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2 area uranium projects under review |
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Main NEWS Section -
Environmental Events
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Rapid City, South Dakota (AP) 10-08
Federal and state officials are reviewing two regional uranium leach-mining projects.
Powertech Uranium Corp. has exploration permits for Fall River and Custer counties and plans to drill 30 more holes to establish the spot for its planned mining operation.
The firm wants to inject chemically treated water into the holes to dissolve the uranium, then pump out the solution and collect the uranium for processing.
The state Department of Environment and Natural Resources is reviewing the proposed mining area since Powertech has started the process to get a large-scale mine permit.
The department says Powertech also has started the process to obtain a large-scale mine permit. The state is reviewing the proposed mining area to determine if it has characteristics that would require more regulation or perhaps exclude drilling.
It’s the first step in the mine permitting.
After a two-day hearing in Chadron, Neb., federal officials continue to review whether to grant groups and individuals a formal standing in the license-renewal process for a Crow Butte Resources uranium mine near Crawford, Neb. There’s no time frame set for a ruling.
Four Nuclear Regulatory Commission administrative judges heard testimony and toured parts of the Pine Ridge Reservation during the hearing.
The opponents include 13 individuals and organizations who say the plant damages the environment and threatens the health and water of area residents.
Company representatives say the so-called in situ leach-mining process is safe and does not cause contamination.
Crow Butte is operated by Cameco Corp. of Canada, the world’s largest uranium producer.
On the Net: South Dakota DENR site for the Powertech project:
www.state.sd.us/denr/DES/Mining/PowertechPage.htm
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