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(last updated 12 May 2012)
(DOE EIA)
(USGS)
On May 14, 2010, the Uranium Café in Grants reopened as Nana's Café. (Cibola Beacon May 17, 2010)
The Uranium Cafe, a Route 66 landmark in Grants, N.M., with a classic neon sign, closed about a month ago, according to a Grants/Cibola County Chamber of Commerce spokeswoman. (Route 66 News, April 23, 2007)
The Uranium Cafe, a well-known landmark restaurant that has existed through the uranium mining boom and bust in Grants will be reopening soon with new management. (Gallup Independent Nov. 9, 2005)
If granted these subsidies threaten to renew uranium mining in the Navajo
Reservation's Eastern Agency in New Mexico by jump-starting Hydro Resource
Inc.'s proposed Crownpoint Uranium Project. This project has been met with
vigorous opposition from the Navajo community who are still suffering from
the enormously destructive effects of previous uranium mining. Hundreds of
abandoned uranium mines still exist on Native American lands in New Mexico
and elsewhere in the four-corners region. The cleanup of these sites and the
compensation of radiation victims from previous uranium mining continue to
be neglected and delayed. On August 15th Navajo President Kelsey Begaye and
Vice President Taylor McKenzie sent Sen. Bingaman a strongly worded letter
opposing renewed uranium mining on Navajo land. [...]"
(NIRS release Oct. 3, 2001)
(Energy Advancement and Conservation Act) would grant a total of US$ 30 million to the U.S. uranium industry to improve the in-situ leach technology. On July 25, 2001, the bill passed the House Committee on Energy and Commerce with amendments.
"SEC. 315. COOPERATIVE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AND SPECIAL DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS FOR THE URANIUM MINING INDUSTRY.(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002, 2003, and 2004 for--
(1) cooperative, cost-shared, agreements between the Department of Energy and domestic uranium producers to identify, test, and develop improved in situ leaching mining technologies, including low-cost environmental restoration technologies that may be applied to sites after completion of in situ leaching operations; and
(2) funding for competitively selected demonstration projects with domestic uranium producers relating to--
(A) enhanced production with minimal environmental impacts;
(B) restoration of well fields; and
(C) decommissioning and decontamination activities.(b) DOMESTIC URANIUM PRODUCER- For purposes of this section, the term `domestic uranium producer' has the meaning given that term in section 1018(4) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 2296b-7(4)), except that the term shall not include any producer that has not produced uranium from domestic reserves on or after July 30, 1998."
The corresponding Senate bill is S.472 (Nuclear Energy Electricity Supply Assurance Act of 2001 - Sec. 127. Cooperative research and development and special demonstration projects for the uranium mining industry)
These provisions could directly affect Navajo communities in northwestern New Mexico by facilitating development of the Crownpoint Uranium Project, a proposal by Hydro Resources, Inc. (HRI), to construct and operate four uranium ISL mines in Church Rock and Crownpoint in the Eastern Navajo Agency.
Numerous local, regional and national groups including Eastern Navajo Diné Against Uranium Mining (ENDAUM), Concerned Citizens of Crownpoint, SRIC, the New Mexico Environmental Law Center, New Mexico and U.S. Public Interest Research Groups, Mineral Policy Center and Taxpayers for Common Sense have blasted the bill's provisions as another environmental injustice on the Navajo people, as corporate welfare for the the uranium industry, and as bad fiscal policy.
> See also SRIC: Uranium Bailout Bill
> See also NIRS: Uranium Alert
) recommended that the U.S. consider participating in international research on extracting uranium from seawater:
"One possibility for maintaining fission as a major option without reprocessing is low-cost extraction of uranium from seawater. The uranium concentration of sea water is low (approximately 3 ppb) but the quantity of contained uranium is vast - some 4 billion tonnes (about 700 times more than known terrestrial resources recoverable at a price of up to $130 per kg). If half of this resource could ultimately be recovered, it could support for 6,500 years 3,000 GW of nuclear capacity (75 percent capacity factor) based on next-generation reactors (e.g., high-temperature gas-cooled reactors) operated on once-through fuel cycles. Research on a process being developed in Japan suggests that it might be feasible to recover uranium from seawater at a cost of $120 per lb of U3O8.40 Although this is more than 10 times the current uranium price, it would contribute just 0.5¢ per kWh to the cost of electricity for a next-generation reactor operated on a once-through fuel cycle-equivalent to the fuel cost for an oil-fired power plant burning $3-a-barrel oil." [emphasis added]
40 Nobukawa 1994: H. Nobukawa "Development of a Floating Type System for Uranium Extraction from Sea Water Using Sea Current and Wave Power," in Proceedings of the 4th International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference (Osaka, Japan: 10-15 April 1994), pp. 294-300.Source: Powerful Partnerships: The Federal Role In International Cooperation On Energy Innovation. A Report From The President's Committee Of Advisors On Science And Technology Panel On International Cooperation In Energy Research, Development, Demonstration, And Deployment. Washington, DC, June 1999, p. 5-26 - 5-27 (download full text
Preliminary Economic Assessment commissioned for Bokan Mountain - Dotson Ridge property: On Nov. 9, 2011, Ucore Rare Metals Inc. announced that it has awarded the contract for the completion of a Preliminary Economic Assessment of the Company's Bokan Mountain - Dotson Ridge Property to Wardrop, A Tetra Tech Company. The PEA is expected to be completed in Q1 of 2012.
announced that Cameco invests up to US$ 16.5 million for the continued development and commercialisation of the PhosEnergy Process for the extraction of uranium from phosphoric acid.
, Plymouth, MN, and CF Industries Holdings Inc. , Long Grove, Ill., the two largest U.S. producers of phosphate fertilizer, said they are considering projects to extract and sell uranium amid surging prices for nuclear fuel. Mosaic may decide in six months whether to build a facility in Florida for extracting uranium from phosphate rock, a spokesman said. CF Industries also is reviewing plans for a possible uranium-extraction project, said a spokesman.
(Star Tribune Apr. 16, 2007)
is reported to be looking into restarting by-product uranium production (from phosphates) from its New Wales, Florida, facility early next year. [UI News Briefing 96/23]
said that it will explore the feasibility of building a uranium recovery facility at its Plant City Phosphate Complex, with production possible within three to four years.
Illinois-based CF Industries, which operates a phosphate mine in Hardee County that ships material to its Plant City operation about 12 miles north of the city, jointly agreed to the feasibility project with Connecticut-based Nukem Inc. , a global trader of uranium.
The two companies are seeking long-term contracts with U.S. electric utilities to supply about 900,000 pounds of a uranium compound [346 t U] annually, CF Industries said in a news release.
If the uranium extraction project were economically feasible, the two companies would obtain financing and permits and proceed with engineering plans, the release stated.
Uranium shows up in 50 to 200 parts per million in phosphate-laden earth, and rising uranium prices in recent months have created the additional market to extract uranium from phosphate, which generally is used for fertilizer.
(The Tampa Tribune July 31, 2007)
Ranger Ralph Rau signed a decision memo January 28, 2008, giving Magnum Minerals U.S.A. Corp. the green light for a two-stage project to drill test holes in the old Stanley Uranium District.
The project will have no significant impact on the environment because uranium historically was mined in nearby deposits, according to the decision.
was approved by a state election board. The group would have to collect more than 300,000 valid signatures of Michigan voters to get its proposal on the statewide November 2010 ballot.
notified the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission of its intent to file a license application to conduct in situ leach (ISL) uranium recovery operations at one to three project sites in southeastern Montana.
Bayswater anticipates that it will not be submitting its application prior to late 2010.
On Nov. 11, 2010, Uranium King Corporation and Uranium Company of Nevada, LLC notified the NRC of their intent to submit an application to construct and operate a uranium recovery facility in Lander County, Nevada at the site of the former Apex Uranium Mine by the third quarter of 2012.
On Sep. 27, 2008, Uranium King Corporation and Uranium Company of Nevada, LLC (both 100%-owned subisdiaries of Uranium King Ltd) provided notice to the NRC that they intend to submit an application to construct and operate a uranium recovery facility in Lander County, Nevada at the site of the former Apex Uranium Mine.
, based in West Perth, Australia, was granted a state permit last year to drill test holes for uranium in parts of Billings and Slope counties. The company said it also found molybdenum and germanium.
In June 2010, PacMag Metals Ltd. was taken over by Entrée Gold Inc. . On Oct. 14, 2010, Entrée announced that uranium is not one of its main commodity foci, and the company is looking to joint venture or sell the project to a uranium-focused group.
Notice of Intent provided to submit license application for Aurora project:
On Apr. 4, 2012, Energy Ventures Limited announced that Notice of Intent to submit a Source Material Facility License Application has been provided to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This notice relates to the proposed development of a uranium processing plant and tailings management facility at the Company's Aurora Uranium Project.
Company presents project for Aurora open pit uranium mine and mill:
The results of Oregon Energy's test drilling at the Aurora uranium deposit in southeast Oregon has encouraged the company to go ahead with its plans for an open-pit mine at the site, and Oregon Energy's president Lachlan Reynolds says Oregon Energy is willing to drop $200 million to establish the mine.
Gary Lynch, assistant director of the Mineral Land Regulation and Reclamation Program of Oregon's Department of Geology and Natural Resources (DOGAMI) says Oregon Energy presented its proposal at a public meeting of the DOGAMI governing board on Sept. 13 but the company has not yet submitted an application for a mine.
The mine area, according to Chris Hansen of the Oregon Natural Desert Association (ONDA) , is "absolutely core sage grouse habitat." Sage grouse have been in decline in Oregon. According to ONDA, there is warrant to list the rapidly disappearing sage grouse under the Endangered Species Act, but thanks to politics and a backlog with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the sage grouse is on a waiting list with 250 other species. Two drainages of Cottonwood and McDermitt Creeks go through the site, and Fish and Wildlife documents show that the creeks or their tributaries are endangered species listed Lahontan cutthroat trout habitat.
Oregon Energy plans to process the uranium on the site, which is also a concern for Hansen.
(Eugene Weekly Sep. 29, 2011)
, ACTion for the Environment, and
Clean Water Alliance .
(N.A.E.G.) from the Pine Ridge reservation, declaring that the company has been trespassing on tribal lands. The finding gave NAEG 30 days to vacate the reservation.
(NRC)
On April 19, 2012, Powertech announced that it has received the results of a revised Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) for its Dewey-Burdock Project.
> Calculate Mine Feasibility
NRC suspends safety review of Powertech's application for Dewey Burdock in situ leach mine:
"NRC staff has completed its technical acceptance review of Powertech's RAI responses, submitted by letter dated December 23, 2010, during which the staff identified a significant number of deficiencies. Powertech did not provide information in sufficient detail in these responses for NRC staff to make an evaluation of public health and safety impacts.
As discussed in our February 8, 2011, phone call, the staff has stopped its review of the safety-related portion of Powertech's Dewey-Burdock application. However, the staff will continue its environmental review and Section 106 consultation process."
(NRC letter March 7, 2011 , ADAMS Acc. No. ML110670272)
See also NRC letter May 2, 2011 , ADAMS Acc. No. ML111220670
See also NRC letter May 6, 2011 , ADAMS Acc. No. ML110470245
> See also: Bill introduced in South Dakota Senate aims at halt of state regulation of in-situ leach uranium mining
On Aug. 20, 2010, NRC issued a Notice of Hearing.
> Download Notice of Hearing (ADAMS Acc. No. ML102320175)
NRC board grants hearing requests of Oglala Sioux Tribe and other petitioners on proposed Dewey-Burdock uranium mine:
The Oglala Sioux Tribe and others have been named official parties in the permitting process for Powertech Uranium Corp.'s proposed mine near Edgemont.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission agreed Friday (Aug. 6) that the tribe, three individuals and two citizens' groups raised valid arguments about the Dewey Burdock project and would be allowed to weigh in.
(Rapid City Journal Aug. 9, 2010)
> Download Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Memorandum and Order, Aug. 5, 2010 (ADAMS Acc. No. ML102170300)
On July 8, 2010, Powertech announced the receipt of positive results of a Preliminary Economic Assessment for its Dewey-Burdock Project.
An Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB) panel will hear oral argument June 8-9, 2010, in Custer, S.D., regarding requests from the Oglala Sioux Tribe and a group termed the Consolidated Petitioners for a hearing on the Powertech USA uranium recovery license application for sites near Custer.
> View NRC release June 2, 2010
> Download Transcript of Proceedings: June 8, 2010 (ADAMS Acc. No. ML101660721) · June 9, 2010 (ADAMS Acc. No. ML101670389)
On April 19, 2010, the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) determined that Powertech's revised application (submitted on Feb. 5, 2010) for a South Dakota Class III Underground Injection Control Permit (UIC) is still incomplete.
Permit application filed for deep well injection at Dewey-Burdock ISL project: On April 1, 2010, Powertech Uranium Corp. announced that its subsidiary, Powertech (USA) Inc., has submitted the Underground Injection Control (UIC) Class V permit application for its Dewey-Burdock Project to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - Region 8. The permit, upon issuance, would allow Powertech to dispose of its brine waste water down a deep well after removal of radionuclides. The permit is one of several required in order to construct and operate the Company's proposed uranium in situ operation in southwestern South Dakota.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission: Powertech (USA), Inc.; Establishment of Atomic Safety and Licensing Board
Federal Register: March 18, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 52) p. 13141 (download full text )
On Feb. 5, 2010, Powertech submitted a revised application for a Class III UIC Permit to the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
> Download revised permit application files (SD DENR)
NRC issues Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Dewey-Burdock In Situ Uranium Recovery Facility.
Federal Register: January 20, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 12) p. 3261-3262 (download full text )
NRC issues Notice of Opportunity for Hearing, License Application Request of
Powertech (USA) Inc. Dewey-Burdock In Situ Uranium Recovery Facility.
A request for a hearing must be filed by March 8, 2010.
Federal Register: January 5, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 2) p. 467-471 (download full text )
On Nov. 19, 2009, EPA Region 8 released a draft Underground Injection Control Permit for comment. The Class V injection well will be used to reinject groundwater pumped from the Upper Fox Hills Formation back into the same formation from which it was pumped.
The public comment period ends on December 24, 2009.
> Download second draft permit documents (FTP - EPA Region 8)
On Oct. 26, 2009, Powertech Uranium Corp. announced that it has submitted the required Plan of Operation to the U.S. Department of Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for its Dewey-Burdock uranium in situ project.
On Aug. 12, 2009, Powertech Uranium Corp. announced that it has resubmitted its in situ leach application to the NRC for a uranium recovery license for its Dewey-Burdock Project.
> Download resubmitted license application documents (NRC ADAMS Acc. No. ML092870160)
On Aug. 6, 2009, the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) determined that Powertech's application (submitted on April 22, 2009) for a South Dakota Class III Underground Injection Control Permit (UIC) is incomplete: "In general terms, the application lacks sufficient detail to address fundamental questions related to whether the project can be conducted in a controlled manner to protect ground water resources." (ADAMS Acc. No. ML092310624 )
On June 16, 2009, Powertech Uranium Corp. announced that it is voluntarily withdrawing its application from the NRC in order to provide additional information. The Company expects that it will be able to resubmit the amended license application within the next 30 days as no additional field data collection is required.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission says the developer of a proposed uranium mine in southwest South Dakota near Edgemont must fix several deficiencies in its application. An NRC spokesman says Powertech Uranium Corp. will indicate within a week if it plans to withdraw the application, fix the deficiencies and resubmit it, or wait for the NRC to reject its current request. The spokesman says it's not a fatal blow, but does delay the project. (AP June 12, 2009)
On Feb. 25, 2009, Powertech Uranium Corp. announced that, through its wholly owned subsidiary Powertech (USA) Inc., it has submitted the comprehensive Uranium Recovery License application to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). On Apr. 29, 2009, NRC made the license application available for download in image scan format from its ADAMS system (Acc. No. ML091200014 ).
The application is also available for download in the original PDF format from the South Dakota DENR homepage.
On Jan. 15, 2009, Powertech Uranium Corp. announced that, through its wholly owned subsidiary Powertech (USA) Inc., it has submitted its first major permit application for the Dewey-Burdock Project to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA issues one of three major permits that will allow development of the Company's Dewey-Burdock Project in the Edgemont Uranium District of southwestern South Dakota. The application filed with the EPA is for an Underground Injection Control Permit.
> Download Permit Application (EPA Region 8)
Two groups and an individual have filed nomination petitions with the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources to have lands west of Edgemont declared special, exceptional, critical or unique. The petitions were filed Dec. 28, 2008, in Pierre. Oglala Sioux tribal member Debra White Plume, Defenders of the Black Hills and the Oglala Sioux Tribe have all filed the petitions with the DENR's Minerals and Mining program to ask that the determinations be made. The lands are within an area that has been leased by Powertech Uranium for exploration and possible mining of the mineral. "There are over 100 archaeological sites that date from pre-history, before white men came to this area," White Plume said. "They include camp sites, burial grounds, and places where we have ceremonies now." (Black Hills Pioneer Jan. 6, 2009)
Powertech Uranium Corp. apparently plans to mine the Dewey/Burdock uranium deposit by the acid in-situ leach technique (see ADAMS ML072920192 ). This would be the first commercial ISL site to be mined with acid in the United States. Groundwater restoration after acidic in-situ leaching is even more challenging than after carbonate in-situ leaching.
On August 22, 2007, NRC held a public hearing with Powertech Uranium Corp. to discuss the Pre-operational Environmental Baseline Program at the Dewey-Burdock ISL Project.
> Download Meeting Notice Aug. 8, 2007 (ADAMS ML072200166)
A request by two environmental groups to temporarily stop uranium exploration in Fall River County has been denied.
Circuit Judge Jack Delaney says the opponents have not shown how continued drilling will cause environmental harm. Powertech Uranium Corporation is drilling 155 exploratory holes north of Edgemont. About 40 holes have been drilled already.
(AP June 20, 2007)
A state-issued permit allowing exploratory drilling for uranium in the Black Hills of southwest South Dakota is being challenged in court.
An Indian treaty rights group called Defenders of the Black Hills says the state Board of Minerals and Environment improperly granted the exploration permit to Powertech Uranium Corp.
Powertech plans to drill 155 exploration holes northwest of Edgemont, which is about 10 miles from the Wyoming border.
(Casper Star-Tribune March 29, 2007)
(project dropped by IUC in fiscal 2000)
,
Southside Concerned Citizens (SCC),
The Alliance,
League of Individuals for the Environment (L.I.F.E.), Inc. ,
Piedmont Residents in Defense of the Environment ,
Roanoke River Basin Association .
, Committee on Uranium Mining in Virginia, Committee on Earth Resources, National Research Council, Washington, D.C., Dec. 2011, 370 p. (NAP)
Groups raise concern over appointments for uranium mining study:
The Roanoke River Basin Association and the Dan River Basin Association are recommending that the National Academy of Sciences investigate the backgrounds and professional relationships of several appointees to the provisional committee that will study uranium mining in Virginia to ensure no conflicts of interest, according to association officials.
The Roanoke River and Dan River Basin Associations also are requesting that the Board on Earth Sciences and Resources that is overseeing this study recruit additional individuals with expertise in hydrology, geo-hydrology, human health and post-mining tailings management to serve on the committee, officials added.
(The Gazette-Virginian Aug. 23, 2010)
National Academy of Sciences, Virginia Tech agree to conduct study of uranium mining and milling in Virginia: The long-awaited study of uranium mining and milling in Virginia has been given the green light to proceed. The National Academy of Sciences and Virginia Tech have agreed to the study. The NAS will conduct the study. (Danville Register Feb. 23, 2010)
Virginia panel OKs uranium mining study: A Virginia coal and energy panel on Thursday (May 21, 2009) approved the framework of a scientific study on proposed uranium mining in the state, saying they want to make safety their top priority. A subcommittee of the Virginia Commission on Coal and Energy amended a list of recommendations from the National Academy of Sciences on what to include in the study. It would range from market trends to technical practices to health risks, but would not take a position for or against the mining. (The News & Observer May 21, 2009)
Virginia state panel subcommittee approves first phase of uranium study:
On March 24, 2009, the Virginia Coal and Energy Commission's Uranium Mining Subcommittee took a critical step toward a study to determine whether uranium can be mined and milled safely in the commonwealth.
The subcommittee unanimously approved a draft of the study's first phase outlining the technical and scientific aspects of the analysis that Michael Karmis, director of the Center for Coal and Energy Research at Virginia Tech, said would take about 18 months.
However, the second portion of the study that would address the socioeconomic aspects of uranium mining and milling will be decided upon at a later date, Delegate Lee Ware, R-Powhatan, said after the meeting held in the General Assembly Building.
(Danville Register March 24, 2009)
Virginia state panel votes for uranium study: The Virginia Commission on Coal and Energy voted 12-0 today to study whether uranium can be safely mined in Virginia. (Richmond Times-Dispatch Nov. 6, 2008)
Virginia House Panel rejects study of uranium mining:
Lawmakers concerned about land, air and drinking water contamination killed a proposal on March 3, 2008, that would have allowed a study of whether uranium can be safely mined on 200 acres in south-central Virginia, eliminating any chance that the controversial bill could pass this year.
After more than an hour of debate, the House Rules Committee defeated a bill that opponents argued would be the first step toward lifting a 25-year-old state ban on uranium mining.
The bill would have created a 17-member commission to oversee a National Academy of Sciences study. The company would have picked up the cost of the report, which had been estimated at $1 million or more. If the study had shown that mining could be done safely, Virginia Uranium could have used it as leverage in asking the General Assembly to lift the ban on uranium mining.
(Washington Post Mar. 4, 2008)
Senate of Virginia approves uranium mining study: The Senate of Virginia has passed legislation establishing a two-year study on the safety of uranium mining. The study eventually could result in lifting the moratorium on uranium mining in Virginia. (Daily Press, Feb. 12, 2008)
Coalition and The Virginia Coalition fight for a continued uranium mining moratorium in Virgina.
with the primary goal of keeping the uranium moratorium in Virginia from coming to a vote in the General Assembly.
Coalition announced May 12 the launch of a statewide petition drive for citizens, civic groups, local governments, and others to show their support for keeping the ban on uranium mining in Virginia. The coalition has already gathered 1,000 signatures, and the support of 41 groups and localities that want the General Assembly to keep the ban. (Keep the Ban, May 12, 2011)
, a nonprofit, to be an environmental watchdog, monitor issues and hold government officials accountable for their actions, said PRIDE President Karen Maute.
"PRIDE will actively promote keeping the ban on uranium mining in Virginia and seek to empower the communities to bring awareness of other issues that have negative impact on citizen health, the environment and the economy," the group stated in a news release.
PRIDE so far has about a dozen members and is a chapter of the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League based in Glendale Springs, N.C.
(Danville Register & Bee Mar. 28, 2011)
(SELC) in Charlottesville.
(Richmond Times-Dispatch Aug. 31, 2007)
> Download Virginia Energy Plan 2007 (Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy)
> View Uranium Mining in Virginia (SELC)
· SEDAR Documents · SEDAR Documents
Landscape threatened by Coles Hill uranium mine project listed on Virginia Preservation group's 2012 Endangered Historic Sites List:
The Whitethorn Creek Banister River area, which could be impacted by a proposed uranium mining operation, has made Preservation Virginia's 2012 Most Endangered Historic Sites list for 2012.
The listing says the area is a picturesque rural landscape which played an essential role in the mid-18th century founding of Pittsylvania County during which plantation based agriculture and local water-powered processing were the principal economic activities.
The nomination indicates the area has standing structures that span almost every era of the region including a Native American fish weir, two gristmills built in the 1700s, mansions from the Revolutionary War era, and the home of J.E.B. Stuart's grandparents.
These are surrounded by pristine fields, woods, creeks and rivers says the nomination which was submitted by Ann Rogers of the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League .
The threat to the region is the potential construction and operation of a uranium mine and mill proposed at Coles Hill.
(Chatham Star Tribune May 10, 2012)
City of Virginia Beach releases summary of second uranium report on environmental impacts from proposed uranium mining in Chatham:
Continued study shows a worst-case release of radioactive uranium mill waste could have the cities of Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Norfolk looking for another water supply for up to a year and a half.
Yet, the city could prevent contamination of its drinking water by not pumping water from Lake Gaston.
The report on the second phase of the Virginia Beach study of potential impacts of uranium mining on the city's drinking water should be released within a couple weeks, said Tom Leahy, the city's director of public utilities. The city posted the summary and explanatory videos regarding the more specific study findings on its website Tuesday (Jan. 17).
The second study modeled (over two years) the release of about one-third of the uranium tailings (radioactive uranium mill waste) from an above-grade containment cell to the Banister River. From there, dissolved radioactive contaminants were simulated to travel downstream to Kerr Reservoir and then Lake Gaston, which supplies Virginia Beach's drinking water.
A future report will address sedimentary contamination.
The study examined both wet and dry years and both low and high solubility (dissolvability) of contaminants.
During dry years, total radioactivity concentration can remain above safe levels in Lake Gaston for about one year, and radium concentrations can remain above maximum contaminant levels under the Safe Water Drinking Act for about 1.5 years, the summary stated. During wet years, contaminants in the main channels of Kerr Reservoir and Lake Gaston could exceed maximum regulatory levels for up to 90 days.
Because the city pumps water from Lake Gaston through an intake upstream on Pea Hill Creek, it could prevent contamination as long as it didn't pump water from the lake, according to the report summary. Yet, that could mean “severe water shortages” for the Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Norfolk.
(WSLS Jan. 18, 2012)
> View Virginia Beach Uranium Mining Impact Study (Virginia Beach)
> Download Executive Summary of Phase II Assessment, Jan. 2012 (683k PDF - Virginia Beach)
Fairfax Water Authority releases study on impacts of uranium mining in Virginia on watersheds, calling for a "conservative and precautionary approach" to mining:
Fairfax County Water Authority's board of directors has released a study it commissioned on the impact that uranium mining could have on its watersheds.
The study, prepared by two Fairfax firms, Tetra Tech, Inc. and Hazen and Sawyer, comes on the heels of a 22-month review by the National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering.
The upshot of the Fairfax study:
, Fairfax Water, Dec. 12, 2011 (11.7MB PDF)
Further study assesses socioeconomic impact of uranium mining in Virginia:
Uranium mining and milling in Southside Virginia would bring significant economic benefits to the region, but the increased prosperity could come with the potential of environmental risk, an independent study concluded Thursday (Dec. 15).
The study was commissioned by the Danville Regional Foundation and conducted by RTI International of Research Triangle Park, N.C. The purpose of the study was to assess the potential socioeconomic impacts of mining and milling within a 50-mile radius of the Pittsylvania County mine. The study area includes several counties in neighboring North Carolina.
(The Washington Post Dec. 15, 2011)
> Download RTI Uranium Study (Danville Regional Foundation)
Study assesses scenarios on socioeconomic impact of uranium mining in Virginia:
A state-commissioned study of uranium mining in Southside Virginia is offering some starkly divergent scenarios on mining and milling the radioactive ore.
Under a best-case scenario, the study released Wednesday (Nov. 30) concludes the region could reap substantial economic benefits from the mining of a 119-million-pound deposit in Pittsylvania County.
But a worst-case scenario warns of severe environmental impacts to air, water and soil.
The 179-page Chmura Economics & Analytics report focuses on a baseline scenario that envisions "moderate" environmental impacts, all within limits set by existing federal standards. The report concludes the benefits for Pittsylvania County and Virginia would be "substantial and positive."
(AP Nov. 30, 2011)
> Download: The Socioeconomic Impact of Uranium Mining and Milling in the Chatham Labor Shed, Virginia , Prepared for Virginia Coal and Energy Commission, Chmura Economics & Analytics, Nov. 29, 2011 (2.8 MB PDF)
Report finds degradation of water quality and increased water competition for proposed Coles Hill uranium mine:
On Nov. 17, 2011, the Roanoke River Basin Association (RRBA) released a site-specific report finding that the proposed uranium mining and milling project at Coles Hill in Pittsylvania County, VA would cause long-term, chronic degradation of water quality and increase water competition in the region. The report was prepared by Dr. Robert Moran, who has more than thirty-nine years of domestic and international experience in conducting and managing water quality, geochemical and hydrogeologic work for private investors, industrial clients, tribal and citizens groups, NGO's, law firms, and governmental agencies at all levels. In the early 1980s, Dr. Moran was on the team conducting environmental studies on water quality and hydrogeology for Marline Uranium and Union Carbide.
The report finds that the project as proposed may generate at least 28 million tons of solid uranium mill tailings and roughly the same amount of liquid waste. The solid wastes would remain on site forever, requiring maintenance forever. Uranium mill tailings would contain radionuclides, heavy metals and other toxic elements. Undiluted tailings liquids may contain 1160 to 1460 times the existing Safe Drinking Water Act standard for uranium.
The report also finds a potentially significant impact on the water availability in the region. According to the report findings, as proposed, the Coles Hill project would require over 5 billion gallons of water. During the start-up period, the project would use at least 525.6 million gallons per year. The company's documents have failed to identify the sources of this water.
The report also finds a potentially significant impact on groundwater. "Seepage of acidic water and other chemicals should be the main concern," warns Dr. Moran. The report also cautions that the confirmed presence of sulfides in the Coles Hill rock raises the possibility that long-term, active water treatment may be required, in perpetuity.
"Most U.S. uranium mining sites that I visited are located in desert or semi-desert, sparsely-populated regions. The Coles Hill site is wet, with annual precipitation equal to about 42 inches. Most importantly, within a radius of 2 to 3 miles, Coles Hill has roughly 250 private wells, at least one dairy and numerous hay / forage fields, which are liable to be impacted," said Dr. Moran.
"The main takeaway from this report for the communities is that all such large-scale uranium projects involve trade-offs, usually some short-term jobs, etc. in exchange for long-term impacts (environmental, socioeconomic, etc.), most of which are paid by future generations. Thus, many of the long-term costs will be subsidized by the public," said Dr. Moran.
> View Roanoke River Basin Association release Nov. 17, 2011
> Download Site-specific assessment of the proposed uranium mining and milling project at Coles Hill, Pittsylvania County, VA , by Robert E. Moran, Nov. 2011 (340k PDF)
Proposed Coles Hill uranium mine site prone to flooding, group says:
A piece of Pittsylvania County land that may one day be a uranium mine is the site of "frequent and pervasive flooding," according to a study by an environmental group.
Floodwaters may carry the risk of radioactive contamination from uranium mining waste, called tailings, that would be stored underground at the mine site, said a report released Monday (Sep. 26) by the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League.
Since Virginia Uranium Inc. proposed tapping a huge uranium deposit beneath the Coles Hill farm in Pittsylvania County, cities and counties as far downstream as Virginia Beach have raised concerns that runoff could pollute their drinking water. Mining on a flood-prone site -- the report lists four floods of historic proportions since 1996 - could heighten the risk, opponents say.
"The evidence of pervasive flooding throughout the Coles Hill site suggests there would be chronic and catastrophic failure of mill tailings containments, no matter where the containments may be sited," the Environmental Defense League's report said.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has designated three flood hazard zones on the 3,500-acre property.
But according to Walter Coles, owner of the land and chief executive officer of Virginia Uranium, all mining activities will be conducted on higher ground, away from those areas.
(The Roanoke Times Sep. 27, 2011)
> View Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League release Sep. 26, 2011 and download report
Proposed uranium mining puts Roanoke River on endangered list:
American Rivers announced today that proposed uranium mining landed the Roanoke (Staunton) River on its annual list of "America's Most Endangered Rivers."
The report is not a list of the most polluted rivers, but is a "call to action for rivers at a crossroads, whose fates will be determined in the coming year."
The possibility that the General Assembly could lift Virginia's moratorium on uranium mining helped the Roanoke River grab a spot in the top 10 endangered rivers nationwide, said Peter Raabe of American Rivers, a national water conservation organization.
American Rivers is calling on the Virginia legislature to uphold the statewide ban to protect the region's rivers and communities that rely on the Roanoke River Basin for drinking water, according to a news release.
(WSLS May 17, 2011)
North Carolina legislators want impact study on possible uranium mining in Virginia: North Carolina legislators would like an impact study in case Virginia legislators overturn a decades-long moratorium on uranium mining. Sens. Doug Berger and Ed Jones co-sponsored a bill in the North Carolina General Assembly introduced at the end of March asking for the Legislative Research Commission to study the short- and long-term impacts of uranium mining in Virginia on North Carolina's economy, environment, agriculture and health and well-being of residents. The water quality division in the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources estimated a study could cost $100,000, Berger said. Funding hasn't been appropriated yet. (Danville Register & Bee May 16, 2011)
Positive Preliminary Economic Assessment announced for Coles Hill uranium mine project:
On Oct. 18, 2010, Virginia Energy Resources Inc. announced the results of the 43-101 compliant Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) undertaken by Virginia Uranium Inc. on its Coles Hill Uranium Project. "The results clearly demonstrate the technical and economic viability of the project."
> Calculate Mine Feasibility
Proposals sought for socioeconomic study on the impacts of uranium mining at Coles Hill:
The Uranium Mining Subcommittee of the Virginia Coal and Energy Commission is asking for proposals from interested firms or organizations to conduct a socioeconomic study on the impacts of uranium mining for the region surrounding Coles Hill in Pittsylvania County, announced subcommittee Chair Delegate R. Lee Ware Jr. in a news release Thursday (Sep. 30).
A grant not to exceed $200,000 from the Virginia Tobacco Commission is paying for the socioeconomic study, which should be completed by Dec. 1, 2011, according to the request for proposals. The deadline for submitting proposals is 5 p.m. on Nov. 15, 2010.
(Danville Register & Bee Sep. 30, 2010)
> Download Request for Proposals (Coal and Energy Commission)
Pittsylvania County wants mining banned in industrial mega park: The Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors wants to forbid mining and milling in the Berry Hill Road industrial mega park site. The board unanimously voted Monday night (June 7) to pass a resolution recommending that the Danville-Pittsylvania Regional Industrial Facility Authority board consider enacting covenants for the mega park that would include prohibition of mining and milling of any kind. (Danville Register & Bee June 9, 2010)
Tobacco Commission OKs funds for uranium study: The Virginia Tobacco Commission approved up to $200,000 for a socioeconomic study of uranium mining and milling during its meeting Thursday (Apr. 29) at the Hotel Roanoke. The commission followed that up with a vote to require Danville and Pittsylvania County to pay back $13.1 million in commission funding for the Berry Hill Road mega park - if uranium is ever mined there. (Danville Register & Bee April 29, 2010)
Scoping study underway for Coles Hill uranium mine project: On March 5, 2010, Virginia Uranium Inc. announced that an updated scoping study on the Coles Hill uranium project is now underway. The study will provide a current analysis of the fundamental project economics. The results are anticipated within the first half of 2010.
Uranium Mining Symposium , Richmond, VA, March 11, 2010:
Sponsoring Organizations: Dan River Basin Association; Friends of the Earth, Piedmont Environmental Council; Sierra Club, Virginia Chapter; Southern Environmental Law Center; Virginia Conservation Network, and Virginia Interfaith Power & Light
City of Virginia Beach conducts study of its own on possible impacts from proposed uranium mining in Chatham:
A $437,000 study being conducted by the city of Virginia Beach , Va. will examine what might happen to the water quality in Lake Gaston and Kerr Lake if a proposed uranium mine in Chatham, Va. were struck by a Probable Maximum Precipitation (PMP) storm.
Virginia Beach Director of Public Works Thomas Leahy said the study being conducted by Virginia Beach is designed to supplement the work of the National Academy of Science by looking at what would happen if a major storm flooded the proposed uranium mining site and washed radioactive materials downstream.
(The Warren Record Jan. 20, 2010)
The study found that a large reservoir upstream of Lake Gaston would trap as much as 90 percent of radioactive waste. The remaining contaminants could make their way into Lake Gaston, forcing officials to cut off water from there up to two years.
(The Virginian-Pilot Feb. 2, 2011)
> Download study: A Preliminary Assessment of Potential Impacts of Uranium Mining in Virginia on Drinking Water Sources, Final Report, February 2011 (City of Virginia Beach)
Company disputes study on hazards from planned uranium mill tailings dam during a natural disaster - three hours after rare 5.8-magnitude earthquake...:
Virginia Uranium Inc. representatives could have picked a better day to refute a Virginia Beach study on the potential dangers of a mining operation in south-central Virginia during a natural disaster.
But there they were in front of City Council three hours after a rare earthquake and with Beach officials preparing for a possible hurricane this weekend.
Alan Kuhn, a consultant for Virginia Uranium, which wants the state to lift its ban on uranium mining so the company can extract the deposits in Pittsylvania County, called the Beach's study flawed and "based on unrealistic assumptions."
The Beach study, conducted by an engineering firm for $437,000, found that in the worst case of massive flooding at the mining operation, the city's water supply in Lake Gaston could be temporarily contaminated.
The chance of that kind of flooding happening is 1 in 10 million, Kuhn said.
Council members, however, pointed out that although earthquakes are unusual in Virginia, the state had just experienced a 5.8-magnitude temblor earlier in the day.
The Gulf oil spill and the earthquake and tsunami in Japan have shown that with some events, you "can't always predict it based on a history," Councilwoman Rosemary Wilson said.
Walter Coles Sr., the chairman of Virginia Uranium, said the earthquake did not hurt the company's message.
"We just had a highly unusual seismic event," Coles said in an email. "An event that would be anticipated and adequately controlled by the engineering designs of modern tailings containment cells."
He said Virginia Uranium will continue rebutting the Beach's findings.
(Virginia Pilot Aug. 24. 2011)
Danville Regional Foundation pursues independent regional analysis of the socioeconomic impacts of uranium mining and milling:
While the state anticipates approval of a statewide uranium-mining study conducted by the National Research Council, the Danville Regional Foundation (DRF) is pursuing its own separate, regional analysis of the socioeconomic impacts of uranium mining and milling.
The foundation announced Thursday (Oct 1) its request for qualifications seeking proposals from interested firms, nonprofits and academic programs.
"DRF is considering sponsoring an independent and rigorous socioeconomic examination of the effects the proposed mine, mill, and long-term waste management upon the people and institutions, including the economy, limited to the region served by DRF," foundation President and CEO Karl Stauber said in a statement Thursday.
(Danville Register & Bee October 1, 2009)
DRF is requesting letters of interest, with qualifications by December 1, 2009.
> Download Request for Qualifications - Regional Socioeconomic Study of Impact of Uranium Mining and Milling , Oct. 1, 2009 (PDF - Danville Regional Foundation)
On July 23, 2009, Santoy Resources Limited announced the completion of its business combination with privately held Virginia Uranium Ltd. Post-closing, the company has changed its name to Virginia Energy Resources Inc.
Company says test drilling not cause of well contamination: In a statement released on March 24, 2009, Virginia Uranium Inc. said it is not responsible for high lead levels in some wells near the Coles Hill uranium deposit. Concerns about well testing around the uranium deposit, about six miles northeast of Chatham, were raised at a meeting two weeks ago sponsored by the Pittsylvania County Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Deborah Lovelace of Gretna repeated her concerns at last week's Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors meeting, showing board members jugs of water, including one from a well with high levels of lead. "This well was fine before the drilling started," she said. "I wonder how many other people are in that same situation?" (Star-Tribune March 25, 2009)
The City Council of Virginia Beach took a stand against uranium mining Tuesday (Dec. 2, 2008) night, adopting a resolution opposing a mine proposed for south central Virginia. City officials fear uranium mining in Pittsylvania County - about 200 miles away - could contaminate Lake Gaston, the city's water source. (The Virginian-Pilot, December 3, 2008)
Virginia Beach City officials are gearing up to oppose a uranium mine about 200 miles west in Pittsylvania County, arguing it could threaten the city's water supply. The City Council was told Tuesday (Nov. 25, 2008) that under a worst-case scenario, a hurricane or tropical storm could destroy the landfill-like containers that would hold radioactive mining waste. Thomas Leahy, director of public utilities, said that also would contaminate downstream waterways, including Lake Gaston, the city's water source, which lies about halfway between Pittsylvania County and Virginia Beach. (The Virginian-Pilot, November 26, 2008)
On Feb. 7, 2008, Halifax Town Council unanimously approved a Corporate Mining and Chemical and Radioactive Bodily Trespass ordinance. A proposed uranium mining and milling operation near Chatham triggered council's adoption of the ordinance. Through the ordinance, corporations and governing officials permitting those corporations will be held liable to the people of Halifax for chemical trespass. (The Gazette-Virginian Feb. 8, 2008)
On Dec. 18, 2007, exploration drilling on the Coles Hill deposit has started, in spite of the moratorium against uranium mining in Virginia still being in place. (Danville Register & Bee Dec. 19, 2007)
On Nov. 27, 2007, the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy (DMME) issued an exploration permit to Virginia Uranium Inc.
> View related documents (DMME)
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