URANIUM AND OTHER RESOURCES

Links to information about uranium mining and milling and its regulation and impacts.

 WISE URANIUM PROJECT 

The most comprehensive information on the global Uranium mining and milling industry is the website of the World Information Service on Energy (WISE) Uranium Project.
https://www.wise-uranium.org/

URANIUM MILLING

Uranium Milling is regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and NRC Agreement States under the Uranium Mill Tailing Radiation Control Act of 1978 (UMTRCA), an amendment to the Atomic Energy Act of 1954.  The Agreement States that regulate uranium milling are Colorado, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.  In situ leach (ISL) and heap-leach uranium recovery operations are also regulated by the NRC or NRC Agreement States.

 URANIUM MINING

Uranium mining on federal lands is regulated by the US Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM); U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (USFS); and the Department of Energy Uranium Leasing Program.  Uranium mines on federal lands and private, state, and tribal lands in Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah are also regulated by state agencies.

FEDERAL AGENCIES

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

The NRC is the primary regulator of the commercial nuclear industry, which includes uranium milling, uranium conversion and enrichment, production of nuclear fuel, nuclear reactors, nuclear waste, and radioactive materials.

https://www.nrc.gov/

The NRC regulates uranium mills, including in-situ leach (ISL) uranium recovery operations, in Nebraska, New Mexico, and South Dakota.  These include uranium mills undergoing reclamation.  The NRC has oversight regarding the Department of Energy long-term care of reclaimed uranium mill sites under Titles I and II of UMTRCA.

https://www.nrc.gov/materials/uranium-recovery.html

Nuclear Regulatory Commission Documents

The NRC maintains an electronic reading room, with access to current and historical records related to currently licenses uranium mills and ISL uranium recover operations, mills undergoing reclamation, and mills that have been turned over the the U.S. Department of Energy for perpetual management and care.

https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html

Mine Safety and Health Administration

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) regulates worker health and safety at underground uranium mines and other hard rock mining operations.  They also regulate some worker health and safety at licensed uranium mills.

• MSHA

https://www.msha.gov/

• Mine Data Retrieval System.  Information on mines: owners and operators, location, inspections, violations, accidents, number of workers and hours worked.

https://www.msha.gov/mine-data-retrieval-system

Environmental Protection Agency

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established standards and regulations applicable to uranium milling and mining operations under the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978, the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, and other federal programs.

Bureau of Land Management

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regulates hard rock mining on BLM administered lands.  Permits and mine regulations are administered by local BLM Field Offices.  The BLM also must comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

https://www.blm.gov/programs/energy-and-minerals/mining-and-minerals

Bureau of Land Management – NEPA and E-Planning Portal

https://www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and-nepa/eplanning

Bureau of Land Management – Abandoned Mined Lands

https://www.blm.gov/programs/public-safety-and-fire/abandoned-mine-lands 

URANIUM MILLING – UTAH

Division of Waste Management and Radiation Control

https://deq.utah.gov/division-waste-management-radiation-control

The only permitted, operating uranium mill in the United States is the White Mesa Mill, adjacent to the lands and community of the White Mesa Band of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe in San Juan County.  The Shootaring Canyon Mill, Garfield County, has been on standby since 1982.  The Lisbon Valley Mill has been reclaimed, but the license has not been terminated and the site had not been turned over to the U.S. Department of Energy for long-term care and maintenance because of ground water contamination from the mill site.

• White Mesa Mill, Energy Fuels Resources (USA) Inc.:
  https://deq.utah.gov/waste-management-and-radiation-control/energy-fuels-resources-usa-inc
• Shootaring Canyon Mill, Anfield Resources Holding Corporation:

https://deq.utah.gov/businesses-facilities/anfield-resources-holding-corp

Lisbon Valley Mill, Rio Algom Mining LLC:

https://deq.utah.gov/waste-management-and-radiation-control/rio-algom-mining-llc

Utah Department of Environmental Quality EZ Records Search ⎯ Electronic Document Management System.

http://eqedocs.deq.utah.gov/

URANIUM MINING – UTAH

Uranium and other hard rock mines in Utah are regulated by the Utah Division of Oil, Gas & Mining.  The Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service regulate hard rock mines on public lands under their administration.

• Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining:
  https://www.ogm.utah.gov/index.php
• Utah Division of Oil, Gas & Mining Mineral Files:

https://ogm.utah.gov/minerals/MineralsPDO/angularmineralsfilesbypermtiinfo.php

The Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service do not have websites with information about permitted uranium mines.