Uranium mining likely in Grand Canyon region
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As global demand for nuclear power has increased so has interest in the metal and, across the south-west, companies are seeking permission to restart uranium mining. With the increase in uranium exploration come concerns about the future of the Grand Canyon, a Unesco World Heritage Site and one of America’s foremost natural wonders. For now, the sole active uranium mine near the Grand Canyon’s northern rim is run by Denison Mines Corporation, a Canadian firm.
After the ore is hauled from the mine, Denison Mines ships it north to a mill in Utah where the uranium is extracted by dissolving the ore in acid. The resulting product, called yellow cake, is then used in nuclear fuel rods.
The waste from the milling process is 80% more radioactive than yellow cake and has a half-life of 4.7 billion years. Thousands of tonnes of waste are buried in containers lined with 2.4 inches of plastic.
Federal law requires the company to design the facility to last more than 200 years, and an insurance bond ensures funds will be available to maintain the facility.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) has been investigating mining risks in the Grand Canyon area in a six-month study.
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One could say that by removing this offending material from the vicinity, they are improving it. Just depends on how you look at it. As the planet’s population grows, the demands for energy and mineral resources will swell. Just the way it is, no use crying about it. Get an engineering degree and come up with some alternatives if you are passionate about it.
Somebody call Robert Redford. Fucking Christ. How to fuck up my weekend. I’ll cry about this today… right now I’m so mad I could just spit. TY to Holte for posting… cuz it was slipping by me. And I’ll post the link Krell mentioned. I have it on my blog. It mustn’t be allowed!
Never surprises me what is allowed to be torn up to get at the profits in the ground.
Here is an organization that keeps tabs on such things http://www.uraniumwatch.org/index.htm
I remember reading some where, hmmmm….can’t recall where, about a particular reactor that didn’t use uranium and didn’t have a lot of the bad consequences. What was that called….Lifter? LFTR? something like that.
Thanks for calling attention to this, Holte.
You ought to recycle that LFTR post on FB, let’s get it circulating.
That always was my suggestion for the energy crisis. LFTR reactors and Electric Cars. It is a possibility!