[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 66 (Wednesday, April 6, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-8181]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: April 6, 1994]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 04009024]

 

Energy Fuels Nuclear, Inc.; Receipt of Application from Energy 
Fuels Nuclear, Inc, for a Source Material License

    Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 
(the Commission) has received, by letter dated November 18, 1993 from 
Energy Fuels Nuclear, Inc., an application for a source material 
license to commercially produce uranium oxide by in-situ leaching (ISL) 
of uranium ores, at its Reno Creek, Wyoming ISL facility.
    The facility will be located approximately 12 miles southwest of 
the town of Wright, in Campbell County, Wyoming. The operation is 
anticipated to extract about 181,440 kilograms (400,000 pounds)   of   
uranium   oxide (U3 O8) per year, with a maximum 
quantity of 7000 kilograms (15,400 pounds) of source material on site 
at any one time.
    The applicant plans to use a series of injection wells, which will 
introduce hydrogen peroxide and sodium carbonate/bicarbonate 
(lixiviant) into the ore zone; and extract the mobilized uranium 
through a series of pumping wells. The uranium-rich water will be 
routed to an on-site processing building (satellite plant) where the 
uranium will be concentrated in ion-exchange resin tanks. The uranium-
depleted fluids will be recharged with lixiviant and recirculated into 
the ore zone through the injection wells to mobilize more uranium. The 
loaded ion-exchange resin will be hydraulically transferred to tank 
trucks and periodically shipped to another NRC-licensed facility for 
elution and further processing. The designed production rate for total 
circulation of leaching solutions will be about 7570 liters per minute 
(2000 gallons per minute).
    Following the extraction of the uranium from the ore zone, the 
ground water affected by the mining operation will be restored to a 
quality of use equal to or better than the water uses prior to 
extraction operations. The ground-water restoration techniques will 
include pumping the well field without lixiviant injection (ground-
water sweep), followed by circulating and injecting water treated by 
reverse osmosis to achieve final restoration. Ground-water quality will 
be monitored in perimeter monitoring wells during extraction operations 
and ground-water restoration activities.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Michael C. Layton, Uranium Recovery Branch, Division of Low-Level Waste 
Management and Decommissioning, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555, (301) 504-2584. Availability of License 
Application by Energy Fuels Nuclear, Inc.
    Energy Fuels Nuclear, Inc.'s source material license application 
and supporting documents, which describe the proposed in-situ leach 
facility, location, facility operations, and design, is being made 
available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document 
Room at 2120 L Street, NW. (Lower Level), Washington, DC 20555. 
Opportunity for Hearing on License Application Request by Energy Fuels 
Nuclear, Inc.
    The licensee and any person whose interest may be affected by the 
issuance of this license may file a request for hearing. A request for 
hearing must be filed with the Office of the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555, within 30 days of the 
publication of this notice in the Federal Register; be served on the 
NRC staff (Executive Director for Operations, One White Flint North, 
11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852); be served on the applicant 
(Energy Fuels Nuclear, Inc., 1200 17th Street, suite 2500, Denver, 
Colorado 80202); and must comply with the requirements set forth in the 
Commission's regulations, 10 CFR 2.105 and 2.714. The request for 
hearing must set forth with particularity the interest of the 
petitioner in the proceeding and how that interest may be affected by 
the results of the proceeding, including the reasons why the request 
should be granted, with particular reference to the following factors:

    1. The nature of the petitioner's right, under the Atomic Energy 
Act, to be made a party to the proceeding;
    2. The nature and extent of the petitioner's property, financial 
or other interest in the proceeding; and
    3. The possible effect, on the petitioner's interest, of any 
order which may be entered in the proceeding.

    The request must also set forth the specific aspect or aspects of 
the subject matter of the proceeding as to which petitioner wishes a 
hearing.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 30th day of March 1994.
    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Joseph J. Holonich,
Acting Chief, Uranium Recovery Branch, Division of Low-Level Waste 
Management and Decommissioning, Office of Nuclear Materials Safety and 
Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 94-8181 Filed 4-5-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M