Northern Arizona uranium mine proposed on State Trust Lands

A joint venture between Uranium One and VANE Minerals is proposing to mine uranium from a breccia pipe on State Trust Lands in northern Arizona where federal lands have been withdrawn.[Right, location map of proposed breccia pipe mine. Credit, VANE Minerals]

According to a story in the Arizona (Flagstaff) Daily Sun, Wate Mining Co. has filed plans with the State Land Dept. to develop an underground mine that would "produce 500,000 pounds of uranium ore per year, employ 50 to 70, use 10 gallons of water annually, and later backfill the site with the rock that was removed during mining."  

[Update, 3-5-13:   We spoke with Kris Hefton at VANE and he said there are errors in the news story.  They expect 4-5 years for permitting and development of the mine, with production lasting about two years.  The NI-43-101 estimated about a resource of 1.1 million pounds, so that calculates out to roughly 500,000 lbs of uranium oxide, not ore,  per year for two years.]

VANE Minerals and Uranium One posted online an updated NI-43-101 Technical Report on the Wate Uranium Breccia Pipe, that was prepared by Tucson-based SRK Consulting.   [Right above, view of nearby Miller breccia pipe, showing typical landscape in the area.  Left, exploration drilling at the Wate breccia pipe in 2009.   Both photos courtesy of VANE Minerals]