Re: AW: [Fwd: [Know_Nukes] (NYT) Navajo Miners Battle a Deadly Legacy of Yell...

["Michael C. Baker" <mcbaker@LANL.GOV>]

 From http://aapg.confex.com/aapg/hu2002/techprogram/paper_46652.htm



New Mexico ranks 2nd in uranium reserves in the U. S., which amounts 

to 15 million tons ore at 0.277% U 3O8(84 million lbs U 3O8) at 

$30/lb (Energy Information Administration, 2000). The most important 

uranium deposit in the state is sandstone within the Morrison 

Formation (Jurassic) in the Grants and Shiprock uranium districts, 

San Juan Basin. More than 340 million lbs of U 3O8have been produced 

from these uranium deposits from 1948 through 2000, accounting for 

97% of the total uranium production in New Mexico and more than 30% 

of the total uranium production in the United States. Only one 

company in New Mexico, Quivira Mining Co. owned by Rio Algom Ltd. 

(successor to Kerr McGee Corporation), produced uranium in 1984-2000 

from waters recovered from inactive underground operations at 

Ambrosia Lake, Grants (mine-water recovery). Hydro Resources Inc. has 

put its plans on hold to mine uranium by in-situ leaching at 

Churchrock until the uranium price increases. Reserves at Churchrock 

are estimated as 15 million pounds of U 3O8. NZU Inc. also is 

planning to mine at Crownpoint by in-situ leaching. Rio Grande 

Resources Co. is maintaining the closed facilities at the flooded Mt. 

Taylor underground mine, in Cibola County.  In late 1997, Anaconda 

Uranium acquired the La Jara Mesa uranium deposit in Cibola County 

from Homestake Mining Co. The sandstone uranium deposit was 

discovered in the late 1980s in the Morrison Formation and contains 

approximately 8 million pounds of 0.25% U 3O8. Future development of 

these reserves and resources will depend upon an increase in price 

for uranium and the lowering of production costs, perhaps by in-situ 

leaching techniques.



For information on uranium mining in New Mexico.



http://www.grants.org/mining/mining.htm





Mike









>May 19, 2003

>Davis, CA

>

>If my memory serves me right, there was a uranium ore processing mill near

>Grants, NM, in the 1960's. Does anyone else remember a uranium mill in New

>Mexico?

>

>Otto

>





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