nuclear-news

Poor prospects for uranium mining in Black Hills, South Dakota

History shows uranium mine could face voter whims, Argus Leader, 28 Dec 13  Statewide initiated ballot measures previously defeated plans to develop former munitions depot near Edgemont The opponents of a uranium mining proposal in the southern Black Hills say they have an ace in the hole if efforts to block the project at the state and national levels are unsuccessful.

That ace in the hole? The people of South Dakota.

The opponents of Powertech Uranium Corp.’s application to mine about 15 miles northwest of Edgemont have vowed that they will take the issue directly to the people in the form of an initiated measure. That would happen if Powertech wins the appropriate permits to begin a process known as in-situ leach mining.

It’s not an idle threat.

Three times in the past 30 years, opponents of controversial projects near Edgemont have collected enough signatures to force statewide votes. The results in each case have favored project opponents…….

Powertech has applied for a license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to recover uranium at the Dewey-Burdock site, which was the location for uranium pit mining in the 1950s until 1973. The company also has applied with the Environmental Protection Agency for a permit to inject water used in the mining process into deep underground wells.

The company also must get mining and water rights permits from the state. Hearings for those permits started earlier this fall, but both state boards decided to postpone any further hearings until after the EPA and NRC have made determinations about Powertech’s proposal.

In-situ leach mining is a process in which oxygenated water is injected into underground geologic formations that contain uranium. The water solution dissolves the uranium, and the uranium laden water is pumped back to the surface where the uranium is extracted and sent for processing to become nuclear fuel.

The water is re-injected into the geologic formation, and the cycle continues until there is no longer enough recoverable uranium in the well area.

Opponents fear that the in-situ leach well fields will contaminate drinking water with radioactive uranium and other chemicals freed by the mining process…..

January 1, 2014 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, Uranium