March 2026
ABANDONED URANIUM MINE CLEANUP – BACKGROUND
Disa Technologies Inc. (Disa) has received a Nuclear Regulatory Commission License to use its High Pressure Slurry Ablation (HPSA) technology at abandoned uranium mine sitesto produce a uranium concentrate that would be removed from the site. The concentrate would be sent to a licensed uranium mill for further processing or to a low-level radioactive waste facility for disposal. Disa must first conduct a pilot HPSA project. Disa first proposed a pilot project to process the October Ore Pile, Mesa County, Colorado. Disa now proposes to process materials from the Mary Ann Mine, Montrose County, Colorado (see below).
Energy Fuels Resources (USA) Inc. has expressed an interest in processing uranium from abandoned uranium mines at its mill in San Juan County, adjacent to the lands and community of the White Mesa Band of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. Wastes from the HPSA process, which would contain uranium and uranium progeny, would remain on the abandoned uranium mine site and not be treated as milling wastes. The disposal of the waste and the use of large amounts of water are major concerns.
There are a number of legal issues related to the use of this technology.
- NRC Source Materials License
Disa Technologies, Inc., Docket No. 4038417. September 30, 2025
- Draft EA and Public comments on NRC approval of Disa License; Federal regulations website at Docket ID NRC-2025-0084
See, particularly, comments by Uranium Watch et al and Travis Stills, Energy and Conservation Law. - Final Environmental Assessment for Proposed Issuance of Multi-Site License to DISA Technologies for Abandoned Uranium Mine Waste Remediation. September 25, 2025 Mandrake Resources
OCTOBER ORE PILE – PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY
Disa proposed to process the October Ore Pile as their HPSA pilot project. Aura Grit LLC, the October Ore Pile licensee submitted mine plans to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Grand Junction Field Office and the Colorado Department of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety (DRMS).
The BLM has issued a Notice of availability and request for public comment on the October Ore Pile mine plan of operations modification. COMMENTS ARE DUE APRIL 17.
Aura Grit LLC submitted a similar application to the DRMS. On February 26, 2026, the DRMS sent Aura Grit a Notice: “October Ore Pile Reclamation, Permit No. M-2008-050, Receipt of Designated Mining Limited Impact (110d) Operation, Reclamation Permit Application Package (AM-1), Notice of Incompleteness.”
On March 18, 2026, Disa submitted a “Request for Temporary Review Cessation – October Uranium Mine Waste Pile Pre-Mobilization Notification, DISA Technologies, Inc., License No. SUA-1605, Docket Number 40-38417. They informed the NRC that they would be submitting an application related to the Mary Anne Uranium Mine pile, in Montrose County, Colorado. The BLM Montrose Field Office will issue a notice for public comment once they receive the application.
VELVET-WOOD URANIUM MINE
Anfield Resources Holding Corp. (Anfield) has yet to submit the plans for the pilot mine water treatment plant to the Utah Division of Water Quality. The Utah Division of Air Quality (DAQ) is still reviewing Anfield’s request for a modification to its current Air Quality Approval Order.