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Uranium Mining

Uranium Mining. Three Main Types Strip Mining Tunnel Mining In-Situ Mining Texas: In-Situ Mining. What is In-Situ Mining?. A basic or acidic leaching solution is injected into the ground.

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Uranium Mining

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  1. Uranium Mining Three Main Types Strip Mining Tunnel Mining In-Situ Mining Texas: In-Situ Mining

  2. What is In-Situ Mining? • A basic or acidic leaching solution is injected into the ground. • The solution flows through the rock and dissolves the uranium (plus a whole bunch of other heavy metals including releasing Radon gas). • The dissolved metals are then brought to the surface through recovery wells.

  3. Scheme of Normal ISL Operation

  4. Wellfield in Wyoming

  5. Conventional vs. In-Situ mining • In-situ mining: • Uses leach solution to recover ore • Ore in place (no rock movement) • Little or no surface disturbance • No tailing or any significant waste • Major environmental and closure advantages • Substantial reduction in water use • Cost-effective • Source of information: Water Management Consultants

  6. Leach Solution • Alkaline leaching – typically ammonium carbonate [(NH4)2CO3]or sodium bicarbonate, • Acid leaching (mostly for uranium silicate) – typically weak sulfuric acid [H2SO4] enriched with air sparging or ferric iron • Source of information: Water Management Consultants

  7. Problems with Uranium In-Situ Mining • High probability of uncontrolled and irreversible groundwater contamination. • Emission of Radon gas into the atmosphere. • Contaminated waste from dissolved heavy metals.

  8. Uranium mining in Texas

  9. Nuclear Power Plants in US

  10. Comanche Peak Power Plant, Glen Rose, TX Source: P. A. Scholle & D. S. Ulmer-Scholle, 1997, SEPM Photo CD-14, Environmental Sciences 5, SEPM, Tulsa, OK.

  11. Cost of Nuclear vs. Coal • After taking into consideration fuel, maintenance, taxes, fees, capital, decommissioning, etc. : • Coal = 29.1Mw-hr • Nuclear = 30.0Mw-hr • Nuclear is slightly more expensive than coal

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