Information updated – Aug. 17, 2011
The Nebraska Department of Environment & Energy has approved a Class III Underground Injection Control Permit submitted by Crow Butte Resources Inc. This permit is associated with an expansion area for the Crow Butte uranium mining facility, in an area north of Crawford that is referred to as the North Trend Expansion Area (see map below).
The North Trend Expansion Area permit includes approximately 1,165 acres, and the production zone associated with the proposed Class III permit ranges from an approximate depth of 350 feet below ground surface at the northern and southern permit boundary to 700 feet below ground surface in the center of the permit boundary. Mining will consist of injection of a sodium carbonate/bicarbonate solution along with an oxidant to the uranium-bearing formation through a pattern of injection wells. The solution will be pumped from the recovery wells to the satellite plant where the uranium will be extracted.
NDEE conducted a public hearing 7 PM. June 22, 2011 in Crawford and accepted public comments prior to the hearing. NDEE developed a Responsiveness Summary to comments received, which has been mailed to commenters and is also provided below in “Related Documents.” Other documents provided below include: the final Class III permit; a Fact Sheet relating to the permit; and the Aquifer Exemption Order and related documents.
Location of the North Trend Expansion Area:
The legal description of the permitted area is:
Township 32 North, Range 52 West, Section 21, portions of the E ½ of the SE ¼, and portions of the SE ¼ of the NE ¼; Township 32 North, Range 52 West, Section 22, SW ¼, portions of the W ½ of the SE ¼, and the S ½ of the S ½ of the NW ¼; Township 32 North, Range 52 West, Section 27, W ½, and the W ½ of the E ½; Township 32 North, Range 52 West, Section 28, portions of the NE ¼ of the NE ¼, portions of the E ½ of the SE ¼ of the NE ¼, portions of the E ½ of the NE ¼ of the SE ¼; Township 32 North, Range 52 West, Section 34, portions of the NW ¼, portions of the SW ¼, and portions of the W ½ of the NE ¼. The department has made the preliminary decision to issue the Class III permit. The aerial extent of the Class III permitted area is approximately 1,165 acres.
In the map below, the shaded area north of Crawford is the area proposed to be permitted:
(See attached file: NTEA map.pdf)
Related documents
Responsiveness Summary | (See attached file: response summary.pdf) |
Class III Permit | (See attached file: Permit.pdf) |
Fact Sheet | (See attached file: FACT SHEET Class III.pdf) |
Aquifer Exemption Order and related documents | (See attached file: Aquifer Exemption Final Order and attachments.pdf) |
For more information about reviewing files and requesting copies, go to Request Public Records.
Other related links on this web site:
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