Uranium worries

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2/29/2008 11:52:00 AM

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Uranium worries
I was disappointed to read last week's Flume article concerning Horizon Nevada and its uranium exploration project in South Park. The article left important questions unasked, largely giving it the tone of a company PR piece.

The topic is radioactive, and the story needs more meat. I hope The Flume will take it upon itself to delve into this project further.

I did some quick Internet research into the background of the company as well as the pros and cons of in-situ recovery.

As for in-situ recovery: The leaching agent is ammonium carbonate or sulfuric acid. The distinct disadvantages of this leaching process are: "the risk of spreading of leaching liquid outside of the uranium deposit, involving subsequent groundwater contamination; the unpredictable impact of the leaching liquid on the rock of the deposit; and the impossibility of restoring natural groundwater conditions after completion of the leaching operations. Moreover, in-situ leaching releases considerable amounts of radon, and produces certain amounts of waste slurries and waste water during recovery of the uranium from the liquid." (See www.wise-uranium.org/uisl.html for more information.)

Park County already has exceptionally high levels of radon and the presence of sulfuric acid in the water in the project area is already problematic.

This company is relatively new on the scene. What about the company's track record? How have uranium mining operations gone, for example, at the operation in San Miguel County, Colorado? How is transportation of the extracted uranium handled, and what contingency plans does the company have in place in the event of an emergency? What are the built-in safety protocols for the mining operation? What specific assurances can be provided to property owners when it comes to water and soil contamination as well as reclamation?

Lora Abcarian

Bailey

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