White Mesa Uranium Mill
Energy Fuels Resources (USA) Inc. (EFR) operates the White Mesa Uranium Mill, located approximately six miles south of Blanding. Prior to Energy Fuels Inc., taking ownership of the Mill in August, 2012, it was operated by Denison Mines (USA) Corporation from December, 2006 to August 2012. Proceeding Denison Mines, the facility was operated by International Uranium (USA) Corporation.
The Mill License was originally issued by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission as a source material license under 10 CFR Part 40 on March 31, 1980. It was renewed by the NRC in 1987 and again in 1997. After the State of Utah became an Agreement State for uranium mills in August, 2004, the Mill License was reissued by the Executive Secretary as a State of Utah Radioactive Materials License on February 16, 2005.
The White Mesa Mill operates under the following DEQ permits:
- Air Quality Approval Order DAQE-AN0112050018-11
- Groundwater Discharge Permit No. UGW370004 (Current)
- Radioactive Materials License No. UT1900479 (Current)
Current Activities
Regulations
Air Quality
- NESHAP Subpart W
- R307-101. General Requirements
- R307-107. General Requirements: Unavoidable Breakdown
- R307-150. Emission Inventories
- R307-401. Permit: Notice of Intent and Approval Order
Radiation Control
- R313-12 General Provisions
- R313-14 Violations and Escalated Enforcement
- R313-15 Standards for Protection Against Radiation
- R313-17 Administrative Procedures
- R313-18 Notices, Instructions and Reports to Workers by Licensees or Registrants—Inspections
- R313-19 Requirements of General Applicability to Licensing of Radioactive Material
- R313-22 Specific Licenses
- R313-24 Uranium Mills and Source Material Mill Tailings Disposal Facility Requirements
- R313-70 Payments, Categories and Types of Fees
Water Quality
Compliance History
Project information
Cells
- Cell 4A Re-lining Project
- New Tailings Cell 4B Construction Project
- Tailings Cell 4B Proposed Construction
- Tailings Cell 4B Engineering Design Report
- Tailings Cell 4B Environmental Report
- Tailings Cell 4B Permit Modification and License Amendment
- Tailings Cell 4B Radioactive Materials License Amendment Application (06/11/08)—Author: Denison.
- Tailings Cell 4B April 13, 2010 DUSA Application for Approval of Modification of an Existing Source, Utah Division of Air Quality Approval Order No. DAQE-AN0112050008-08
Groundwater
- Background Groundwater Quality Report for Existing Wells
- Background Groundwater Quality Report for New Wells
- Background Groundwater Quality Report for Wells MW-35, MW-36 and MW-37
- Chloroform Ground Water Corrective Action Project
- Fansteel Alternate Feed Proposal
- Groundwater Compliance Limit Modification Requests
- Hydrogeology Investigation Report
- Nitrate Ground Water Corrective Action Project
- University of Utah Groundwater Age and Isotopic Fingerprinting Study
- Final Report (05/19/08)—Author: U of U
- Preliminary Data (02/01/08)—Author: U of U
Other
- 2021 Groundwater Permit Modification
- Moffat Tunnel Alternate Feed Application
- Silmet Alternate Feed Request
- Dawn Mining Corporation Midnite Mine Alternate Feed Request
- License Renewal Application
- Permit Renewal Application
- Request to Cease Monthly Radon Flux Sampling Tailings Cell 2: Radioactive Material License Number UT 1900479 (07/29/14)
- Sequoyah Fuels Corporation Alternate Feed Request
- Comments from Review of “Application by Denison Mines (USA) Corp (‘Denison’) for an amendment to State of Utah Radioactive Materials License No 1900479 (12/04/12)—Comments from Review of “Application by Denison Mines (USA) Corp (‘Denison’) for an amendment to State of Utah Radioactive Materials License No 1900479 for the White Mesa Uranium mill (the ‘Mill’) to authorize processing of Sequoyah Fuels Corporation, Inc (‘SFC’) alternate feed material (‘Uranium Material’)” dated December 15, 2011.
- Application by Denison Mines (USA) Corp. (“Denison”) for an amendment to State of Utah Radioactive Materials License No. 1900479 (12/15/11)—Application by Denison Mines (USA) Corp. (“Denison”) for an amendment to State of Utah Radioactive Materials License No. 1900479 for the White Mesa Uranium Mill (the Mill”) to authorize processing of Sequoyah Fuels Corporation, Inc. (“SFC”) alternate feed material (the “Uranium Material”).
Reports
- Quarterly Groundwater Monitoring Reports
- Quarterly Chloroform Monitoring Reports
- Quarterly Nitrate Monitoring Reports
- Semi-Annual Effluent Monitoring Reports
- Annual Tailings Wastewater Sampling Report
- Annual Seeps and Springs Sampling Report
Repository
Information listed in this section is not intended to be all inclusive. To see public records that are not posted, please contact us.
USGS Report
On February 8, 2012 the U.S. Geological Survey published a report of an assessment of potential migration of radionuclides and trace elements from the White Mesa Uranium Mill to the surrounding areas. DWMRC preliminary review findings were shared with the public in a July 9, 2012 meeting in Blanding.
About Radiation
For those wanting to learn more about Radiation, we recommend Radiation Answers, sponsored by the HealthPhysics Society.
Questions
Division of Waste Management & Radiation Control
Phil Goble (pgoble@utah.gov), Permitting and Licensing Activities: (385) 630-7733
Division of Air Quality
Jay Morris (jpmorris@utah.gov), Compliance Activities: (801) 536-4079