Skip to main content

Currently Skimming:

Summary
Pages 1-10

The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.


From page 1...
... In 1982, the Commonwealth of Virginia enacted a statewide moratorium on uranium mining, although approval for restricted uranium exploration in the state was granted in 2007. In 2009, the National Research Council was commissioned to prepare a report describing the scientific, technical, environmental, human health and safety, and regulatory aspects of uranium mining and processing as they relate to the Commonwealth of Virginia, with the ultimate objective of providing independent, expert advice to help inform decisions about uranium mining and processing in Virginia.
From page 2...
... The task statement required scientific and technical analysis, and although the social context is included as a required com ponent, consideration of the potential socioeconomic impacts of uranium mining and processing was outside the committee's purview. The task statement for the committee specifically noted that the study should not make recommendations about whether or not uranium mining should be permitted, and would not include site-specific assessments.
From page 3...
... Consequently, a final design would require extensive site-specific analysis, and accordingly it is not possible at this stage to predict what specific type of uranium mining or processing might apply to ore deposits in Virginia.1 • Uranium recovery from ores is primarily a hydrometallurgical process using chemical processes with industrial chemicals, with a lesser dependence on physical processes such as crushing and grinding. • Mine design -- whether open pit or underground -- requires detailed engineering planning that would include pit and rock stability considerations, as well 1 The report notes that in situ leaching/in situ recovery (ISL/ISR)
From page 4...
... • In 1987, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recognized that current occupational standards for radon exposure in the United States do not provide adequate protection for workers at risk of lung cancer from protracted radon decay exposure, recommending that the occupa tional exposure limit for radon decay products should be reduced substantially.
From page 5...
... Of particular importance is the body of evidence from occupational studies showing that both silica and diesel exhaust exposure increase the risk of lung cancer, the main risk also associated with radon decay product exposure. To the extent that cigarette smoking poses further risk in absolute terms, there is potential for increased disease, including combined effects that are more than just additive.
From page 6...
... Although significant improvements have been made in recent years to tailings management engineering and designs to isolate mine waste from the environment, limited data exist to confirm the long-term effectiveness of uranium tailings management facilities that have been designed and constructed according to modern best practices. • Significant potential environmental risks are associated with extreme natural events and failures in management practices.
From page 7...
... • There is no federal law that specifically applies to uranium mining on non-federally owned lands; state laws and regulations have jurisdiction over these mining activities. Federal and state worker protection laws, and federal and state environmental laws, variously apply to occupational safety and health, and air, water, and land pollution resulting from mining activities.
From page 8...
... At a more specific level, this report contains best-practice guidelines that encompass a diverse range of issues that would need to be addressed during planning for any uranium mining and processing project: • A number of detailed specific best-practice documents (e.g., guidelines produced by the World Nuclear Association, International Atomic Energy Agency, and International Radiation Protection Association) exist that describe accepted international best practices for uranium mining and processing projects.
From page 9...
... • Because the impacts of uranium mining and processing projects are, by their nature, localized, modern best practice is for project implementation and operations, whenever possible, to provide benefits and opportunities to the local region and local communities. • Regulatory programs are inherently reactive, and as a result the standards contained in regulatory programs represent only a starting point for establish ing a protective and proactive program for protecting worker and public health, environmental resources, and ecosystems.
From page 10...
... 10 URANIUM MINING IN VIRGINIA reviewing numerous documents, and extensive deliberations, the committee is convinced that the adoption and rigorous implementation of such practices would be necessary if uranium mining, processing, and reclamation were to be undertaken in the Commonwealth of Virginia.


This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More information on Chapter Skim is available.