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HomeMy WebLinkAbout112508 Uranium MiningUranium Mining in Uranium Mining in Roanoke River Basin Roanoke River Basin Presentation to Virginia Beach Presentation to Virginia Beach City Council City Council November 25, 2008 November 25, 2008 Uranium Mining in Virginia Uranium Mining in Virginia 1973-78: Uranium prices create push to 1973-78: Uranium prices create push to ? ? mine uranium in the Piedmont of Virginia mine uranium in the Piedmont of Virginia 1979-82: Three Mile Island and UMTRCA 1979-82: Three Mile Island and UMTRCA ? ? sensitize public to radiological pollution sensitize public to radiological pollution 1983: VA General Assembly enacts 1983: VA General Assembly enacts ? ? moratorium on uranium mining moratorium on uranium mining 1985: VCEC (US/UAG) recommends lifting 1985: VCEC (US/UAG) recommends lifting ? ? moratorium. VA Beach and other localities moratorium. VA Beach and other localities adopt resolutions in opposition. The adopt resolutions in opposition. The moratorium remains in effect today. moratorium remains in effect today. Uranium Mining in VA: 2007-08 Uranium Mining in VA: 2007-08 Skyrocketing uranium prices renew interest Skyrocketing uranium prices renew interest ? ? in uranium mining in Virginia in uranium mining in Virginia Deposits in Pittsylvania County may be very Deposits in Pittsylvania County may be very ? ? large, worth as much as $7-10 billion large, worth as much as $7-10 billion A Canadian Company doing business as A Canadian Company doing business as ? ? Virginia Uranium Ltd. is created to “invest Virginia Uranium Ltd. is created to “invest and to actively participate in the and to actively participate in the management, business and operations of management, business and operations of Virginia Uranium Inc.”through its Virginia Uranium Inc.”through its representation on the board and its shared representation on the board and its shared management with Virginia Uranium, Inc. management with Virginia Uranium, Inc. Uranium Mining in VA: 2007-08 Uranium Mining in VA: 2007-08 Virginia Uranium is conducting a PR Virginia Uranium is conducting a PR ? ? and lobbying campaign to have the and lobbying campaign to have the uranium mining moratorium lifted uranium mining moratorium lifted In the 2008 GA, SB525 proposed the In the 2008 GA, SB525 proposed the ? ? VA Mining Commission and a study of VA Mining Commission and a study of uranium mining impacts. It did not uranium mining impacts. It did not become law. become law. Earlier this month, the VCEC formed a Earlier this month, the VCEC formed a ? ? subcommittee and asked the VCCER to subcommittee and asked the VCCER to contract for a study contract for a study Historical Spot Price of Uranium Historical Spot Price of Uranium Uranium Mining –The Process Uranium Mining –The Process Open-pit mine: Uranium ore is Open-pit mine: Uranium ore is ? ? excavated excavated Pulverizing mill: Uranium ore is ground Pulverizing mill: Uranium ore is ground ? ? into sand & clay-like particles into sand & clay-like particles Chemical Plant: Uranium is leached Chemical Plant: Uranium is leached ? ? out of the pulverized ore out of the pulverized ore 1,000 pounds of ore produces 1 pound 1,000 pounds of ore produces 1 pound ? ? of uranium and 999 pounds of mill of uranium and 999 pounds of mill tailings tailings Mill tailings retain 85% of the original Mill tailings retain 85% of the original ? ? radioactivity for >> 300,000 years radioactivity for >> 300,000 years Uranium Mining Tailings Uranium Mining Tailings Tailings are highly susceptible Tailings are highly susceptible ? ? to transport by air and water to transport by air and water Tailings are stored as slurries and Tailings are stored as slurries and ? ? sludge, then ultimately as dewatered sludge, then ultimately as dewatered piles piles Non-radioactive overburden, clay, Non-radioactive overburden, clay, ? ? and liners are used to construct and liners are used to construct confinement cells and caps to confine confinement cells and caps to confine and immobilize the tailings and immobilize the tailings Virginia Uranium Proposal . 100 million pounds of yellowcake at 4 million pounds per year (2,000 tons per year) for 25 years . Current U.S. production (all in the west) is 1,700 tons/year . Current U.S. capacity (all in the west) is 2,900 tons/year . Current U.S. reactor demand is 23,000 tons/year Uranium Mill Tailings Uranium Mill Tailings 100 million pounds of uranium 100 million pounds of uranium ? ? yellowcake will result in 50 million yellowcake will result in 50 million tons (30 million cubic yards) of mill tons (30 million cubic yards) of mill tailings tailings 12 confinement cells, each 40 acres 12 confinement cells, each 40 acres ? ? and 2.5 million cubic yards and 2.5 million cubic yards Mount Trashmore= 20 acres and 1.3 Mount Trashmore= 20 acres and 1.3 ? ? million cubic yards million cubic yards Depending upon groundwater, much Depending upon groundwater, much ? ? of the cell may be below ground of the cell may be below ground Uranium Tailings Legacy Uranium Tailings Legacy Historically, tailings were not properly Historically, tailings were not properly ? ? confined resulting in radioactive confined resulting in radioactive contamination of ground and surface contamination of ground and surface waters waters Legacy of human and environmental Legacy of human and environmental ? ? tragedy: 1950’s to early 1980’s tragedy: 1950’s to early 1980’s 1978: Federal government stepped in 1978: Federal government stepped in ? ? to remediate –UMTRCA (DOE, NRC) to remediate –UMTRCA (DOE, NRC) Clean up has cost billions over three Clean up has cost billions over three ? ? decades –work and costs ongoing decades –work and costs ongoing Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act (Title 1 & 2) . 24 abandoned sites under jurisdiction of DOE, 26 Licensed by N RC (or N RC Ag reement States) . All sites but Canonsburg, PA located in the west - virtually all in the arid west . Total of 250 million tons of tailings · Sites ranging from 2 to 33 million tons (except PA site which is very small) . Cole's Hill tailings: 50 million tons UMTRCA Sites - DOE and NRC \. - ~.__. I. /--~" I \. . I . ---r - - -I ..-J 'I .!-- .1 --....__ I . - -.... -- -~ , II..,..... I - - T I I.. I I ...... -. i' - _ __ I I. _ _ .. I II~ { .r ..... , '\ ) - - - Jir:;~ _. I 1 ; -~ --~ _ _ _ -. ....--J · II:) .'- ~I-l' .~- -r_-~-Z-.- I . I r ',.... I 1 ........-.._....___-_ : ( . I, -...\ -~r-~I ""1 ('. I '1 \ - I,. . __ -.1. \ ' .~\\ \1 ...-.......1 "-..-J Source - USEPA The Past vs the Present . Virginia Uranium does not dispute past issues with uranium tailings . They indicate that modern confinement cell design and NRC regs will protect surface waters . NRC regs require that confinement cells be designed for at least 200 yr life or 1,000 yrs if "reasonably achievable" . Hurricane Camille was estimated to have caused 2,000 years of erosion in a single night Tailings Piles in Virginia . Unlike the west, precipitation is high and evaporation is low . Water management is far more complex . Many historical confinement structure failures caused by inability to manage water . In Virginia, storms have generated near probable maximum precipitation (PMP) . PMP can erode and fragment virtually any earthen structure (man-made or natural) . PMP will transport sediments great distances downstream very quickly All USGS Stream Gages All USGS Stream Gages Stream Gages with Extreme Floods Stream Gages with Extreme Floods Maximum Probable Precipitation Maximum Probable Precipitation In Virginia, about 29 inches in six In Virginia, about 29 inches in six ? ? hours hours 1969 -Hurricane Camille –27 to 31 1969 -Hurricane Camille –27 to 31 ? ? inches (unofficial estimates higher) inches (unofficial estimates higher) Like standing under a waterfall Like standing under a waterfall ? ? 2,000 years of erosion in one night 2,000 years of erosion in one night ? ? Mountainsides stripped clean Mountainsides stripped clean ? ? 1995 –Madison County -similar 1995 –Madison County -similar ? ? intensity but over a smaller area intensity but over a smaller area Maximum Probable Precipitation Maximum Probable Precipitation Current Radiological Levels Current Radiological Levels VA Beach-Norfolk Water Systems VA Beach-Norfolk Water Systems LevelMCLMCLGUnit Gross Alpha Activity0.4150pCi/L Gross Beta Activity3.1500pCi/L Radium 226/2280.650pCi/L Worst Case Scenario Worst Case Scenario A storm similar to Nelson County A storm similar to Nelson County ? ? fragments confinement cells and transports fragments confinement cells and transports radioactive sediments to Lake Gaston radioactive sediments to Lake Gaston Radiation levels rise to SDWA levels Radiation levels rise to SDWA levels ? ? VA Beach defaults on services contract VA Beach defaults on services contract ? ? Ultimately, contract is terminated, VA Ultimately, contract is terminated, VA ? ? Beach liable for stranded costs Beach liable for stranded costs VA Beach abandons Lake Gaston VA Beach abandons Lake Gaston ? ? Project and builds desalting plant Project and builds desalting plant Cost to VA Beach > $500 million Cost to VA Beach > $500 million ? ? Unlikely but not Inconceivable Unlikely but not Inconceivable ? ? VCEC Study . VCEC subcommittee has no representation from Roanoke Basin . VCCER is heavily weighted by coal, energy and transportation interests . No environmental, public health, or water supply agency involvement . No funding has been identified . The 1985 US/UAG recommendation to move forward is perplexing given what was going on at the time Staff Recommendation Staff Recommendation Oppose uranium mining in Virginia, Oppose uranium mining in Virginia, ? ? oppose lifting of the moratorium on oppose lifting of the moratorium on uranium mining, and oppose any uranium mining, and oppose any attempt to develop a regulatory attempt to develop a regulatory framework for uranium mining until it framework for uranium mining until it can be demonstrated to the City’s can be demonstrated to the City’s satisfaction that there will be no satisfaction that there will be no significant release of radioactive significant release of radioactive sediments downstream sediments downstream Uranium Mining Impact Study . Completely open to public scrutiny . Independent experts who are provided adequate time and resources . Include modeling and simulation of PMP storms and tailings cell failure . Include a peer review group that is independent of the VCEC/VCCER and includes public health, environmental, water su pply a nd water resou rce agencies, including the USACE QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? Uranium Resources (RAR - $130/kg U) [t U] Re aso nab Iy Assu re d Reso u rces, re cove ra b I e res. as of 1/1/2007, Cost ra n 9 e < US $130/kg U (0 E CD 2008) World Total = 3338300 t ~ v OO~ ~4 ~ eJ" d. c:<::::- ~,/ ..... DuP (c) WISE Uranium Project' Cumulative Uranium Production to 2007 [t U] T ota I to 2007 (0 E CD 2008, WNA 2008) World Total = 2275362 t ~ U' D~ (c) WISE Uranium Project' 2007 Annual Uranium Production [t U] (WNA 2008) World Total = 41279 t ~ v DuP (c) WISE Uranium Project' 2007 Uranium Production Capability [t U] from RAR and Inferred Resources, < US$ 80/kg U, existing and committed centres (OECD 2008) World Total = 54370 t ~ D~ (c) WISE Uranium Project'