BLM seeks public comment on proposed uranium mine

The BLM has drafted an Environmental Impact Statement on a proposed uranium mine near Rawlins. The project would stretch over more than 4,000 acres of land and would use in-situ technology, where they inject fluid into the ground to extract the uranium and then bring it to the surface to process.

Dennis Carpenter, the BLM’s Rawlins Field Manager, says the project doesn’t raise many concerns.

“It’s a pretty small project by most of our standards,” Carpenter said, adding that the area has been mined in the past.

Still, the Biodiversity Conservation Alliance is concerned that the project is in core Sage Grouse territory.  Carpenter admits that is something to look closely at.

In the EIS, the BLM suggests some changes to the proposed project, including adding an on-site facility to dry the yellowcake slurry that’s extracted. Carpenter says that would reduce vehicle traffic.

The public has until June 11 to comment on the project.