Dave Robatcek reported in 2013 that most productive uranium mine in the U.S., the Cameco Resources Smith Ranch-Highland mining facility in Converse County, has been in operation for more than a quarter of a century, the only Wyoming mine to endure all the highs and lows of the volatile market over the last few decades and still remain profitable and operational. With the price of uranium presently depressed (although predicted to increase soon), the company is carefully proceeding with its expansion plans, which include several satellite facilities around the state whose production would be brought to Smith Ranch-Highland for processing.
Cameco last year took cost-cutting measures, closing its main office in Cheyenne, eliminating some positions and consolidating its U.S. headquarters in its Casper office. Other Wyoming operators also have had layoffs during the last few years, including Uranium One, which in 2013 laid off 26 Wyoming employees, including 10 at its main office in Casper.
Now, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing rules that could further hinder the profitability of Cameco and other in-situ recovery (ISR) uranium mining operations in the U.S. The proposed new rule would establish groundwater restoration goals and monitoring requirements that Cameco officials say would hurt the industry. Among the new requirements would be long-term stability monitoring. The proposed rule would require ISR operators to monitor groundwater for 30 years after demonstrating that the original ground water chemistry has been restored and is stable. The new rule does not appear to be based on science, and socioeconomic impacts have not been explored of such a extreme requirement.
[Also see: http://i2mconsultants.com/downloads/corp/RiceSassReport-2011Vers1.12.pdf ]
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