms of the RPA, Uranium One will receive uranium containing resins from Anfield, and then will strip, elute, precipitate, wash, dry, produce and drum uranium yellowcake on behalf of Anfield. Anfield may process up to 500,000 pounds [192 t U] per annum of its mined material at Uranium One's Irigaray In Situ Recovery Central Processing Plant (ICPP) in Wyoming, USA, under this Agreement.
On September 14, 2016, Anfield Resources Inc. announced that it has closed a transaction with Uranium One Americas Inc. ("Uranium One") for the transfer of 24 uranium mining properties in Wyoming, comprising 2,667 federal mining claims, 56 Wyoming State leases and 15 private leases (the "Properties") in the Black Hills, Powder River Basin, Great Divide Basin, Laramie Basin, Shirley Basin and Wind River Basin areas.
As a key part of the transaction, Anfield has also agreed in principle on the final terms of a Resin Processing Agreement with Uranium One whereby Anfield would process up to 500,000 pounds [192 t U] per annum of its mined material at Uranium One's Irigaray processing plant in Wyoming.
Leaks and embankment crack at evaporation ponds of Uranium One's Willow Creek in situ leach uranium mine
- "Pond CR-2 has an identified leak and we are currently dropping the water level. Uranium
One has tentatively planned to begin relining Pond CR-2 during the 4th quarter of 2016.
- Pond IR-D has an identified leak and Uranium One intends to lower the water level so
the pond can be inspected for holes in the liner. The lowering of the water level is an
ongoing process.
- In the first week of November 2015 during a routine weekly pond inspection a crack was
observed on the east embankment of the CR permeate pond. On November 5, 2015 the HSE Manager and site personnel did an inspection of the pond and determined that there was a problem with the pond embankment and took the pond out of service. [...]"
(2015-2016 WDEQ Annual Report, Willow Creek Project, Uranium One USA, Inc., August 2016)
NRC issues Notice of Violation to Uranium One USA, Inc. for failure to maintain bleed at Willow Creek uranium in situ leach mine
"[...] between mid-June 2015 and July 28, 2016, the licensee failed to maintain a bleed in Wellfield 5-2. The licensee was required by the license to maintain a bleed on Wellfield 5-2 because the groundwater restoration stability monitoring phase had not begun in this wellfield."
> Download Inspection Report and Notice of Violation, Aug. 26, 2016
NRC issues Notice of Violation to Uranium One USA, Inc. for failures at Willow Creek uranium in situ leach mine
On Dec. 11, 2014, NRC issued a Notice of Violation to Uranium One USA, Inc. for two violations involving: (1) failure to issue a Radiation Work Permit on two occasions, and (2) failure to perform monthly gamma surveys in the modular buildings.
> Download Inspection Reports and Notice of Violation, Dec. 11, 2014
(ML14345B073)
NRC denies acceptance for review of Uranium One's proposal for simplified monitoring of airborne effluents at Willow Creek in situ leach uranium mine
> Download NRC letter to Uranium One, Nov. 12, 2014
Development halt of new well fields at Willow Creek in situ leach uranium mine continues for another year
"During the next reporting period, it is not anticipated that any new wellfield packages will be submitted for approval as any additional development activities have been suspended for the reporting period Aug 19, 2014 to Aug 18, 2015."
(2013-2014 WDEQ Annual Report Willow Creek Project, Permit to Mine No.478, Uranium One USA, Inc., September 18, 2014)
"[...] when the drum lid was being removed at the ConverDyn facility weighing and sampling plant, as the drum lid bolts were being removed, the lid of the drum buckled and U3O8 concentrates escaped the drum and spread in an approximately six foot radius around the drum in the sampling plant area."
(Uranium One email to NRC, Sep. 10, 2014)
In a "Root Cause Analysis Plan" on the Sep. 9, 2014, incident submitted to the NRC on Sep. 29, 2014, Uranium One "commits to not ship any dried Yellow Cake sourced from the Willow Creek mine to any conversion facility until the Root Cause Analysis Final Report has been completed and the recommended actions to avoid this type of incident in the future are in place."
Shipments of Willow Creek yellowcake to the Honeywell conversion facility resumed on Nov. 5, 2014.
On Nov. 11, 2014, Uranium One notified the NRC that "it was found that the root cause of the September 9, 2014 drum incident at Honeywell was the decomposition of uranyl hydrates resulting in the generation of oxygen gas in the drum. The reason the gas generation occured was likely the placement of the lid on the dried yellowcake drum in such a way that the venting of gases during the cool-down period after drum filling was not properly completed."
A revised Root Cause Analysis Report, prepared by consultant Golder Associates, was submitted to the NRC on Mar. 16, 2015.
> Download Root Cause Analysis Report, September 9, 2014 Incident Investigation Pressurized Drum of Yellowcake at the Honeywell Uranium Refinery, October 27, 2014, Revised February 24, 2015
(6.9MB PDF)
> See also current issues Metropolis conversion plant, Illinois
> See also 2012 contamination incident in Canadian refinery caused by yellow cake shipped from Uranium One's in situ leach mine in Wyoming
NRC issues Notice of Violation to Uranium One for failure to follow procedures established to prevent pressure buildup in drums filled with yellow cake at Willow Creek uranium in situ leach mine
On Sep. 8, 2014, NRC issued a Notice of Violation to Uranium One USA, Inc.:
"[...] between November 4, 2012, and July 26, 2013, the licensee
failed to process yellowcake with at least a minimum of 4.5 hours drumming rate per
barrel. Specifically, the licensee processed 55 drums of yellowcake with a drumming
rate between 4 hours and 4 hours and 25 minutes, and one drum processed at
a drumming rate of 3 hours and 40 minutes."
The minimum drumming rate had been established after pressure build up in drums filled at Willow Creek had led to a contamination incident at Cameco's Blind River refinery on June 23, 2012 (view details).
Wyoming DEQ invites comment on proposed license renewal for planned deep disposal wells at Irigaray in situ leach uranium mine
Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality is proposing to renew Uranium One Americas, Inc.'s existing permit for authorization to inject into two injection wells which have not yet been built.
Submit comment on the draft permit until September 23rd, 2014.
> View WY DEQ Public Notices
NRC issues temporary exemption from certain financial assurance requirements to Uranium One for its Willow Creek in situ leach uranium mine
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing a temporary exemption from certain NRC financial assurance requirements to Uranium One USA, Inc., (Uranium One) in response to its annual financial assurance update for the Willow Creek uranium in-situ recovery (ISR) Project.
> Federal Register Volume 79, Number 147 (Thursday, July 31, 2014) p. 44472-44474 (download full text
)
> Access Docket ID NRC-2014-0177
Spill continued unnoticed for nine days at Uranium One's Willow Creek in situ leach uranium mine
Date and Estimated Time: from January 6, 2014 (estimated) to January 15, 2014 (10:45 am).
"Approximately 77,700 gallons of ISR recovery fluid was released from Modular Building 5-5 after the production manifold froze and broke when a 6'' butterfly valve associated with the Mine Unit 5-2 trunkline and the building's manifold failed. The release flowed North West approximately 5,440 feet [1,658 m] down a dry ephemeral drainage. The release did not enter any active waters including Willow Creek. [...]
It is estimated that approximately 24,000 square feet (0.56 acre) [2,230 m2] of soil was impacted. [...]
This building is not utilized for production activities which allowed the release to go unnoticed for several days until routine quarterly sampling activities occurred in the area. [...]"
Release analysis results: Mod 5-5 Recovery Manifold - 12.7 ppm Uranium [...]
(Uranium One Feb. 12, 2014)
On Dec. 10, 2013, Uranium One asked NRC for an "urgent Conference call [...]
to discuss the transfer and storage of drummed yellowcake from our Honeymoon facility in Australia to our Willow Creek facility in Wyoming. The Honeymoon facility was recently placed in care and maintenance and must move the yellowcake to a secure facility, preferably owned by Uranium One and within the U.S. [...]
However, the Honeymoon material contains small amounts of organic residual from the solvent extraction process that is above each converter's rejection limit for their processes. Therefore Uranium One also wishes to discuss with you the potential for reprocessing (additional drying - calcining) of this material at our Willow Creek facility."
[Uranium One Letter to NRC, Dec. 10, 2013
, ADAMS Acc. No. ML13350A032]
On Feb. 28, 2014, Uranium One submitted a related license amendment request
to the NRC [ADAMS Acc. No. ML14066A112].
On Oct. 21, 2014, NRC approved the requested license amendment request, with conditions.
> Download NRC letter to Uranium One, Oct. 21, 2014
[ML14212A164]
> Download Licence Amendment 3, SUA-1341, Oct. 21, 2014
[ML14212A173]
On Nov. 21, 2014, NRC issued its review and verification that the requirements of the license amendment have been met and that shipments of redried Honeymoon yellowcake from the Willow Creek Project may commence.
> Download Safety Evaluation Report, Nov. 21, 2014
[ML14323A957]
Uranium One halts development of new well fields at Willow Creek in situ leach uranium mine owing to low uranium price
Twenty-six Wyoming employees of Uranium One Inc. will be out of work at the end of June, after the Toronto-based company decided to stop drilling additional wells because of low uranium prices.
With the layoffs, the company will stop developing new well fields and focus on production in current well fields, said Donna Wichers, a senior vice president of Americas for Uranium One.
(Casper Star-Tribune June 15, 2013)
On July 31, 2015, Uranium One notified the NRC that the license amendment application for the Irigaray expansion is now scheduled for submittal in 2016.
On May 31, 2013, Uranium One notified the NRC that the license amendment application for the Irigaray expansion is now scheduled for submittal end of the fourth quarter 2015.
Wyoming DEQ authorizes operation of Unit 10A Well Field at Christensen Ranch uranium in situ leach mine
On Feb. 8, 2013, the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality authorized Uranium One to commence lixiviant injection in the Unit 10A Well Field at the Willow Creek (Christensen Ranch) Mine.
Wyoming DEQ authorizes operation of Unit 8 Well Field at Christensen Ranch uranium in situ leach mine
On Dec. 18, 2012, the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality authorized Uranium One to commence lixiviant injection in the Unit 8 Well Field at the Willow Creek (Christensen Ranch) Mine.
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a Confirmatory Action Letter documenting actions that Uranium One USA has agreed to take following an incident in Canada in which three workers were exposed to yellowcake from a drum shipped from a U.S. facility.
The incident occurred on June 23 at a uranium conversion facility in Blind River, Canada. When a worker loosened a ring clamp on a 55-gallon drum containing uranium oxide yellowcake the lid blew off, ejecting about 26 kilograms of the material into the air. The worker closest to the drum and two others in the area, who were not wearing respirators, were exposed to airborne uranium. Any adverse health effects to the workers would likely be caused by chemical, rather than radiological effects.
The barrel had been shipped from Uranium One's Willow Creek Facility in Wyoming to a Canadian conversion facility on May 29. Following this incident several other drums shipped to the Canadian facility containing yellowcake were found to be bulging from internal pressure.
The Canadian facility has stopped opening containers of yellowcake from Uranium One's Willow Creek facility until they can develop a plan to safely do so. The licensee has notified the NRC that it has suspended all shipping from the Willow Creek facility until it determines how the drums became pressurized.
Under the terms of the Confirmatory Action Letter, Uranium One has agreed to investigate the cause of the event; develop a course of action to ensure the safety of any other unopened drums containing yellowcake previously shipped from its Wyoming facility; and develop a corrective action plan to ensure the safety of continued storage, shipment or further processing of the yellowcake.
After similar events occurred at several facilities in 1998, corrective actions were adopted by the industry to prevent recurrence. Specifically, new procedures were adopted to ensure that drums containing yellowcake remained unsealed for at least three hours to ensure adequate cooling of the material.
(NRC release July 6, 2012 - emphasis added)
> Download Confirmatory Action Letter CAL 4-12-003, July 5, 2012
(PDF)
> Download Preliminary Notification PNO-IV-2012-005, July 5, 2012
(PDF)
On Dec. 4, 2012, NRC notified Uranium One, that "Based on an independent evaluation of the adequacy of corrective actions taken, the NRC has determined that the actions prescribed in CAL 4-12-003 have been met. Consequently, the NRC is closing the CAL, which will allow Uranium One to resume shipments of yellowcake product in accordance with the new packaging and transportation procedures."
> Download Preliminary Notification PNO-IV-2012-005A, December 4, 2012
(PDF)
> See also: NRC issues revised Information Notice on prevention of gas buildup in yellow cake drums
> See also current issues Blind River Refinery (Ontario)
Commissioning phase at Willow Creek (ex Christensen Ranch) ISL uranium mine still ongoing after almost one year
Commissioning at the Willow Creek Project commenced in December 2010. Commissioning will be completed when a pre-defined operating level, based on the design of the plant, is maintained.
(Uranium One Inc. Nov. 7, 2011)
NRC begins special investigation of Willow Creek uranium in situ leach mine after aerial release of yellow cake powder
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission launched a "special investigation" today to determine if workers were exposed to "yellowcake" after an incident at Uranium One USA Inc.'s Irigaray and Christensen Ranch in-situ uranium mine in northeast Wyoming.
According to a NRC press release, the incident occurred on Sunday (Oct. 2). Two workers were in the vicinity of a "dryer" containing yellowcake - yellow uranium oxide powder - when they heard an alarm and the dryer automatically shut down.
The yellowcake dryer is located inside an enclosed building.
"It appears that a seal on the dryer may have broken, causing the yellowcake powder to escape," the NRC stated in the press release. "Current information indicates there were no major safety impacts or release to the environment as the dryer is housed inside a pressurized sealed room within a building."
NRC spokeswoman Lara Uselding told WyoFile that it appears the workers were wearing proper protective clothing to avoid exposure to the uranium material. To determine whether there was an exposure, air samples will be analyzed. Also, the workers underwent urinalysis testing.
"We got results back today, and uranium was non-detectable ... So they had no intake of uranium," Donna Wichers, Uranium One senior vice president of in-situ operations, told WyoFile in a phone interview on Wednesday (Oct. 5).
Wichers described the entire incident as a "non-event," and said the NRC inspector was scheduled to visit the mine anyway. She said once the NRC decided to launch a special investigation, part of the agency's protocol is to issue a press release, "Which we tried to talk them out of," Wichers said.
(WyoFile Oct. 5, 2011, emphasis added)
> Download NRC release Oct. 5, 2011
(PDF)
State issues Notice of Violation for spill of sodium chloride brine solution at Willow Creek uranium in situ leach mine
On Sep. 19, 2011, the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality issued a Notice of Violation to Uranium One USA, Inc. for a spill of approx. 7,000-10,000 gallons of sodium chloride brine solution that occured "around August 4 or 5, 2011" but was reported only on August 19, 2011.
> Download Notice of Violation NOV #4900-11, Sep. 19, 2011
(PDF - WY DEQ)
> Download Notice of Compliance, Oct. 19, 2011
(PDF - WY DEQ)
NRC issues license renewal for Willow Creek (formerly Christensen Ranch / Irigaray) uranium in situ leach mine:
On March 7, 2013, NRC issued a 10-year license renewal for the Willow Creek uranium in situ leach mine.
> Federal Register Volume 78, Number 55 (Thursday, March 21, 2013) p. 17450-17451 (download full text
)
> Download: License SUA-1341, March 7, 2013
(1.1MB PDF)
> Downlad: Safety Evaluation Report, March 2013
(8.8MB PDF)
NRC issues Supplemental Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for license renewal with more than doubled flow rate:
> Federal Register Volume 78, Number 17 (Friday, January 25, 2013) p. 5514-5516 (download full text
)
"This supplemental environmental assessment addresses new information since the original environmental assessment for license renewal regarding the applicant's proposed change to increase the licensee's Christensen Ranch satellite plant throughput from 15,140 liters per minute (L/min) (4,000 gallons per minute (gpm)) to 34,070 L/min (9,000 gpm)."
> Download: Supplemental Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for License Renewal for Uranium One USA, Inc., Willow Creek Uranium In-Situ Recovery Project, Johnson and Campbell Counties, WY, License SUA-1341, January 2013
(147k PDF)
> Access Docket ID NRC-2009-0036
NRC issues Final Environmental Assessment for license renewal:
"CONCLUSION: The NRC staff concludes that the renewal of License SUA-1341, involving continued operation of the Irigaray and Christensen Ranch projects, would not significantly impact the environment."
> Federal Register: July 14, 2011 (Volume 76, Number 135) p. 41528-41529 (download full text
)
> Download Final Environmental Assessment, July 2011
(789k PDF)
Uranium One fined US$ 25,000 for missed sampling of 24 monitor wells at Willow Creek ISL uranium mine
Of 66 monitoring wells requiring sampling in the recently started Well Field Unit 7, sampling had been missed at least once in 24 wells for a total of 82 missed sampling events. Since the well field began operations, each well should have been sampled seven times over a period of 14 weeks, sampling being required on a biweekly basis. Five wells were never sampled while seven had only on sampling event missed.
In a settlement agreement of April 21, 2011, Uranium One agrees to pay a total penalty of US$ 25,000.
> Download Notice of Violation NOV #4831-11
, April 21, 2011 (PDF - WY DEQ)
> Download Settlement Agreement, May 2011
(PDF - WY DEQ)
> Download Termination of Notice of Violation
, Nov. 23, 2011 (PDF - WY DEQ)
Public comment invited on proposed additional deep disposal wells at Christensen Ranch in situ leach uranium mine
On Nov. 5, 2010, the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality announced that it proposes to permit two additional deep disposal wells (in addition to the two existing ones) at Christensen Ranch.
The public is invited to comment on the draft permit until December 10, 2010.
> Download Public Notice
· Draft Permit 10-219
· Fact Sheet
(PDF - WY DEQ)
Transfer of ownership of the Christensen Ranch ISL mine to Atomredmetzoloto
Atomredmetzoloto can't export uranium mined in Wyoming
A Russian state-owned firm mining Wyoming uranium can't export what it mines and would need to meet stringent requirements before it could do so, the top U.S. nuclear regulator told Sen. John Barrasso in a letter released Monday (Mar. 28).
The written response from Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Gregory Jaczko came in response to a Barrasso letter to President Barack Obama in December.
The Wyoming Republican expressed "strong concerns" regarding NRC approval in November of the purchase of a controlling stake in Uranium One Inc. by Russian state-owned firm ARMZ that month.
Russia helps with nuclear programs in countries unfriendly to the United States, Barrasso wrote.
Uranium One owns several permits to mine Wyoming uranium and operates processing facilities and mines in Johnson and Campbell counties.
In his response to Barrasso, Jaczko said ARMZ and Uranium One lack the export license needed to ship uranium out of the country.
"In order to export uranium from the United States, Uranium One Inc. or ARMZ would need to apply for and obtain a specific NRC license authorizing the export of uranium for use in reactor fuel," Jaczko wrote.
If the firm did request permission to export uranium, U.S. law would require Russia to certify that the uranium would be used only for peaceful purposes.
The law would also require Russia to suitably protect the nuclear fuel, not transfer it to a third country and not alter the form without U.S. consent.
If the firm did apply for an export license, that request would be made public, Jackzo wrote.
(Billings Gazette Mar. 28, 2011)
NRC approves transfer of ownership of the Christensen Ranch ISL mine to Atomredmetzoloto
On Nov. 23, 2010, NRC approved the change of control of the Christensen Ranch ISL mine from Uranium One Americas, Inc. to Atomredmetzoloto.
> Download NRC release Nov. 24, 2010
(PDF)
> Federal Register: December 7, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 234) p. 76050-76051 (download full text
)
NRC provides opportunity to request hearing and/or provide comments on the proposed transfer of ownership of the Christensen Ranch ISL mine to Atomredmetzoloto
Notice of Application From Uranium One USA, Inc., for Consent to
an Indirect Change of Control for Source Material License SUA-1341 to
JSC Atomredmetzoloto, Opportunity To Provide Comments and To Request a
Hearing:
Requests for a hearing must be filed by October 12, 2010.
Comments must be received by October 20, 2010.
> Download NRC release Sep. 20, 2010
(PDF)
> Federal Register: September 20, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 181) p. 57300-57302 (download full text
)
Christensen Ranch to become first Russian-owned uranium mine in the U.S.
If, as announced on June 8, 2010, Russian state-owned Atomredmetzoloto succeeds in becoming the majority shareholder of Uranium One Inc., Christensen Ranch will become the first Russian-owned uranium mine in the U.S. This change of control for the Christensen Ranch license will require NRC approval.
In addition, Uranium One's properties in the U.S. include, among others, the idle Shootaring Canyon uranium mill (Utah), and the proposed in situ leach uranium mines of Moore Ranch, Ludeman, and JAB/Antelope (all in Wyoming).
Uranium One plans to have new Wyoming ISL projects licensed as satellites to newly acquired Christensen Ranch / Irigaray mine
On Jan. 18, 2010, Uranium One notified the NRC that, in view of the acquisition of the Christensen Ranch / Irigaray mine, it plans to request the approval of its new ISL projects Ludeman, Allemand-Ross, and Moore Ranch as satellites to Christensen Ranch / Irigaray.
Uranium One acquires Christensen Ranch and Irigaray uranium in-situ leach mines
Acquisition of Christensen Ranch and Irigaray uranium in-situ leach mines by Uranium One Inc. completed:
Uranium One Inc.'s purchase of Cogema Mining, Inc. from Areva (Cogema Resources, Inc.) closed on January 25, 2010.
The name of Cogema Mining, Inc. will be changed to Uranium One USA, Inc.
NRC approves acquisition of Christensen Ranch and Irigaray uranium in-situ leach mines by Uranium One Inc.:
On Dec. 17, 2009, NRC issued an order providing consent to the change of control.
Federal Register: December 30, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 249) p. 69152-69153 (download full text
)
NRC provides opportunity to request a hearing concerning acquisition of Christensen Ranch and Irigaray uranium in-situ leach mines by Uranium One Inc.:
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering an
application submitted on September 18, 2009, by Cogema Mining, Inc.
(Cogema or the Applicant), requesting consent for an indirect change of
control with respect to its NRC Materials License SUA-1341. Under this
license, Cogema operates the Irigaray and Christensen Ranch in situ
leach (ISL) uranium milling facilities that are located in Johnson and
Campbell Counties, Wyoming. Cogema is a wholly owned subsidiary of
Cogema Resources, Inc. (Cogema Resources), which is a wholly owned
subsidiary of Areva NC. Cogema Resources is planning to sell Cogema to
Uranium One Exploration U.S.A., Inc. (Uranium One), which, through
several subsidiaries, is wholly owned by Uranium One, Inc.
A request for a hearing must be filed by November 19, 2009.
Federal Register: October 30, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 209) p. 56241-56243 (download full text
)
Uranium One Inc. to acquire Christensen Ranch and Irigaray uranium in-situ leach mines:
On Aug. 10, 2009, Uranium One Inc. announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of the MALCO Joint Venture from wholly-owned subsidiaries of AREVA and EDF for US$ 35 million in cash.
The assets of MALCO include the licensed and permitted Irigaray ISR
central processing plant, the Christensen Ranch satellite ISR facility and
associated U3O8 resources located in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming.
The Irigaray and Christensen Ranch facilities are expected to form the
basis of a new operating plan for the Company's projects in Wyoming. Uranium
One anticipates that its Moore Ranch project will now become a satellite ISR operation, with loaded resins being transported to Irigaray for further processing into dried U3O8. Uranium One's additional projects in the Powder River Basin, including Ludeman, Peterson, Allemand-Ross and Barge could also be developed as satellite operations with final processing through
Irigaray.
NRC staff finds no problem with groundwater impacts of existing in-situ leach uranium mines
> View here
U.S. NRC issues Notice of license renewal request for Christensen and Irigaray Ranch uranium in-situ leach facilities and opportunity to request a hearing
Notice of Request To Renew Source Materials License SUA-1341,
COGEMA Mining, Inc., Christensen and Irigaray Ranch Facilities, Johnson
and Campbell Counties, WY, and Opportunity To Request a Hearing
A request for a hearing must be filed by April 10, 2009.
Federal Register: February 9, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 25) p. 6436-6440 (download full text)
Christensen Ranch/Irigaray uranium ISL mines restarted without EPA approval
By letter dated Feb. 11, 2011, EPA notified Uranium One that a licence for evaporation and holding ponds is required according to 40 CFR Part 61, Subpart W, National Emission Standards for Radon Emissions from Operating Mill Tailings.
"Resuming operation of the ponds is considered to be a modification, requiring that a modification approval application be submitted to EPA before the modification is planned to commence. We understand that the Christensen Ranch/Irigaray facilities have resumed operation. We have not received an approval application for the ponds onsite, as required by 40 CFR §61.07."
By letter dated Apr. 20, 2011, Uranium One contested the applicability of 40 CFR Part 61, Subpart W to its in situ leach operations.
Production restarted at Christensen Ranch/Irigaray uranium ISL mines
Uranium One has started production at its Christensen Ranch uranium mine in southwest Campbell County, making it the first operating uranium mine in Campbell County in more than a decade.
Uranium One also has opened its Irigaray processing plant just across the border in Johnson County. The Irigaray plant now processes the uranium ore from the Christensen Ranch facility into yellowcake uranium.
(Gillette News Record Jan. 7, 2011)
NRC authorizes restart of Christensen Ranch/Irigaray uranium ISL mines
> Download NRC release Dec. 17, 2010
NRC issues Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for restart of Christensen Ranch/Irigaray uranium ISL mines
Federal Register: September 12, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 178) p. 53052 (download full text
)
> Download Environmental Assessment Sep. 2008
(ADAMS ML082110026)
The requested license amendment to revert from restoration and decommissioning status to operating status was issued by NRC on Sep. 30, 2008.
NRC issues Notice of license amendment request for restart of Christensen Ranch/Irigaray uranium ISL mines and opportunity to request a hearing
On March 6, 2008, NRC issued a Notice of License Amendment Request to revert to operating status from restoration and decommissioning status, COGEMA Mining, Inc., Christensen and Irigaray Ranch facilities, Johnson and Campbell
Counties, Wyoming, and Opportunity to Request a Hearing.
A request for a hearing must be filed by May 16, 2008.
Federal Register: March 17, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 52) p. 14279-14281 (download full text
)
COGEMA to restart Christensen Ranch in-situ leach uranium mine
With yellowcake cruising at $43 per pound on increased demand and dwindling worldwide stockpiles, COGEMA Mining Co. is now under strict orders from its international parent companies to get the Christensen Ranch in-situ leach uranium mine back on full production. "It's just a matter of a few -- six months -- before we're back in operation," said Mark Owens, who serves as manager of technical support for Mills-based COGEMA. In addition to putting its Christensen Ranch mine back on production, COGEMA is seeking to increase its uranium ore reserves in the state, according to Owens.
(Casper Star-Tribune May 22, 2006)
"Due to an increase in the uranium market price, mining is anticipated to resume at Christensen Ranch during year 2007. The final decision to resume mining is still pending the Joint Participation's approval, hopefully by the end of 2006 (The Joint Participation includes COGEMA Mining, Inc. as the operator and 71% owner, Malapai Resources Company as 29% owner; decisions must be unanimous).
Assuming that mining is resumed at Christensen Ranch, the first step will be continued well installation in the remainder of Mine Unit 7 (MU7). MU7 was about 50% installed when operations were shut down in year 2000. Drilling and well installation would resume in March 2007, followed by the initiation of surface construction (connection of wells to module buildings, connection to existing main trunkline to the plant). If schedules are adhered to, and all necessary approvals obtained, lixiviant injection could resume in MU7 as early as September 2007."
(COGEMA Mining, Inc., ANNUAL REPORT, PERMIT TO MINE NO. 478, August 19, 2005 through August 18, 2006)
On April 3, 2007, COGEMA Mining, Inc. requested an amendment of the license for its Irigaray/Christensen Ranch facilities to revert to an operating (uranium
production) status from the current restoration and decommissioning status.
"Christensen Ranch Project
All chemical addition to the mining wellfields ceased during February, 2000. Uranium
recovery was slowly phased out during the following months, with the last operating
wellfield shut down on June 23, 2000. Groundwater restoration is ongoing with active
restoration in two out of five Mine Units (#3 and 5). Residual uranium is removed at a
rate of approximately 50 lbs. per day during the Christensen restoration process.
Projected completion of groundwater restoration is in 2005, with final decommissioning
and surface reclamation to follow.
Irigaray Project
Mining ended in 1994. Groundwater restoration is ongoing with two Production Units (#
6 and 7) out of a total of nine Restoration has been completed in the other seven
Production Units. Residual uranium is removed at a rate of approximately 10 lbs. per
day during the Irigaray restoration process. Completion of groundwater restoration is
projected for late 2001, with wellfield decommissioning and surface reclamation to
follow. Decommissioning of most plant facilities will not begin until groundwater
restoration is completed at the Christensen Project and all recovered uranium is
processed."
(COGEMA Mining, Inc. letter to NRC dated September 7, 2000, available through ADAMS
)
COGEMA plans to cease production in all of its well fields of its Christensen Ranch / Irigaray in-situ leach site in Wyoming sometime during the third or fourth calender quarters of 2000.
All well fields will be in the restoration phase after production ceases. COGEMA's proposes to submit a decommissioning plan to NRC by April 30, 2000. It is anticipated that upon completion of the mining it will require a number of years to conclude the ground water restoration efforts in all impacted well fields.
(NRC letter to Cogema dated Nov. 29, 1999, available through ADAMS
)
Cogema received permission to inject brines from its Christensen Ranch in-situ leaching site in Wyoming in deep aquifers that might be a source of future drinking water supply. The brines consist of operational bleed streams from commercial in-situ leaching uranium mining operations as well as fluids from the restoration of the aquifer in mined out sections of the Christensen Ranch site. The exemption is necessary, since aquifer fluids contain less than 3,000 mg/l Total Dissolved Solids (TDS).
> See notice in Federal Register, March 26, 1999 (Vol. 64, No. 58), p. 14799-14804 (download full notice
)
> See also Federal Register, August 27, 1998 (Vol. 63, No. 166), p. 45810-45812 (download full notice
)
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a Finding of No Significant Impact for the proposed license renewal of Cogema's Irigaray and Christensen Ranch in-situ leach uranium mines in Wyoming.
> See notice in Federal Register, June 26, 1998 (Vol. 63, No. 123), p. 34942-34944 (download full notice
).
The License violations and reportable events reported for the Christensen Ranch facility are not mentioned in this Federal Register notice.
See also: Lists of Spills and Excursions for COMIN, Dec. 17, 2009
(ADAMS Acc. No. ML093640215)
According to Cogema's "Quarterly Progress Report of Monitor Wells on Excursion Status" of Oct. 2, 2000 (available through ADAMS
), 7 monitor wells at Irigaray remained on excursion status during the third quarter of 2000. The wells have been on excursion status for more than one year and up to 11 years. One other monitor well has been removed from excursion status.
Latest NRC Event Reports referring to Uranium One's Willow Creek (ex Christensen Ranch / Irigaray) ISL site in Wyoming:
post Sep. 30, 2018: withheld (after Wyoming became an NRC agreement state)
- Aug. 6, 2018: 4,130 gallon spill of recovery fluid (9.6 ppm U3O8)
- June 29, 2018: Monitor well placed on excursion status
- Aug. 9, 2017: 7,400 gallon spill of production fluid (8.9 ppm U)
- Jul. 25, 2017: 5,000 gallon spill of injection fluid (1.1 ppm U) and production fluid (9.7 ppm U)
- May 24, 2017: 3,600 gallon spill of injection fluid (0.41 - 0.81 ppm U)
- Nov. 29, 2016: 3,300 gallon spill of injection fluid (0.67 ppm U)
- Oct. 17, 2016: 3,500 gallon spill of injection fluid (0.5 ppm U)
- Oct. 11, 2016: 1,405 gallon spill of injection fluid
- June 1, 2016: Monitor well placed on excursion status
- Apr. 30, 2016: Monitor well placed on excursion status
- Dec. 7, 2015: 2,100 gallon spill of production fluid (3.3 ppm U)
- June 30, 2015: Monitor well placed on excursion status
- Mar. 10, 2015: 830 gallon spill of injection fluid (1.7 ppm U)
- Dec. 29, 2014: Monitor well placed on excursion status
- Aug. 15, 2014: 492 gallon spill of recovery fluid (11.2 ppm U)
- Aug. 13, 2014: 535 gallon spill of injection fluid (0.8 ppm U)
- Jul. 25, 2014: 946 gallon spill of injection fluid (0.92 ppm U)
- Jul. 7, 2014: Disposal well shut in due to apparent leaking of tubing in the well
- June 19, 2014: Deep disposal well fails mechanical integrity test
- May 15, 2014: "potential leak" at evaporation pond
- Apr. 19, 2014: 616 gallon spill of injection fluid (0.32 ppm U)
- Mar. 3, 2014: 665 gallon spill of injection fluid (0.6 ppm U)
- Jan. 15, 2014: 77,700 gallon spill of production fluid (12.7 ppm U)
- Nov. 26, 2013: 1,060 gallon spill of injection fluid (0.32 ppm U)
- Oct. 31, 2013: 740 gallon spill of injection fluid (1.2 ppm U)
- Jul. 22, 2013: 2,600 gallon spill of injection fluid (1.1 ppm U)
- Jun. 15, 2013: 1,400 gallon spill of injection fluid (0.8 ppm U)
- Mar. 7, 2013: Evaporation pond leak
- Mar. 5, 2013: "potential leaks" at two evaporation ponds
- Feb. 11, 2013: 2,100 gallon spill of injection fluid
- Dec. 23, 2012: 800 gallon spill of injection fluid (< 0.4 ppm U)
- Dec. 22, 2012: 950 gallon spill of disposal well fluid (2.1 ppm U)
- Dec. 9, 2012: 1,500 gallon spill of injection fluid (< 0.4 ppm U)
- Oct. 12, 2012: Monitor well placed on excursion status
- Sep. 10, 2012: spill of injection fluid from unplugged historic drillhole located near injection well
- Sep. 7, 2012: 1,000 gallon spill of injection fluid
- Jun. 30, 2012: 1,500 gallon spill of injection fluid (0.9 ppm U)
- Jun. 18, 2012: 1,200 gallon spill of recovery fluid (7.5 ppm U)
- Jun. 18, 2012: 300 gallon spill of injection fluid (1.0 ppm U)
- Jun. 17, 2012: 500-700 gallon spill of injection fluid (1.4 ppm U)
- Apr. 20, 2012: 1,020 gallon spill of injection fluid (1.0 ppm U)
- Apr. 12, 2012: Monitor well placed on excursion status
- Apr. 3, 2012: Two monitor wells placed on excursion status
- Mar. 29, 2012: Two monitor wells placed on excursion status
- Jan. 5, 2012: Monitor well placed on excursion status
- Dec. 14, 2011: 1,500 gallon spill of RO brine fluid (3.8 mg/L U)
- Oct. 2, 2011: Aerial release of yellowcake powder
- Sep. 23, 2011: 4,000 gallon spill of injection fluid (0.87 mg/L U)
- Aug. 24, 2011: Monitor well placed on excursion status
- "around August 4 or 5, 2011": approx. 7,000-10,000 gallon spill of NaCl brine solution
- Jun. 21, 2011: 1,500 gallon spill of injection solution (3.5 ppm U)
- Apr. 19, 2011: Monitor well placed on excursion status
- Apr. 12, 2011: Sampling missed for months at 24 monitoring wells, at least
- Mar. 29, 2011: 1,000 gallon spill of barren injection fluid
- Mar. 23, 2011: Monitor well placed on excursion status
- Mar. 8, 2011: Monitor well placed on excursion status
- Jun 10, 2010: Monitor well placed on excursion status
- Jun 8, 2010: 1,200 gallon spill of permeate water
- Jun 3, 2010: Evaporation pond leak
- Dec 16, 2009: Monitor well placed on excursion status
- Sep 15, 2009: Monitor well placed on excursion status
- Mar 12, 2009: Monitor well placed on excursion status
- Apr 17, 2008: Monitor well placed on excursion status
- Mar 11, 2008: Two monitor wells placed on excursion status
- Sep 5, 2007: Monitor well placed on excursion status
- Apr 25, 2007: Monitor well placed on excursion status
Find more events under decommissioning issues
- Jul 22, 2004: Monitor well placed on excursion status
- Apr 28, 2004: Two leaks detected in evaporation ponds
- May 31, 2001: Monitor well placed on excursion status
- Jan 23, 2001: 13,392 Gallon spill of restoration water
- Aug 10, 2000: Monitor well placed on excursion status
- Oct 28, 1999: Monitor well placed on excursion status
- Oct 5, 1999: Monitor well placed on excursion status
- Jul 8, 1999: Monitor well placed on excursion status
- May 8, 1999: 15,000 Gallon Mining Injection Solution Spill
- Apr 12, 1999: 32,400 Gallon Injection Solution Spill
- Apr 3, 1999: 13,000 Gallon Spill of Restoration Water
- Mar 29, 1999: 23,520 Gallon Mining Injection Solution Spill
- Mar 26, 1999: 60,918 Gallon Mining Injection Solution Spill
- Feb 17, 1999: Monitor well placed on excursion status
- Dec 22, 1998: Monitor well placed on excursion status
- Nov 19, 1998: Monitor well placed in excursion status
- Sep 2, 1998: Shallow monitor well is in an excursion status
- Aug 6, 1998: Ground water monitor well placed in excursion status
- Jul 22, 1998: Minor leakage of byproduct solution from the evaporation pond
- Jul 8, 1998: 28,000 Gallons of water containing low level of U3O8 spilled onto ground
- Mar 5, 1998: Perimeter monitor well in excursion status
- Oct 3, 1997: Monitor well in excursion status
- Sep 16, 1997: Spilled 2,440 gallons of waste water containing 78.5 ppm natural uranium
- Sep 12, 1997: Well in excursion
- May 16, 1997: Two perimeter monitoring wells in excursion status
- Mar 12, 1997: Perimeter well in excursion status
- Dec 31, 1996: Perimeter well in excursion status
(details on post-Nov.1,1999, events available through ADAMS
, Docket No.
)
> For reports on many more spills, download WY DEQ's spill databases
!
> view here
> view here
(satellite to the Smith Ranch facility)
> view here
Moore Ranch (ISL), Campbell County
NRC Docket No.
> View deposit data
Wyoming DEQ invites public comment on license renewal for deep disposal wells at Moore Ranch uranium in situ leach mine
The purpose of this notification is to inform the public that the UIC Program is proposing the renewal of a permit (Permit 2022-107) for the Uranium Wyoming Corporation. Class I Non-Hazardous Disposal Wells Moore Ranch DW No. 1, CR DW No. 2, CR DW No. 3, and DW No. 4.
Submit comments by February 10, 2023.
> View Public Notice Jan. 12, 2023
and access related documents online [!]
Wyoming DEQ invites comment on proposed license renewal for suspended Moore Ranch uranium in situ leach mine project
UEC Wyoming Corp. formerly Uranium One Americas, Inc., has applied for a license renewal for its Moore Ranch Uranium Project.
The proposed mining activities are scheduled to begin construction in 2025 and continue mining and restoration activities until 2039, however this schedule is dependent on uranium market conditions.
Written comments must be received before the close of business, August 23, 2022.
> View: Public Notice: Source Materials License Renewal Application - UEC Wyoming Corp., WYSUA-1596
, July 21, 2022
Development of Moore Ranch uranium in situ leach mine suspended - six months after receiving license
"As we discussed, development activities at the Moore Ranch ISR Project were
temporally suspended in April 2011, to focus company and contractor resources on development activities at the Willow Creek Project. No construction activities have been undertaken at the Moore Ranch site. Activities undertaken at the site during the first six months of 2011 were limited to well drilling and completion of the perimeter ring monitoring wells, underlying monitoring wells, overlying monitoring wells and baseline restoration wells in the Wellfield #2 area."
(Uranium One letter to NRC, Aug. 31, 2011
)
On May 31, 2013, Uranium One notified the NRC that the NRC should suspend further licensing action on the 2011 amendment application until further notice.
On July 31, 2015, Uranium One notified the NRC that no licensing actions are anticipated for the Moore Ranch in situ leach project until further notice.
Wyoming DEQ invites public comment on draft permit for deep disposal wells at Moore Ranch uranium in situ leach mine
Draft Permit 08-314 - Moore Ranch DW # 1,2,3,4 UIC Class I non-hazardous waste disposal wells. This facility is for four (4) proposed wells. Applicant: Uranium One Americas, Inc.; Location: Campbell County, T41-42N, R75W. The public is invited to comment on the draft permit until January 29, 2011.
> Download Public Notice Dec. 30, 2010
(PDF - WY DEQ)
> Download Draft Permit 08-314
(PDF - WY DEQ)
> Download Fact Sheet
(PDF - WY DEQ)
NRC approves transfer of ownership of the Moore Ranch ISL mine to Atomredmetzoloto
On Nov. 23, 2010, NRC approved the change of control of the Moore Ranch ISL mine from Uranium One Americas, Inc. to Atomredmetzoloto.
> Download NRC release Nov. 24, 2010
(PDF)
> Federal Register: December 7, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 234) p. 76050-76051 (download full text
)
> View older issues
NRC Docket No.
> View deposit data
> See also: Jane Dough ISL project
Wyoming DEQ proposes permit renewal for deep disposal wells at Nichols Ranch in situ leach uranium mine
"[...] the UIC Program is proposing the renewal of a permit (Permit 2022-199) for the Uranerz Energy, Nicol's Ranch [sic!] (Nicol's Ranch NICH-DW1 through NICH-DW4) and Hank Unit ISR (Hank Unit HANK-DW1 through HANK-DW4). The UIC program proposes to renew the injection well permit for this facility. [...] These wells are used for the disposal of In-situ Uranium Recover by-products."
Submit comments by February 27, 2023.
> View WQD Public Notice
, Jan. 25, 2023 (and download related documents!)
Wyoming DEQ issues Notice of Violation to Nichols Ranch in situ leach uranium mine
"Through the course of the inspection multiple instances of failure to strip and protect topsoil from areas affected by mining activities were observed."
> Download: Notice of Violation, July 13, 2016
(WY DEQ - 829kB PDF)
Uranerz Energy determined to win our 'Oddest Company Submission of the Year' Award?
On Feb. 26, 2016, Uranerz Energy Corp. submitted to NRC several revised pages to the license application for its Nichols Ranch in situ leach project. Two of these are drawings meant to show details of the header houses used: Figure 3-9A and Figure 3-9B of the Technical Report.
Even we didn't have an appropriate award for this, so we quickly had to invent one...
NRC authorizes operation of on-site elution plant at Nichols Ranch ISL uranium mine
"Based on the results of this preoperational inspection, the NRC inspection team concluded that the Nichols Ranch ISR Project is ready to begin operations involving the production of uranium yellowcake slurry. Accordingly, you are authorized to begin uranium recovery operations including the elution, precipitation, and filter press equipment. The resulting product, a yellowcake slurry, can be shipped to another licensed uranium mill approved for drying and packaging operations."
(NRC letter to Uranerz Energy, Feb. 2, 2016)
Construction of on-site elution plant started at Nichols Ranch ISL uranium mine
On Sep. 29, 2015, Energy Fuels Inc. announced that it has commenced construction of the elution circuit at its Nichols Ranch in situ recovery ("ISR") processing facility. Since Nichols Ranch began operations in April 2014, loaded resins have been shipped to other nearby third party-owned facilities for final yellowcake stripping, drying and packaging. Upon completion of construction of the elution circuit at Nichols Ranch, the Company will have entirely self-contained ISR processing capabilities.
NRC announces opportunity to request a hearing and to petition for leave to intervene on Jane Dough extension of Nichols Ranch ISL uranium mine
> View here
BLM approves Hank Unit of Nichols Ranch uranium in situ leach mine
On July 21, 2015, Energy Fuels Inc. announced that the U.S. Bureau of Land Management has issued a Final Environmental Assessment (EA) and granted its final approval for the Plan of Operations of the Company's 100% owned Hank Unit, an in situ recovery uranium project located in Wyoming's Powder River Basin.
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality previously granted their approvals for the project in July 2011 and December 2010, respectively. The issuance of the EA and the approval of the Plan of Operations was the final major regulatory approval required for the Hank Unit.
The Hank Unit is licensed to be developed in the future as a satellite operation to the Nichols Ranch Processing Plant.
> View related documents: Nichols Ranch/Hank Uranium In-Situ Recovery Mine
(BLM Buffalo Field Office)
NRC approves change of control of Nichols Ranch in situ leach uranium mine to Energy Fuels Inc.
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) received and is considering approval of an application filed by Uranerz Energy Corporation on March 20, 2015. The application seeks NRC approval of the indirect transfer (change of control) of NRC Materials License SUA-1597 for the Nichols Ranch In Situ Recovery (ISR) Project from Uranerz to Energy Fuels Inc..
Comments must be filed by June 22, 2015. A request for a hearing must be filed by June 11, 2015.
> Federal Register Volume 80, Number 99 (Friday, May 22, 2015) p. 29753-29756 (download full text
)
> Access Docket ID NRC-2015-0126
On June 18, 2015, NRC approved the requested indirect license transfer.
> Federal Register Volume 80, Number 144 (Tuesday, July 28, 2015) p. 45002-45003 (download full text
)
Wyoming DEQ issues Notice of Violation to Uranerz Energy Corp. over two spills at Nichols Ranch in situ leach uranium mine
On Oct. 7, 2014, Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality issued a Notice of Violation to Uranerz Energy Corp. over two spills at the Nichols Ranch in situ leach mine. The spills occured on July 17 and Sep. 8, 2014. Both spills flowed outside the permit boundary (see below).
> Download Notice of Violation Oct. 7, 2014
(92k PDF - WY DEQ)
In a settlement agreement concluded on Nov. 3, 2014, Uranerz Energy Corp. agreed to pay a US$ 5,000 penalty.
> Download Settlement Agreement Nov. 3, 2014
(142k PDF - WY DEQ)
> Download Notice of Compliance Dec. 22, 2014
(51k PDF - WY DEQ)
Nichols Ranch uranium in situ leach mine sends first uranium-loaded resin to Cameco's Smith Ranch plant for processing
On June 16, 2014, Uranerz Energy Corporation announced that it has sent its first shipment of uranium-loaded resin from the Nichols Ranch ISR Uranium Project to Cameco Resources' Smith Ranch uranium processing facilities for final processing into uranium concentrates pursuant to a toll processing agreement between the two companies.
Uranerz submits license application for Jane Dough uranium in situ leach project as extension of Nichols Ranch mine
> View here
NRC issues exemption to the financial assurance requirements for Nichols Ranch uranium in situ leach mine
NRC issues temporary exemption:
> Federal Register Volume 79, Number 174 (Tuesday, September 9, 2014) p. 53464-53466 (download full text
)
NRC issues exemption:
> Federal Register Volume 79, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 5, 2014) p. 6935-6936 (download full text
)
> Access Docket ID NRC-2014-0020
EPA approves aquifer exemption for deep disposal well at Nichols Ranch uranium in situ leach mine
On Nov. 27, 2013, EPA approved an aquifer exemption for the Class I injection well NICH DW-1, as the formations concerned (Teckla and Parkman) are not currently used as a source of drinking water, nor likely to be used in the future.
BLM issues Environmental Assessment on Hank Unit of Nichols Ranch uranium in situ leach mining project for public review
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Buffalo Field Office (BFO) announces the availability of an environmental assessment (EA) on the Hank Unit of the Nichols Ranch uranium in situ recovery (ISR) mining project for public review. The Hank Unit project area is located approximately 40 miles southwest of Gillette, Wyo.
The Hank Unit encompasses approximately 2,250 acres with proposed disturbances of about 155 acres. BLM administered surface lands are approximately 303 acres with 35 acres of proposed disturbance. Proposed facilities within the Hank Unit include well fields for injection, production and monitoring, wellhead houses, a satellite processing facility, an access road network and pipeline system. Final reclamation and abandonment of the site is included in the plan.
Uranerz Energy Corporation filed a Plan of Operations to use BLM surface within the Hank Unit of their Nichols Ranch In-Situ Uranium Mine for which, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued a Material License in July 2011. The BLM has prepared an EA to analyze the environmental effects of in-situ mining on public lands.
The 30-day public comment period runs through July 24, 2013.
> View BLM release June 24, 2013 
> Download Environmental Assessment, June 2013
> View older issues
post Sep. 30, 2018: withheld (after Wyoming became an NRC agreement state)
- Jun. 12, 2017: 4,500 gallon spill of injection fluid (< 1 mg/L U)
- Dec. 7, 2016: 2,800 gallon spill of injection fluid (< 1 mg/L U)
- Nov. 15, 2016: 55 gallon spill of production solution (27.4 mg/L U)
- Aug. 11, 2016: 670 gallon spill of injection fluid
- Nov. 5, 2015: 700 gallon spill of injection fluid
- Dec. 2, 2014: 606 gallon release of injection solution (0.5 ppm U)
- Nov. 2, 2014: 1,745 gallon release of injection fluid (0.201 ppm U)
- Sep. 8, 2014: 12,975 gallon release of production solution (21.6 ppm U; the release flowed outside the permit boundary)
- July 17, 2014: 20,219 gallon release of production fluid (33 ppm U3O8; the release "appears" to have flown outside the permit boundary)
- June 5, 2014: 2,500 gallon release of injection fluid (0.04 ppm U)
- Apr. 28, 2014: injection well found to be still in use after failing mechanical integrity test in February
- Feb. 12, 2014: injection well fails mechanical integrity test
- Aug. 14, 2013: 500 gallon spill of "grey water"
NRC Docket No.
> View deposit info
Kennecott requests license amendment for idle Sweetwater uranium mill
Kennecott Uranium Company of Rawlins, Wyoming has applied for an amendment of its Source Material License (WYSUA-1350, Amendment 1) from the Land Quality Division of the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality.
The mining and milling operations began in February 1981, ceased in April 1983, and the facility has been in a period of standby since then.
The amendment requests a revision to modernize and improve the efficiency of security measures at the facility and to update the requirements and composition of the Safety and Environmental Review Panel. Information regarding this application may be reviewed in the Office of the Land Quality Division, Department of Environmental Quality in Cheyenne or the Sweetwater County Clerk's Office, Green River, Wyoming.
Written objections to the proposed license amendment must be received before the close of business March 16, 2020.
> View: Notice of Source Material License Amendment Application - Kennecott Uranium Company
, Jan. 25, 2020 (Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality)
Kennecott requests another 5-year postponement of initiation of decommissioning of idle Sweetwater uranium mill
By letter dated May 26, 2016, Kennecott for the fifth time in a row requested a 5-year postponement of initiation of decommissioning of the Sweetwater uranium mill in Wyoming. The Sweetwater mill facility was shut down and has been under care and maintenance (stand-by status) since April 1983.
Licence renewal application 2014
NRC issues 10-year license renewal for idle Sweetwater uranium mill
> Federal Register Volume 83, Number 135 (Friday, July 13, 2018) p. 32696-32697 (download full text
)
> Access Docket ID NRC-2018-0141 
> Download renewed license
, June 30, 2018
NRC issues Environmental Assessment and FONSI for 10-year license renewal of idle Sweetwater uranium mill
> Federal Register Volume 83, Number 111 (Friday, June 8, 2018) p. 26708-26709 (download full text
)
> Download: Final Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Renewal of SUA-1350, Sweetwater Uranium Project in Sweetwater County, Wyoming
, June 2018
> Access Docket ID NRC-2015-0025
NRC issues Safety Evaluation Report for 10-year license renewal of idle Sweetwater uranium mill
> Download: Safety Evaluation Report License Renewal of the Kennecott Uranium Company Sweetwater Uranium Project, Sweetwater County, Wyoming
, U.S. NRC, February 2018 (25.7MB PDF)
Kennecott submits Supplement to Environmental Report required for 10-year license renewal of idle Sweetwater uranium mill
> Download: Supplement to Licensee's Environmental Report, Sweetwater Uranium Project
, June 2016 (10.2MB PDF)
> Download: Revised Supplement to Licensee's Environmental Report, Sweetwater Uranium Project
, November 2016 (16MB PDF)
> Download: Second Revised Supplement to Licensee's Environmental Report, Sweetwater Uranium Project
, January 2018 (61MB PDF)
NRC announces opportunity to request a hearing and to petition for leave to intervene on 10-year license renewal for idle Sweetwater uranium mill:
A request for a hearing or petition for leave to intervene must be filed by April 13, 2015.
> Federal Register Volume 80, Number 27 (Tuesday, February 10, 2015) p. 7501-7503 (download full text
)
[Note: in the FR notice, the Licence Number is incorrectly shown as SUA-1530, while the correct number is SUA-1350]
> Access Docket ID NRC-2015-0025 
> Download licence renewal application
, July 24, 2014
Kennecott requests another 5-year postponement of initiation of decommissioning of Sweetwater uranium mill
By letter dated June 1, 2011, Kennecott for the fourth time in a row requested a 5-year postponement of initiation of decommissioning of the Sweetwater uranium mill in Wyoming. The Sweetwater mill facility was shut down and has been under care and maintenance (stand-by status) since April 1983.
By letter dated Oct. 4, 2011, NRC staff notified Kennecott that it has determined that a fourth 5-year postponement should be granted.
Kennecott performing restart evaluation of Sweetwater mill; mill for sale again
On March 20, 2008, Kennecott Uranium Co. notified NRC of its intended applications for license amendments. Kennecott considers the construction of a resin elution facility at the site, and, it is currently performing a restart evaluation of the mill, which might involve several modifications requiring license amendments. Moreover, Kennecott said that the mill is for sale.
Kennecott denied right to store alternate feed material on site without license amendment
"In its letter, KUC makes several arguments in support of its position that it should be allowed to store the WTIX resin onsite without first being granted a license amendment to do so. If it is later authorized to resume its milling operations, KUC intends to process the WTIX resin as alternate feed material and dispose the resultant 11e.(2) byproduct material in its onsite tailings cell.
As discussed below, because the resin is not natural ore already present at the site, and because KUC is not presently authorized to conduct milling, the requested action requires a license amendment."
(NRC letter to Kennecott, November 30, 2007, ADAMS Accession No. ML072400149
)
Kennecott wants to store alternate feed material on site of currently idle Sweetwater mill for later processing
"Kennecott Uranium Company (KUC) wishes to store a small volume (approximately 8,000 cubic feet [227 cubic metres]) of ion exchange resin loaded with uranium at the Sweetwater Uranium Project beginning in September 2007. These loaded resins contain 1% to 3% natural uranium. These resins would be stored until such time as licensed operations are resumed at the site, at which point they would be eluted (processed), the uranium removed from them, precipitated as yellowcake and the yellowcake product dried and sold. [...] KUC believes that these materials can be stored on site without the need for a license amendment pending resumption of operations pursuant to NRC-approved license modifications [...]"
(Kennecott letter to NRC dated June 10, 2007 - ADAMS Accession No. ML071660298
)
Sweetwater uranium mill no longer for sale
SXR Uranium One Inc. had been selected by Rio Tinto Energy America, Inc. ("RTEA"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rio Tinto plc, as the preferred bidder for RTEA's Sweetwater Uranium Mill and associated Green Mountain uranium properties located in south-central Wyoming. (SXR July 10, 2006)
On Jan. 8, 2007, however, sxr Uranium One Inc. announced that Rio Tinto Energy America, Inc. has decided to withdraw the Sweetwater uranium mill and related properties from sale in order to re-evaluate whether these should be retained and developed.
Kennecott requests another 5-year postponement of initiation of decommissioning of Sweetwater uranium mill
By letter dated June 7, 2006, Kennecott for the third time requested a 5-year postponement of initiation of decommissioning of the Sweetwater uranium mill in Wyoming. The Sweetwater mill facility was shut down and has been under care and maintenance (stand-by status) since April 1983.
On Sep. 25, 2006, NRC staff has determined that a third five-year postponement should be granted. In its review, NRC staff determined that this postponement is not detrimental to public health and the environment and is in the public interest, as discussed below. Furthermore, a letter from NRC staff to the National Mining Association dated February 16, 1996, stated that there is no limit to the number of extensions that can be granted.
Miracles of dose calculation: Sweetwater uranium mill reduces dose to nearest resident below background
Kennecott calculates the semiannual dose to the nearest resident for the second half of 2005 at 449.28 mrem [4.4928 mSv] (mainly based on radon inhalation and external gamma exposure), while the background dose was determined in 1994 at 569.9 mrem [5.699 mSv].
Kennecott concludes: "The net (dose to the nearest resident minus background dose) annual TEDE from the licensed operations for the second half of 2005 is 0 mrem/year, which is below the 100 mrem/year [1 mSv/year] dose limit to members of the general public."
More precisely, Kennecott should have stated that, based on its calculations, the licensed operations reduce the semiannual dose to the nearest resident by 120.62 mrem [1.2062 mSv]. But, apparently, this appeared inappropriate to Kennecott?
Source: Kennecott Uranium Company, Sweetwater Uranium Project: Airborne Effluents – 2005 Semiannual 10 CFR 40.65 Report, Source Material License SUA-1350, 27 February 2006
Catchment basin reclamation
NRC releases Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for catchment basin reclamation at Sweetwater uranium mill
Federal Register: May 23, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 98) p. 29543-29544
(download full text
)
The requested license renewal was issued on May 26, 2005.
NRC issues Draft Environmental Assessment for catchment basin reclamation at Sweetwater uranium mill
On March 2, 2005, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued a Draft Environmental Assessment for the reclamation of the catchment basin at the idle Sweetwater uranium mill.
During mill operations (Feb. 1981 - April 1983), fluids from the mill's counter-current decantation and solvent extraction processes were discharged to a catchment basin located 305 meters west of the lined tailings impoundment. The catchment basin is approximately 42.7 meters square, and 3.7 meters deep. The basin sides were lined with concrete, while the bottom was unlined. Organics, metals, and radionuclides (byproduct material) have slowly migrated through the soil beneath the basin into the underlying Battle Spring Aquifer. Primary contaminants are diesel range organics (DRO), consistent with the kerosene used for solvent extraction, and radionuclides (Ra-226 and natural uranium (U-nat)).
Remediation will involve the excavation of soils exhibiting DRO concentrations in excess of 2,300 mg/kg (Wyoming Voluntary Remediation Program standard).
Kennecott expects to excavate approximately 91,747 cubic meters of petroleum contaminated soil including approximately 20,261 cubic meters of material containing Ra-226 in excess of the standards found in Criterion 6(6), 10 CFR 40, Appendix A. Contaminated soils will be transported to the existing tailings impoundment for disposal.
After completing the soil excavation program, contaminated ground water will be extracted and conveyed to the lined tailings impoundment.
NRC issues 10-year license renewal for idle Sweetwater uranium mill
By letter dated May 25, 2004, Kennecott Uranium Co. requested a 10-year renewal of the Source Material License for its Sweetwater Uranium Project.
The uranium mill is currently in standby mode.
On July 28, 2004, NRC issued a related Notice of opportunity for hearing.
Federal Register: July 28, 2004 (Vol. 69, No. 144) p. 45087-45088 (download full text
)
The requested license renewal was issued on May 26, 2005.
NRC approves another 5-year postponement of initiation of decommissioning in view of Bush's Energy Plan
By letter dated July 17, 2001, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for the second time approved a 5-year postponement of initiation of decommissioning of the Sweetwater uranium mill in Wyoming. The Sweetwater mill facility was shut down and has been under care and maintenance (stand-by status) since April 1983. Excerpt from the NRC letter:
"The continued existence of the mill is in the public interest as it is one of only six uranium mills remaining in the United States and the only one remaining in Wyoming. There is renewed interest in the United States in nuclear power as clearly expressed in the National Energy Policy
of May 2001. Nuclear power plants have increased power output the past several years, several plants have recently renewed operating licenses for 20 years, and new facilities are being considered. In addition, statutes oblige the Secretary of Energy to encourage the use of domestic uranium. Maintaining the domestic capacity to provide the raw material for nuclear power is in the public interest."
Kennecott sole owner of Sweetwater mill
Until September 11, 2000, Crested Corp. / US Energy owned a 50% interest in the Green Mountain Mining Venture (GMMV), but sold their interest to Kennecott.
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued an operating licence for the Sweetwater uranium mill in Wyoming. (U.S. Energy Aug 31, 1999)
See also:
Federal Register: August 12, 1999 (Vol. 64, No. 155), p. 44057-44059 (download full notice
):
"SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) proposes to renew NRC Source Material License SUA-1350 to authorize the licensee,
Kennecott Uranium Company (KUC), to resume commercial milling
operations at the Sweetwater facility, and to approve the plan for future reclamation of the mill facility, existing and proposed new
tailings impoundment, and the proposed evaporation ponds, according to
the 1997 Reclamation Plan, as amended." [...]
> See also WY DEQ information
License violations and reportable events at Sweetwater mill site
- Dec. 7, 2009: 9316.8 gallon spill of pumpback fluid
- Aug. 18, 2008: 18278.4 gallon spill of pumpback fluid