Transcript Peter`s presentation for the uranium mining convention.

Uranium Mining in
Virginia
Peter L. deFur, Ph.D
ESC, LLC
Environmental Studies at VCU
NRC Study Committee member
Summary and
highlights
From the
NRC report
And
My Own
Perspective
FIGURE 3.6 Distribution of Middle to Late Proterozoic granites
and gneisses of the Blue Ridge belt, together with complexly
deformed mylonites, shear zones, and cataclasites. SOURCE:
modified from Lassetter (2010).
FIGURE 3.4 Aeroradiometric map of Virginia showing the
concentration of uranium (eU) in the top few centimeters of
rock or soil, derived by reprocessing National Uranium
Resource Evaluation (NURE) Program aerial gamma-ray
data. SOURCE: Kucks (2005).
Fig. 6.2 Waste management (tailings) at JEB pit, McClean Lake in Sasketchewan
Figure 4. Contribution of various sources to individual total radiation exposure
(from NCRP 2009)
Commercial
3%
Irrigation
4%
Mining
1%
Agriculture
8%
Manufacturing
Manufacturing
47%
Public Water Supply
Agriculture
Irrigation
Public Water
Supply
37%
Commercial
Mining
Figure 7.1 Average groundwater use
in Virginia by category 2003 –
2007 (2008_AWRR).
Manufacturing includes
operations such as paper mills,
food processors, drug companies,
furniture, and concrete
companies; Public water supply
includes municipal and private
water purveyors; Agriculture
includes operations such as
commodity farms, fish farms and
hatcheries; Irrigation
withdrawals are used to promote
growth in crops such as tobacco,
corn, soybeans, turf grass, and
ornamental nursery products;
Commercial operations include
golf courses, local and federal
installations, hotels, and
laundromats; Mining includes
operations such as sand, rock,
and coal companies
Streams are sensitive to salts, sediment, shade, temperature and flow
Terrestrial and aquatic life may be affected by discharges and
runoff. With annual average rainfall of 43 inches for the state
and 45 inches in Danville, water will be an issue.
Issues- my own reflections
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$, not public service or benefit
Greatest unknowns
Risks, not assessment
Virginia is neither ready nor capable
Questions?