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(last updated 8 Nov 2008)
On Nov. 3, 2008, The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality issued a Notice of Violation to Energy Metals Corp. for failures at its Antelope site:
The inspection revealed that topsoil and overburden were inadequately separated and that topsoil had been contaminated by overburden and drilling mud, and the inspection revealed several instances of the failure to ensure the safety of the public and wildlife in the form of open mud pits.
> Download Notice of Violation #4386-08, Nov. 3, 2008 (PDF)
On July 10, 2008, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff received Energy Metals Corporation's application for a new facility license at its JAB and Antelope sites in Sweetwater County, Wyoming. The July 10, 2008 submittal included the technical report but not the environmental report. NRC notified EMC that it would not begin to process the application until the staff receives the environmental report.
> Download Technical Report Antelope and JAB Uranium Project, June 2008 (3 volumes) (ADAMS ML082730312)
EMC submitted the Environmental Report on Aug. 7, 2008.
> Download Environmental Report Antelope and JAB Uranium Project, Aug. 2008 (4 volumes) (ADAMS ML082820454)
Strathmore discloses identity of licensed historic mill site it has optioned in the Gas Hills Uranium District:
On March 21, 2008, Strathmore Minerals Corp. notified NRC of its intent to
submit a license application for a conventional uranium mill and tailings disposal operation or alternatively, a heap or vat leach facility to be located at its Gas Hills uranium properties in Fremont County, Wyoming. The property under consideration is located on federal Lands and land held privately owned by American Nuclear Corporation which Strathmore currently has under option.
Strathmore acquires option for acquisition of unnamed licensed historic mill site in the Gas Hills Uranium District:
On Jan. 7, 2008, Strathmore Minerals Corp. announced that its subsidiary, Strathmore Resources (US) Ltd. has entered into an option agreement to purchase an existing NRC license and additional private mineral rights containing known uranium mineralization in the Gas Hills Uranium District, Wyoming. The NRC license covers a historic mill site. It will be evaluated to determine if it can be used for a new mill or ore heap and/or vat leach facility in the Gas Hills. Strathmore has agreed not to disclose the name of the company involved or the terms of this agreement. The private mineral rights are adjacent to existing Strathmore land holdings in the Gas Hills District and would be incorporated into new and expanded mining and milling scenario. The Gas Hills area is located 45 miles east of Riverton Wyoming.
Note: NRC-licensed historic uranium mill sites in the Gas Hills Mining District are: American Nuclear Corporation,
Pathfinder - Lucky Mc, and
Umetco Minerals Corp.
On June 10, 2008, The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality issued a Notice of Violation to Wildhorse Energy Ltd for several well failures. In a settlement agreement, Wildhorse agreed to pay a penalty of 500 Dollars.
> Download Notice of Violation #4287-08, June 10, 2008 (PDF)
> Download Settlement Agreement, June 23, 2008 (PDF)
> Download Termination of Notice, Oct. 29, 2008 (PDF)
On Mar. 20, 2008, notified NRC of its intent to submit an application for a US NRC Source Material License for its West Alkali Project located in southern Central Wyoming.
On Dec. 4, 2007, Wildhorse Energy Ltd announced the receipt of a positive Scoping Study for its Bison Basin uranium in situ-leach project.
The main development scenario was based on an exploration target producing between eight and 10 million pounds U3O8 [3080 - 3850 t U], with a 1 million pound U3O8 per annum [385 t U/a] operation. The cash costs have been estimated at US$ 18 per pound, and pre-production capital costs estimated to be US$ 62 million. The company will now complete pre-feasibility and feasibility studies in 2008.
On May 14, 2008, NRC sent Energy Metals Corp a request for additional information (ADAMS Acc. No. ML081340113 ) regarding its license application for the Moore Ranch in-situ leach uranium project:
We identified significant concerns related to both groundwater and radiological protection. Our most significant groundwater concerns relate to the absence of underlying shale in a portion of the production zone, the effects of coal bed methane produced water on surface and groundwater, the unconfined conditions in the production zone, and the estimate of the number of pore volumes that will be required to restore the production zone. Our most significant radiological protection concerns relate to the design objective of the ventilation system and the adequacy of radiological environmental monitoring. [...]The unconfined aquifer in the proposed "70 sand" production zone is a unique setting for an ISL operation [emphasis added]. The unconfined aquifer setting presents an entirely different hydrogeologic flow regime which has implications for well field balancing, communication with monitoring wells and overlying and underlying aquifes, excursion monitoring/correction, lixiviant behavior and restoration. [...]
The confinement of the "70 sand" is in question based on the acknowledged absence of the underlying shale between the "70 sand" and "68 sand" in a large portion of Wellfield 2, the potential absence of the underlying shale in Wellfield 1, and the absence of overlying shale on the isopach just northwest of Wellfield 3. [...]
On March 20, 2008, Energy Metals Corporation provided notice to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission of its intent to submit an application for a Source Material License for the Ludeman Satellite ISR Uranium Project in Converse County, Wyoming. The application will be a proposed amendment to the Moore Ranch Uranium Project Source Material License.
On Jan. 17, 2008, NRC issued an Opportunity to Request a Hearing on Energy Metals Corp.'s license application for the Moore Ranch in-situ leach uranium project.
Federal Register: January 25, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 17) p. 4642-4644 (download full text )
> View NRC release Feb. 1, 2008
> View docket NRC-2008-0040 (regulations.gov)
On Oct. 3, 2007, Energy Metals Corp. submitted the license application for its Moore Ranch in-situ leach uranium project. According to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), this is the first application for a new uranium recovery facility submitted to the NRC since 1988.
> View NRC release Oct. 4, 2007
> Download License Application Documents (ADAMS Acc. No. ML072851218)
> See also: Uranium One Inc. concludes toll milling agreement with Power Resources Inc.
On Apr. 12, 2007, Energy Metals Corp. announced that all baseline studies for its Moore Ranch in-situ leach uranium project are on track to be completed by the end of August 2007. Work continues on other portions of the State and NRC License Applications and submittal of the final application is anticipated at the end of October 2007.
> See also: Uranium One Inc. concludes toll milling agreement with Power Resources Inc.
On March 20, 2008, Energy Metals Corporation provided notice to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission of its intent to submit an application for a Source Material License for the Allemand-Ross Satellite ISR Uranium Project in Converse County, Wyoming. The application will be a proposed amendment to the Moore Ranch Uranium Project Source Material License.
On August 22, 2006, NRC held a pre-licensing meeting with High Plains Uranium, Inc. (HPU) to discuss issues related to their upcoming In Situ Leach (ISL) uranium recovery license application for the Allemand-Ross project, among others.
HPU is planning a Satellite ISL operation which would include injection, production, and monitoring wells; resin tanks for uranium recovery; and a deep disposal well. HPU plans to ship the uranium laden resin to an existing (second party) licensed processing plant for uranium elution, precipitation, and drying (i.e., yellow cake production). HPU's tentative application submittal date is July/August 2007. (NRC Summary of August 22, 2006 meeting, Aug. 30, 2006)
On March 10, 2008, Uranerz Energy Corporation notified NRC of its intent to submit a Source Material License Application for the Collins Draw ISR Project in the third quarter of 2009. The Collins Draw ISR Project will produce uranium by the in situ recovery method and be located in the Pumpkin Buttes Mining District of the Powder River Basin, Wyoming. The project will consist of a satellite operation that will include wellfields with associated header houses, an ion exchange circuit, deep disposal well facilities, associated process and maintenance buildings, and materials storage. The Collins Draw permit area is approximately 5 miles from Uranerz Energy Corporation's Nichols Ranch ISR Project. The uranium produced at Collins Draw will be shipped to the Nichols Ranch facility for processing to yellowcake.
On June 16, 2008, NRC issued a Notice of License Application Request of Uranerz Energy Corporation Nichols Ranch In Situ Uranium Recovery Project, Casper,
Wyoming, Opportunity To Request a Hearing and Order Imposing Procedures
for Access to Sensitive Unclassified Non-Safeguards Information (SUNSI)
for Contention Preparation.
A request for a hearing must be filed by August 15, 2008.
Federal Register: June 16, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 116) p. 34052-34056
(download full text )
On Feb. 1, 2008, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced that the application from Uranerz Energy Corporation to construct and operate an in-situ leach (ISL) uranium recovery facility at their Nichols Ranch Site in Campbell and Johnson Counties, Wyo., is available on the agency's Web site for public viewing.
> View NRC release Feb. 1, 2008
On Dec. 19, 2007, Uranerz Energy Corporation announced that it has submitted applications to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Land Quality Division of the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality for licenses and permits to construct and operate in-situ leach uranium facilities on its Nichols Ranch and Hank projects located in the central Powder River Basin of Wyoming.
> Download application documents (ADAMS Acc. No. ML080080594)
On July 6, 2006, NRC held a pre-licensing meeting with Uranerz Energy Corporation to discuss potential uranium recovery applications for its Nichols Ranch uranium in-situ leach project.
Uranerz Energy Corporation ("Uranerz") is planning to construct and operate a uranium in situ recovery (ISR) facility with the name Nichols Ranch ISR Project that incorporates two production units; the Nichols Ranch ISR Main Unit
consisting of a complete processing facility and in situ recovery mine, and the
Hank ISR Satellite Unit consisting of an ion exchange facility and an in situ
recovery mine. The Nichols Ranch Unit processing facility will have the capacity
to produce approximately 750,000 pounds of dry yellow cake product (288 t U) per year. It is planned that approximately half of this amount will originate from the Nichols Ranch ore body while the remaining half will be produced from the Hank ore body.
Uranerz is planning to submit the license application in the second quarter of 2007 and start operation in 2009.
On July 3, 2008, NRC issued a Notice of License Application of Lost Creek ISR, LLC, for a New In Situ Leach Uranium Recovery Facility at the Lost Creek Site,
Sweetwater County, Wyoming, and Opportunity to Request a Hearing.
A request for a hearing must be filed by September 8, 2008.
> View NRC release July 10, 2008
Federal Register: July 10, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 133) p. 39728-39731 (download full text )
On Mar. 20, 2008, Ur-Energy Inc. submitted to NRC its completed application for the Lost Creek in-situ recovery project.
On Dec. 20, 2007, Ur-Energy Inc announced that it has submitted an Application for In Situ Permit to Mine and Application for License to Mine to the State of Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality Land Quality Division (WDEQ) for its Lost Creek Project in northeastern Sweetwater County, Wyoming.
On Oct. 31, 2007, Ur-Energy Inc announced that it has submitted its application to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a Source Material License for its Lost Creek uranium in-situ leach project.
> Download application documents (ADAMS Acc.No. ML073190539)
> View NRC release Dec. 7, 2007
On Dec. 15, 2005, Ur-Energy Inc. released the Environmental and Social Due Diligence Report, for its Lost Soldier and Lost Creek Claim Areas in Wyoming. Ur-Energy hopes to have the projects permitted and operating within three years.
> Download: Environmental and Social Due Diligence Report, Great Divide Basin ISL Uranium Project, Lost Soldier and Lost Creek Claim Areas, Wyoming , prepared by AATA International, Inc. (14.5M PDF) · alternate source (SEDAR)
On Mar. 21, 2008, Ur-Energy Inc notified the Nuclear Regulatory Commission of its intent to submit a Source Material License Application by December 19, 2008 for the Lost Soldier Project located in the extreme northeast corner of Sweetwater County, Wyoming.
On Dec. 15, 2005, Ur-Energy Inc. released the Environmental and Social Due Diligence Report, for its Lost Soldier and Lost Creek Claim Areas in Wyoming. Ur-Energy hopes to have the projects permitted and operating within three years.
> Download: Environmental and Social Due Diligence Report, Great Divide Basin ISL Uranium Project, Lost Soldier and Lost Creek Claim Areas, Wyoming , prepared by AATA International, Inc. (14.5M PDF) · alternate source (SEDAR)
On Sep. 10, 2007, Uranium Power Corp. announced that BRS Inc. has been hired to execute a preliminary feasibility study for the proposed reopening of the Sheep Mountain mine, as well as for the potential North Gap open pit on the same property. BRS will also carry out any permitting work that may be required for the open pit and for a possible heap leach operation on the property.
U.S. Energy Corp. and Bell Coast Capital Corp. are planning to revive their idle Sheep Mountain mines in Fremont County within 18 months. The companies estimate the total deposit at 14 million lb U3O8 [5385 t U], forecasting yearly output at 1.5 million lb U3O8 [577 t U]. The production cost is estimated at around $14 per lb U3O8. (Reuters Feb. 8, 2005)
On July 6, 2005, however, Uranium Power Corp. (ex Bell Coast Capital Corp.) stated "that there are no current mineral resources or reserves on the properties currently optioned by our Company".
(Taipower) invited international bids for its sale of uranium properties in Arizona and Wyoming, jointly owned with RME Holding Co of the US. The properties include deposits with proven uranium reserves, established exploration targets, some with ore-grade mineralization, and properties with untested exploration potential. Bids will be accepted until September 10, 2002. Taipower wants to sell the mines because uranium prices on the world market have fallen. (Taipei Times August 9, 2002)
On March 31, 2006, PRI filed an application for commercial operation of the North Butte ISL project as a satellite facility to the Smith Ranch ISL mine.
On November 30, 2001, Power Resources, Inc. acquired the North Butte / Ruth in situ leach uranium project from Pathfinder Mines.
The Ruth Project is licensed for commercial ISL uranium activities, however, none has been initiated. The existing buildings and evaporation ponds, along with a few remaining wells, are left from research and development testing conducted by Uranerz, USA, one of the previous licensees. The facilities at the project are non-operational and on stand-by status.
The North Butte Project is also licensed for commercial ISL uranium operations, however, construction of facilities has not commenced and is currently on hold.
On March 21, 2008, Strathmore notified NRC of its intent to file a license application for the Reno Creek project.
In fiscal 2001, International Uranium Corp. sold the Reno Creek In Situ Leach (ISL) Uranium Project to Rio Algom.
On July 22, 1999, International Uranium Corp. withdrew its license application for the Reno Creek In Situ Leach (ISL) Uranium Extraction Project. (Federal Register, Aug. 5, 1999 )
In 1996, Energy Fuels Nuclear (predecessor of IUC) had requested NRC staff restart of the license application. [NRC Weekly Information Report for the week ending August 28, 1996, SECY 96-186]
> View BLM release July 1, 2008
> View Reynolds Ranch ISR Uranium Project documents (BLM Casper Field Office)
(ADAMS Accession No. ML062690386))
SXR Uranium One Inc. has been selected by Rio Tinto Energy America, Inc. ("RTEA"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rio Tinto plc, as the preferred bidder for RTEA's Sweetwater Uranium Mill and associated Green Mountain uranium properties located in south-central Wyoming. (SXR July 10, 2006)
Until September 11, 2000, Crested Corp. / US Energy owned a 50% interest in the GMMV, but sold their interest to Kennecott.
The development of the Jackpot mine has been suspended on July 31, 1998. US Energy/Crested fears that the uranium price will drop drastically as a consequence of the privatization of U.S. Enrichment Corp. The new USEC Inc. has announced it plans to sell its uranium inventory of 75 million pounds (29000 t U) over the next few years to pay down its indebtedness. [Reuters July 31, 1998]
The Green Mountain Mining Venture (GMMV) has been given a construction permit for the Jackpot, Wyoming, underground uranium mine. Kennecott Uranium and USECC (comprising US Energy Corp and its subsidiary, Crested
Corp) are partners in the joint venture. The Jackpot deposit
contains over 52 million pounds of uranium (20,000 tU). [UI News
Briefing 96/26]
Power Resources, Inc. (PRI) submitted an application for a license to construct and operate a new in situ uranium mine at Gas Hills, Wyoming. PRI wants to operate it as a satellite of its Highland facility. Production is scheduled to start in 1998.
[Federal Register: August 21, 1996 (Vol.61, No.163), p.43267-43268, download via GPO Access]
On Feb. 26, 2003, NRC issued a related "Notice of Amendment Request for Proposed Operation of the Gas Hills Project in situ Leach Uranium Recovery Facility, Freemont and Natrona Counties, WY, and Opportunity To Provide Comments and To Request a Hearing".
Federal Register Feb. 26, 2003 (Vol. 68, No. 38) p. 8941-8942 (download full text )
On August 18, 2003, NRC approved PRI’s request to integrate the Highland license into the Smith Ranch Source Materials License SUA-1548.
On Jan. 14, 2004, NRC staff completed an environmental assessment (EA) of the potential impacts associated with the operation of the Gas Hills Project satellite in situ leach uranium recovery facility, and the staff has concluded that the proposed licensing action will not have a significant impact on
the environment. Accordingly, the staff issued a notice to signify a Finding of No Significant Impact.
Federal Register: January 22, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 14) p. 3184-3185 (download full text )
is staking claims in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming. Aspen officials estimate reserves of approximately 11,500 tU with in situ production costs of around US$ 8 per pound. [UI News Briefing 96/38]
Cotter Corp. is pursuing a production permit for its Charlie property in the Powder River Basin. Production is expected to start in 2000. [UI News Briefing 96/38]
On June 16, 2008, the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality issued a Notice of Violation to Strathmore Resources U.S. Ltd. for numerous violations connected to exploration activities at the Sky ISL project site (topsoil and subsoil inadequately separated, topsoil contaminated, failure to securely cover boreholes, poorly maintained fencing, etc.).
On Aug. 26, 2008, Strathmore agreed to pay a $18,000 fine.
> Download NOV #4292-08 · Settlement Agreement Aug. 26, 2008 (PDF)
On Apr. 10, 2007, Strathmore announced it has entered into a letter of intent with Yellowcake Mining Inc. to finance the development of Strathmore's Sky project located in the Gas Hills Uranium District in Fremont County, Wyoming. Sky is Strathmore's first project in Wyoming to begin data collection activities for permitting purposes. The intent is to develop the Sky project as a satellite ISR operation. The property comprises 50 unpatented mining claims totaling 418 hectares (1,033 acres).
On March 2, 2007, Strathmore Minerals Corp. announced that permitting activities have been initiated on the Company's third uranium recovery project: the Sky ISR project.
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