permitting uranium mines requires more than simply applying for mine clearance. And, as we discovered, can take this process between three and six years (sometimes even longer), at a cost of several million dollars, which need to numerous scientific studies on the property of the company. This could add further pressure on uranium prices.
stockinterview: After examining several company newsletters, and it seems that it was one of the first environmental studies are required archaeological survey. Why did before uranium mining?
richard blubaugh: archaeological surveys required to assess the cultural, paleontological and archaeological resources. It needs to be done to identify and protect these resources for each State - academically as well. You can not really go out and disrupt these areas without knowing what there is, what might be useful and might not. The first thing is to identify reputable and competent archaeologist or a group of professionals that have some archaeological Standing with regulatory community.
stockinterview: Why then do the Consultative Group?
richard blubaugh: they start with the literature review, which would go through the records and see if any previous studies have been done in this area. Those studies are archived in general or with the State archaeologists and historic preservation community. Then they better determine where to start and, in this case, and we are asking them to start drilling where our sites are located, because we want to clear these sites so that we can move forward and begin drilling activities we have. Then they will review the rest of the property. It could take anywhere from months to years, depending on what they found in a particular moment area.
stockinterview: What happens if there is anything of historical interest?
richard blubaugh: If you find something, and this does not mean you out of luck or your project is stalled. It means only that it is being taken a bit of time and effort to deal. They usually are negotiating process under federal procedures, in consultation 106 branches. If determined to be eligible, then it needs to be further research and negotiation, which are often heroes. You as a fence or mark it in some way away from that. But if you have an area where there is the inconvenience of cultural assets, and then it requires mitigation through drilling, identifying, recording and imaging and reporting on all this, if any. Then, the things that are often removed and archived in museum.
stockinterview: What archaeological consultants look for when going over your land?
richard blubaugh: items such as dinosaur bones or ancient stone tools and baskets, and historical resources, which fall within the last few hundred years, since the white man on the continent. You can get the buildings, an old school building or some other states that the structure had some importance, which is perhaps one hundred years or more old.
stockinterview: How your initial review of powertech in South Dakota look with respect to this part of the environmental studies?
richard blubaugh: We are fortunate in our office Dewey Burdock project in South Dakota. Previous parties concerned with the location, time and variable amplifier Silver King mine, and already done a lot of work on the archaeological site. Because the data is old more than 20 years, and we have to go out and stresses it does not miss anything about the survey earlier. I talked to the Office of the State last week. Evidence suggests that there is something, however, eligible at the project site. But there are a number of works of art, mostly in the nature of stone flakes, points, Arrowheads, and this type of thing.
stockinterview: What are some of the other environmental studies that need to be done?
richard blubaugh: There were twelve or more specialized disciplines to be studied, such as meteorology, archaeology, palaeontology science, seismology, and vegetation, wildlife and soil. You look at all aspects of the environment that could be affected your operations or would affect your operations.
stockinterview: Why are you doing a study of meteorology when uranium mining l?
richard blubaugh: so that you know which way the wind is blowing. Often takes a whole year worth of data to determine the accuracy with which the prevailing wind direction. Existing data in weather stations around the country, at the federal level and installations, in the cities, and so on, but the focus, and I think the key phrase is, and identify the site. Besides the air quality and meteorology. We also take samples from the air and send candidates in the analysis of that and we know what kind of pollutants in the air before the start of operations. From the information they need to determine who is most likely to be contaminated if, for example, do you have some kind of accident. We collect the data obtained to enter the computer programs for nrc.
stockinterview: What other kind of data needed to assess you?
richard blubaugh: you have to determine whether there are other economic resources in the region, and whether you will be influential in addition to the potential recovery, and that of oil and gas, or sand and gravel. If you have wetlands or surface water will then also get to study these creatures. Usually you look at the fish, but you can also look at reptiles and frogs until on.
stockinterview: Of course, water testing?
richard blubaugh: We have two pump tests included in our exploration plan. Pump tests are going to be up front. What happens to be the first thing we do for the groundwater, especially the Dewey project. We will probably be starting from the baseline for monitoring groundwater in the centennial project by the month of June. I expect it will be pretty close to that Dewey Burdock as well. In surface water hydrology, water quality, and we have to test even if we have no management tables in the project or near the project area, you have to do your sub on the basis of that surface water, and the identification of water quality and water quantity also.
stockinterview: What Water studies determined?
richard blubaugh: environmentally, it tells you, sort of like meteorology, and the manner in which the flow of water, what kind of water and Quality - Hakim, and in the water. It also provides some data for production, the permeability, pluralism, porosity and those types of things. Pluralism relate how quickly the movement of water in the ground and the speed of water in the ground, namely that such a large number of feet per year.
stockinterview: Why learning by doing and some of these other studies, and what needs?
richard Blubaugh: we have to identify each type of soil and map it. We must be able to represent the soil that needed to be strengthened or through reclamation. Actually, it& 39;s quite an extensive project, and certainly the soil radiometrics is a part. With plants you look productivity - how you biomass of a particular region and also vegetation; what percentage of the underground is covered by the plant material and plants growing. You identify different species. Wildlife is very similar to. You have to go into all kinds. Each one has different habitats person Showing somewhere.
stockinterview: What were you doing seismic study?
richard blubaugh: to deal with earthquakes and the degree of risk of any magnitude earthquake, particularly in the region. This goes into your factors design of the structures, and even bookings on.
stockinterview: & 39; and bugs, rabbits & 39; survey?
richard blubaugh: Yes, and I am glad that you mentioned. This usually refer to those studies, but it & 39; sa lot more bugs and rabbits. We do not study the insects. This kind of a misnomer when we say bugs and rabbits. Survey wildlife in our region, which as a threat, habitats and endangered species - from birds to bears. Plants and animals, and this includes the vegetation and wildlife in one frame term.
stockinterview: How long does it take to complete these studies?
richard blubaugh: usually, and the collection of baseline data - a kind of umbrella name for all these different disciplines that you have to go to study the project and the surrounding region surrounding areas. The basis of your data collection period usually extends from year to year and a quarter. In some cases, which could vary depending on the state or the other major agencies, but generally, you look at the year by the time until you take the data and massage, and put your plan into programmes to get the results and preparation of your applications to the various agencies concerned. You are looking for about a year and a half to two years on the outside of your applications. The next step will be to take the process of obtaining permits after you submit it and get all this information in your own applications. This is a little more variable and, again, depends on the agencies and the participation of whether you had federal agencies such as the Norwegian Refugee Council, the Environmental Protection Agency (which usually will get the Environmental Protection Agency in any case), if you had blm involved or services forest. All these factors help along & 39; s going to take.
stockinterview: What is the general procedure: How much paperwork involved, which reviews it?
richard blubaugh: it will be several volumes by the time you. You could be looking at anywhere from four to six of those files 3 inches. It would all go to the NRC and the State agency. You would not send all of this to the Environmental Protection Agency. They merely focused on the groundwater so that you withdraw groundwater in all things, and they may have some additional requirements that go epa.
stockinterview: What if the accumulated data is incomplete?
richard blubaugh: All agencies what they call completeness review, even when the application comes in, the first thing we do is to complete the review and make sure that all that is required is in the group, in the application. This even before we consider any of the content. They simply look forward to seeing all the pieces are there. Therefore, the NRC has indicated that they are going to take a closer look during the review of perfection, which he said could last up to 90 days. But it is more than just a review of perfection. It & 39; sa perfect and the adequacy of the review, which means that at the end of that period, and if your application is complete and sufficient, then they are going to continue to review the application for the licence. If were not full, and then what it is going to do is to return it to you. It is going to be a little more pronounced in the Therefore, it is not yet complete, and where are the deficiencies that will give you a good idea of the last thing you need to do. At this point, then, go to the EIS (environmental impact study) process. The EIS process has been observed to take anywhere from 18 to 24 months, and if you are strong opposition.
stockinterview: How the cost of environmental permitting process?
richard blubaugh: it does not cost a small wealth. Costs are going to vary again depending on the project, or whether the area is not required EIS, all these different factors will come into play. (Note Reporter: We check with Strathmore Minerals & 39; John dejoia and uranerz & 39; s Glen catchpole energy, and both emphasized that the environmental studies are likely to cost about $ 1/pound limits of the uranium mined on the project company. (
stockinterview: powertech Let& 39;s take an example. "How long will this process take to complete your company that you could mines in Dewey Burdock (South Dakota) or Centennial (Colorado)?
richard blubaugh: We look at South Dakota, where we have the Norwegian Refugee Council. when we talk about the Norwegian of refugees and EIS process, 2010 or 2011 what you probably consider there. however, for Colorado, in our case, we already have our schedule in place and we selected consultants, we are going to see. however, and this is without a mill. we look at the traditional mining One of our deposits - open - before 2010.
stockinterview: Where would the ore Get Mtahon? would have it trucked to the mill?
richard blubaugh: I was talking to Sweetwater. will work just like it was any facility other truckers, but we were dangerous for a licence from the transfer point (Ministry of Transportation). then there is a fence. our rail close to all our facilities in our planned operations in South Dakota and colorado.
stockinterview: How to avoid dealing with the Federal Agency?
richard blubaugh: Agreement States -- -- Texas, Utah, and Colorado - have no EIS requirement. have requirements that are almost similar to the EIS requirement, but some do not. if you go to build a new processing facility, then yes, there will be environmental. But if you simply going to build a satellite facility, or if you go to build or open mines have underground mining facilities to the traditional, and you do not need to eis.
stockinterview: Are you with the World Health Organization in dealing with South Dakota?
richard Blubaugh: In South Dakota , a key player called the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). within that group, and that they complete the full House of experts and regulators. with the quality of groundwater, surface water quality, water rights, air quality, and all of these jobs, there is also a range of metals and mining and this is the program. that will be our primary contact point.
stockinterview: At the federal level?
richard blubaugh: Because South Dakota is not an agreement for the State, will work with two of the largest federal agencies in addition to: NRC) and the Environmental Protection Agency. Environmental Protection Agency issues approvals of the Office of the Italian exchange is basically control the injection wells and aquifer exemption process. NRC issues source materials and product license. having to do anything with the processing of uranium goes to the nrc.
copyright stockinterview 2007, a limited company (all reserved.
james rights Finch contributes stockinterview.com and other publications. focus on uranium mining and nuclear fuel in the sector resulted in wide popularity " investment in the great bull market uranium, which is available " now http://www.stockinterview. com and http://www.amazon.com daryl christopher
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