Uranium Mining in Virginia
Peter L. deFur, Ph.D ESC, LLC
Environmental Studies at VCU NRC Study Committee member
Summary and
highlights
From the
NRC report
Complex Charge- 12 items
FIGURE 3.6 Distribution of Middle to Late Proterozoic granites
and gneisses of the Blue Ridge belt, together with complexly
deformed mylonites, shear zones, and cataclasites. SOURCE:
modified from Lassetter (2010).
Fig. 6.2 Waste management (tailings) at JEB pit, McClean Lake in Sasketchewan
Virginia Physical and Social Conduct - Findings
1. Diversity
1. Geologically
2. Ecologically
3. Socio-culturally
2. Socioeconomic disparities
3. Extreme weather
World-wide Occurrences- mining
Kazakhstan,
Canada,
Australia,
Namibia,
Niger,
Russia,
Uzbekistan,
United States
Occurrences, Resources, & Markets - Findings
1. Only Coles Hill, Pittsylvania County
2. No in situ
3. 92% Ur from 8 countries
4. Track oil price trends
5. Last 50 years
Mining, Processing, & Reclamation -Findings
1. Techniques depend on land characteristics
2. Hydrometallurgical
3. Mine design- pit or shaft
4. Ur mining = Hard rock mining
5. Life-cycle analysis
Potential Human Health Effects - Findings
1. Mining & Ur risks
2. Radon decay
3. NIOSH
4. Other radionuclides
5. General population at risk
6. Internal/external exposure
7. 230^Th and 226^Ra 8. Epidemiological studies flawed 9. Millennia of radiation 10. Silica dust & diesel exhaust 11. Miners injuries 12. Waste management 13. Cumulative risk
Potential Environmental Effects - Findings
1. Water, air, soil, biota quality/quantity
2. Long-term risks
3. Extreme natural events, management faults
4. Specific site modeling
Regulation - Findings
1. Subject to a variety of federal and state laws
2. Lack of experience in Va and eastern US
3. There is no federal law that specifically applies to uranium mining on non-federally owned lands
4. Gaps in legal and regulatory coverage
5. US federal government has only limited recent experience regulating conventional uranium processing
6. Limited public involvement
Best Practices
Questions?
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