| ISR uranium mining is responsible for nearly all U.S. | | | | areas of Wyoming where we would be mining, |
| uranium mining (except for recovery through | | | | alkaline is a far more suitable means of in situ mining. |
| phosphates). More than 20 percent of global uranium | | | | By using alkaline it is a lot easier to clean up and to |
| mining now comes from the in situ recovery method, | | | | restore the aquifer afterwards. Acids can react on |
| predominantly through In Situ Leach (ISL) mining in | | | | many things besides uranium. They can dissolve |
| Kazakhstan and in Australia. | | | | pyrite, sulphides and other minerals in the sandstone. |
| Because of the large number of ISR uranium projects | | | | Acid can release a lot more undesirable things into |
| on the horizon within the next ten years, both in the | | | | the formation that can make it more difficult, in some |
| United States, Kazakhstan and Australia, the in situ | | | | cases, to recover the uranium, and make it more |
| (ISR) uranium mining method will provide U.S and | | | | difficult to do a proper restoration job. The alkaline |
| global utilities with tens of millions of pounds of newly | | | | process is a lot cleaner process, and it's a lot easier |
| mined uranium by 2020. | | | | to restore the aquifer. |
| We discussed the basics of ISR uranium mining with | | | | StockInterview: Tell us about constructing an ISR |
| Bill Boberg, chief executive of UR-Energy, whose | | | | well field for mining the uranium. |
| company plans to mine Wyoming's Lost Creek and | | | | Bill Boberg: The wells are installed similar to most |
| Lost Soldier uranium deposits using the in situ | | | | common water wells - with PVC piping. PVC casing |
| recovery uranium mining method in 2008. We | | | | would be cemented in place, and then piping similar to |
| discussed many of the environmental type questions | | | | that used for irrigation would be used to transport |
| our readers wanted more information about. | | | | the water to the injection wells. Similar piping would |
| StockInterview: How did the uranium actually get into | | | | take the same water, coming out the production |
| the sandstones and become a roll front deposit? | | | | well, when moving it to the ion exchange column. |
| Bill Boberg: Natural processes caused the uranium | | | | When you come right down to it, this is basically a |
| deposit to be in the aquifer in the first place. The | | | | water plant. You are dealing with piping and water |
| uranium was deposited by the naturally flowing | | | | and oxygen and bicarbonate of soda. There's not |
| ground water when the natural oxygen in the ground | | | | much of anything that is going to cause anybody a |
| water was exhausted due to natural chemical | | | | problem. |
| reactions with minerals and organic material contained | | | | StockInterview: There have been concerns about |
| in the sands of the aquifer itself. Uranium is still being | | | | water use in certain parts of the United States. Will |
| carried by ground water flowing to the deposits. The | | | | your company be consuming large amounts of water |
| flowing ground water is also naturally leaching parts | | | | when mining at Lost Creek or Lost Soldier? |
| of the deposit and re-depositing it a short distance | | | | Bill Boberg: Consumption will be really low because in |
| away. This is really a very common natural process | | | | situ mining is basically a closed process. We use the |
| that's happening in many aquifers. | | | | ground water that is in the uranium deposit itself. We |
| StockInterview: When you mine using the ISR | | | | pump it out. We bring it to the surface. We charge it |
| method, do you destroy or contaminate an aquifer | | | | with the oxygen and bicarbonate of soda. Then we |
| where you are mining? | | | | recirculate it back through the formation. Ninety-nine |
| Bill Boberg: There are probably thousands of uranium | | | | percent or more of the water stays in the formation. |
| deposits throughout the world of varying quality in | | | | We only have to take out and dispose of one-half to |
| sandstones, which are also aquifers. Only a few | | | | one percent of the water that we are producing. |
| hundred of these will contain sufficient uranium to | | | | StockInterview: While ISR mining how does your |
| eventually be mined. It's there, and if it is mined, | | | | company ensure that radiation does not escape |
| most of the uranium that was in the aquifer will | | | | beyond the aquifer and contaminate the ground |
| actually be removed from the aquifer instead of | | | | water people or livestock drink? |
| staying there. The in situ (ISR) mining process simply | | | | Bill Boberg: The key is a very extensive monitoring |
| reverses the natural process that placed the uranium | | | | program through a system of monitoring wells. These |
| there in the first place. It's really a pretty simple | | | | surround the well fields. Shallow monitor wells watch |
| process. The restoration process, after the mining is | | | | over any overlying drinking water aquifers. The |
| completed, actually returns the aquifer back to its | | | | monitor wells are very close to the well field. The |
| pre-mining conditions. There is no way the aquifer is | | | | mining process is done by pumping at such a rate so |
| contaminated or destroyed (by ISR mining). | | | | it brings the flow toward the production wells |
| StockInterview: Many environmentalists claim that by | | | | themselves. This assures the ground water flow is |
| removing the uranium, you are changing the aquifer. | | | | not moving the mining solution away from the |
| Is the aquifer much different than before mining took | | | | production wells. From a mining company's viewpoint, |
| place? | | | | it would be a huge waste if we could not control the |
| Bill Boberg: It's probably not a lot different. The | | | | fluids. We would have a huge expense in not being |
| formation of uranium deposits in the sandstones is a | | | | able to have the fluids go where we want them to. |
| result of oxygenated ground waters that came from | | | | As a result, we carefully set up the process to make |
| the surface, carrying uranium which is deposited | | | | sure the fluids are moving the way we need them to |
| when the oxygen is depleted or finally exhausted. | | | | go. The monitor wells assist us in knowing that we |
| The deposit is in place in the sandstone. As fresh | | | | have control of the water flow. The monitor wells |
| oxygen is brought down to that point, it will | | | | also assist the state government and the Nuclear |
| re-dissolve and move the uranium further along. | | | | Regulatory Commission in assuring that we have our |
| StockInterview: How do you know where in the | | | | fluid flow under control. |
| deposit to inject the fresh oxygen? | | | | StockInterview: What happens when the bells go off |
| Bill Boberg: On one side of the deposit is what we call | | | | or the alarm sounds at the monitor wells? |
| altered or oxidized sands. On the down dip side of | | | | Bill Boberg: If any of the wells give a suggestion of |
| the deposit are the reduced sands. There is no | | | | the potential of mining solutions getting into the |
| oxygen in those sands. Any fluid that carries uranium | | | | vicinity of the monitor wells, we would immediately |
| into the reduced sands is going to use up the oxygen | | | | stop the injection of solutions, and use 'overpumping' |
| and immediately deposit the uranium by natural | | | | to draw the solutions back into the mine area. |
| processes. The mining process adds additional oxygen | | | | Monitor wells are there to ensure we can see what's |
| to the water in the deposit itself to cause the | | | | happening in the area. They are there to enable us to |
| uranium to go into solution. Then, it can be pumped | | | | ensure our operations are being done properly. If a |
| up to the surface. The area of reduced sand that is | | | | solution does happen to get into the monitor well, |
| downstream from the deposit is still there. It is the | | | | that's not really such a bad thing. It's telling us we |
| contact between the altered or oxidized sand and | | | | need to make some corrections and move forward. |
| the reduced sand that causes the uranium to be | | | | Monitor wells help us develop better controls in the |
| precipitated into the sand itself. As the natural ground | | | | natural system we are dealing with. |
| water flow carries the uranium into the reduced | | | | StockInterview: How do you restore the water back |
| sands, natural processes will cause the uranium to | | | | to it pre-mining quality? |
| precipitate out of the ground water, if there is some | | | | Bill Boberg: The aquifer is usually restored using the |
| that did not get pumped to the surface and | | | | reverse osmosis process. It is a super-filtering |
| recovered during the mining operation. | | | | process. We can also use other techniques, like |
| StockInterview: How do you control the water flow | | | | reduction or bio-remediation. But, reverse osmosis is |
| during the ISR mining process? | | | | probably the one that would be more commonly |
| Bill Boberg: The fluid flow is controlled by pumping the | | | | used. More than 99 percent of the water used in the |
| production well at a greater rate than the injection | | | | mining process is recirculated. It's put back in the |
| wells which are injecting the fluid. In other words, we | | | | aquifer after it is restored at the surface. It's just the |
| create a flow to the production well because it is | | | | new volumes of newly restored water that are |
| being pumped at a greater rate than the fluid being | | | | pumped back through the mined area to assure that |
| pumped into the surrounding injection wells. By doing | | | | it's returned to pre-mine conditions. Only the small |
| this, we end up with a certain amount of 'bleed.' The | | | | volumes of water, which are left with more |
| majority of the ground water is returned to the | | | | concentration, may be either evaporated or distilled |
| aquifer on a regular basis. About one-half to one | | | | to create a solid waste for disposal. Or, they would |
| percent of the water used in the system is actually | | | | be disposed of in a licensed disposal well. |
| 'bled' out because we are pumping the production | | | | StockInterview: Could you explain the deep disposal |
| wells at a greater rate - between one-half to one | | | | process? |
| percent greater rate than what we are injecting. | | | | Bill Boberg: Deep disposal is an activity which is strictly |
| That's how we control the flow from the injection | | | | licensed and monitored by the states. It's not for just |
| wells into the production wells. | | | | when the mining activity is completed, but probably |
| StockInterview: What is the solution you'll be using | | | | something to be used throughout the mining activity. |
| during the ISR process in Wyoming? | | | | What this amounts to is this: the waste water is |
| Bill Boberg: This will be an alkaline solution - basically | | | | injected into a very deep rock unit. The disposal well |
| just the addition of carbonate and oxygen to normal | | | | is too deep and with such poor water quality that it |
| ground water. The carbonate could be in the form of | | | | could never be used for drinking water. These wells |
| simple bicarbonate of soda or the gaseous carbon | | | | are commonly 6,000 or more feet in depth. The |
| dioxide itself. The solution being used has been | | | | containment qualities of the deep disposal rock unit |
| described as not much different than Perrier® | | | | have to be able to contain the disposed water |
| water. The solution is not something out of the realm | | | | without a potential for leakage into other rock units. |
| of normal ground water, and would cause no one | | | | This is a common and well-accepted method for fluid |
| any problem. The combination of the carbon dioxide | | | | disposal. It is strictly licensed and monitored. We are |
| or bicarbonate of soda and oxygen in the ground | | | | currently evaluating both our project areas, through |
| water is really quite a benign solution. But, it changes | | | | the use of old oil and gas drill logs, in the area for |
| the chemical character sufficiently that it causes the | | | | rock units which could be favorable for the installation |
| uranium to go into solution. It's really just reversing | | | | of deep disposal wells. As I said before, the deep |
| the process that caused uranium to be deposited in | | | | disposal well is for a small percentage of the whole |
| the first place. Uranium is precipitated in a 'reduced | | | | volume of water that will be handled. |
| form.' The alkaline solution just reverses the | | | | StockInterview: How can the environmentalists be |
| deposit-forming process by using the water already in | | | | assured that the water will be restored to its |
| the deposit. Adding oxygen to it enables the uranium | | | | pre-mining conditions? |
| to go into solution, and then be brought up to the | | | | Bill Boberg: Wyoming and Nebraska have a similar law, |
| surface. There the uranium is stripped out on the | | | | which requires 100-percent bonding for reclamation. |
| polycarbonate resin in the ion exchange column. | | | | The bonds are a result of a calculation, depending on |
| StockInterview: But, other areas in the world, such | | | | various qualities of the deposit and how the mining |
| as Kazakhstan, rely upon sulphuric acid in the in situ | | | | will be conducted, which determines what it would |
| recovery uranium mining method. | | | | cost the state to compete restoration if the |
| Bill Boberg: Sulphuric acid will not be used as part of | | | | company went bankrupt, or was not able to do any |
| our in situ mining process. The sandstone deposits in | | | | more work in restoring the mine. It is a complete |
| Wyoming region are very suitable for alkaline-type in | | | | 100-percent bonding that is determined in advance. |
| situ mining. The use of acid for in situ mining is | | | | It's probably in the range of tens of millions of dollars, |
| considered suitable only under certain geologic | | | | which would be required for the bonding. |
| conditions, particularly in areas of very poor water | | | | COPYRIGHT © 2007 by StockInterview, Inc. |
| quality. Where we've got good water quality in the | | | | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. |