Chatham Star-Tribune
August 5, 2009
Opinion
It saddens me to think some can only think of $$ (dollar signs) and not the contamination and sickness from uranium mining and milling.
We, the citizens, have nothing to gain and everything to lose.
I would like to know when the price of uranium drops will Virginia Uranium Inc. or any other uranium mining companies handle their mining and milling operations like all the other mining companies in the world do?
Will you stop operations tempora[rily] or permanently until the price of uranium rises again?
Keep in mind, even if you are an experienced miner, these jobs could be part time; you might be laid off for months.
Can you support your family on a part-time job? Would you try and build or buy a house or buy a new vehicle knowing you might only work three to four months a year?
The only milling facility (White Mesa) in the United States has only operated a few months this year, and announced in May it would not process ore for the remainder of 2009 because its cost is higher than the spot price of uranium, according to Denison Mines president Ron Hochstein.
Let's not forget about all the part-time tax revenue for our county and state.
My understanding of the tax revenue from mining and milling operations is the company has to be running and the jobs being worked to get the tax revenue.
Our great state and county are not run on part-time taxes and jobs.
It might help, but it does not outweigh the contamination of our drinking water and land, the sickness to our families and the tax increases to clean up this mess if it ever could be cleaned up.
All I hear is we need to mine this uranium, get it out of the ground if it is so dangerous, it's a matter of national security, and we need to dig so we can power our nuclear plants now.
Well watch the price drop and you will see the mining stop.
The nuclear plants still need the uranium whether the price is high or low, but we have an excess of uranium, and the mining and milling will stop and start with the greed and costs of operations.
If dug up, the radon released with be 10,000 times more than if left in the ground.
What I feel is a matter of national security is destroying your own water and agriculture land and depending on foreign countries to feed you or provide you with drinking water.
Phillip Lovelace
Gretna
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