New states regulations for uranium mines go into effect

New rules that went into effect Thursday will crash uranium mining in the state. In August, the Mined Land Reclamation Board approved modifies to the rules and regulations for hard rock, metal and designated mining operations. The changes were reviewed by the Colorado attorney general prior to them being available by the Colorado secretary of state. Among the new rules is one designating all uranium mines as mining action, meaning they must have detailed environmental security plans. In-situ leach uranium mine applications, which are being proposed at a process in northwest Weld County, must protect groundwater to existing conditions or to state groundwater standards, according to news make public from Colorado Department of Natural Resources.

In-situ leach uranium mine applications must show that the projected mining technology has been used at five other locations without harm groundwater quality. In addition, applications for in-situ leak uranium mine operations must include detailed baseline hydrology information and those applicants cannot receive a authorize if the applicant is in violation elsewhere. The Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety is charged with execute the Mined Land Reclamation Act. As a result of the rule changes, modifications to forms used by the separation were required. After authorization by the board at its Oct. 13 meeting, the forms will be available on the Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety website.

Leaders look for stronger in situ uranium mining rules

Two Fort Collins legislators have petitioned the state to make stronger planned rules governing in situ leach uranium mining the method Powertech Uranium Corp. plans to use at the Centennial Project northeast of the city to avoid groundwater contamination. In situ leakage is a method of uranium extraction that dissolves uranium ore with a fluid and pumps the solution out of the ground to be processed. State representative Randy Fischer write a letter also signed by Reps. John Kefalas and Liane "Buffie" McFadyen urging state mining officials to make sure mining companies cannot slip through a loophole in new rules being written to govern in situ uranium mining statewide.

The Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety is in the process of finalizing the rules, which implement a 2008 law requiring mining companies to fulfill with strict environmental regulations if they plan to use in situ leakage. The rules will directly decide if and how Powertech will be able to continue with its plans to mine for uranium in Weld County less than 10 miles northeast of Fort Collins. Uranium mining companies, including Powertech, will be necessary to test the groundwater before they begin mining to decide baseline groundwater quality so they can learn the level of purity to which they will be necessary return the groundwater when they shutter the mine site.

But Fischer said many people living near possible uranium mine sites are worried uranium prospectors could search for uranium intending to mine using conservative methods but decide later to mine using the in situ leaching process. Conventional prospecting could be done without watch for groundwater quality, throwing off baseline water quality tests. Fischer also wrote that uranium prospecting standards and safeguards require to be strengthened. "In Weld County, citizens have expressed concerns to me oftentimes drillers are out there without management, and there's no way to know if they are isolating aquifers to make sure there's no cross-contamination," Fischer said Thursday.