Here's an update on the propsed uranium mining project from Powertech Uranium Corp. up in Weld County, from the Longmont Daily Times-Call. They write, "A group of residents worries that a proposed uranium mine about 20 miles northeast of Fort Collins will contaminate Front Range water supplies and pollute the area with harmful amounts of radiation. But the company that plans to mine the land, Powertech Uranium Corp., says the uranium mining project will be safe for the environment and is necessary to provide fuel for the increasing number of nuclear power plants around the world...
"In October, Powertech Uranium Corp. bought 5,760 acres of uranium mineral rights -- 9 square miles -- between Wellington and Nunn northeast of Fort Collins. The mining plan, called the Centennial Project, is expected to produce about 4,750 tons of uranium, according to Powertech. The Canadian-based company will use a process called in-situ leaching to extract uranium from the land. In-situ leaching involves pumping treated water into the uranium-laced deposits, which dissolves the mineral so the uranium solution can be pumped to the surface. The solution is then shipped to a central processing plant, where the uranium is removed from the water. The location of the processing plant was not disclosed. After the uranium is removed, the water is cleaned and returned to the area. Opponents of the mining operation say the water may be contaminated when it is returned to the earth, polluting the water supplies with radioactive waste...
"Uranium is an abundant mineral necessary to provide fuel for nuclear power plants and, according to Powertech, is one of the Earth's cleanest sources of power. The United States has 103 reactors in 31 states, which produce about 20 percent of the country's electricity, according to the company. Powertech must get approval from several governmental regulatory agencies before it starts mining in Weld County. Powertech owns mineral rights for mining projects in Wyoming and South Dakota in addition to the Centennial Project in Weld County."
More Coyote Gulch coverage here.
"colorado water"
8:24:25 AM 
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