Misleading Geophysical Arguments from Uranium Mining in Virginia

A 2012 National Research Council (NRC) report on uranium mining in Virginia contains multiple references to ―steep hurdles to be surmounted‖ for uranium to be safely mined in the Commonwealth. The report repeatedly refers to ―extreme‖ climatic events, primarily those responsible for producing historical Virginia floods, two of which were associated with near-record rainfall over the lower 48 states. The NRC report also emphasizes potential seismic hazards in the Commonwealth. However, had the NRC report compared the climate and the seismic characteristics near the only economically viable deposit in the state (Coles Hill, Virginia, a location where a uranium mining and milling operation is being considered) to other areas where uranium has been successfully mined and/or processed, it would have concluded that the geophysics in the local vicinity of Coles Hill are rather benign compared some of these other locations both in the U.S. and worldwide. Further, had the NRC report examined the impacts of anthropogenerated climate change, it would have concluded that the level of threat, even under worse case scenarios, does not rise to jeopardize a well-planned and properly designed mine and tailing storage facility at Coles Hill.

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