Wednesday, February 16, 2011 8:34 AM EST
In all the discussion of the protection provided the environment and human life against any pollution by uranium mining and milling, there is a most interesting statement posted on the Internet site of the Environmental Protection Agency.
And, I quote: "Because U.S. laws do not classify mine overburden as a radioactive waste, its placement in radioactive waste disposal facilities is not required. The Atomic Energy Act does not require controls on uranium mining overburden and neither the Nuclear Regulatory Commission nor the Department of Energy(DOE) regulates the disposal of conventional (open pit and underground) mining wastes."
EPA defines overburden as "soil and rock that is covering a deposit of ore, such as uranium. It usually contains at least trace amounts of the ore plus radioactive decay products." (This is also referred to as "waste rock" in other sources).
A Cameco (the largest publicly traded uranium mining company in the world, located in Canada) executive has stated in a World Nuclear Association Symposium paper that occurring with uranium ore frequently were nickel, copper, arsenic and sulphur minerals.
The sulphur minerals oxidize over time, mix with water and form sulphuric acid, which he stated dissolves the heavy metals which are also present.
Now isn't that a great mix to have leaching into the soil and creeks and rivers? And there is no regulation on the disposal of this overburden?
Remember Marline estimated about one and a half square miles of waste, which would be 100 feet high at the Coles Hill site.
Apparently that did not include the 343 additional lease documents filed in the clerk's office at Chatham by Marline on additional mining sites across Pittsylvania County.
(Not having seen the Marline document itself, I cannot swear this figure does not contain tailings volume, too.)
Yep, uranium mining in Pittsylvania County is going to be such fun, especially for the farmers with their new multi-million dollar agriculture center.
Wonder what they will do with that now?
Hildred C. Shelton
Danville, VA
http://www.wpcva.com/articles/2011/02/16/chatham/opinion/opinion06.txt
