MISSION: Southwest Research and Information Center is a multi-cultural organization working to promote the health of people and communities, protect natural resources, ensure citizen participation, and secure environmental and social justice now and for future generations

SRIC's Mining and Milling Documents

Updated April 25, 2017

"After the Mining — What's the Clean-Up Plan?" on Australia National Radio. SRIC Research Director Paul Robinson, and colleagues Dr. Gavin Mudd (Australia), and Gerhard Schmidt (Germany), contributed to the radio documentary. April 23, 2017

Uranium Prices Fall to their Lowest Level In More than Ten Years: Global Uranium Price Trends, Reactor Plans, Uranium Resources and Information Sources Presented at Western Mining Action Network (WMAN) Biennial Conference, San Carlos, Arizona, Paul Robinson, Research Director, November 18, 2016

Best Practices for Uranium Mines and Mills: Where are they needed? Compiled for World Uranium Symposium, April 14–16, 2015, Quebec City, Canada. Presented by Paul Robinson, Research Director.

Uranium Issues in the Western US: Legacy, Current Production, Health Research and Resource Estimates, Compiled for World Uranium Symposium, April 14–16, 2015, Quebec City, Canada. Presented by Paul Robinson, Research Director.

Strategies for Addressing Accumulated Damage at Mining Sites: Legal Mechanisms in the US and Remedial Technology Options for A Selection of Pollution Problems at the Dzhidinski Mining District, Republic of Buryatia, Russia for presentation at Republic of Buryatia Seminar on Legal and Technical Strategies for Addressing Accumulated Damage at Mining Sites in the Republic of Buryatia, by Paul Robinson, Research Director. June 29, 2012

Observations Regarding Past and Potential Future Mining and Its Impacts At Bokan Mountain, Prince of Wales Island, Alaska: Potential Rare Earth Element Mining and Uranium Mine Remediation. Presented at Organized Village of Kasaan Mining Symposium, Paul Robinson, Research Director, May 10, 2012

RUSSIA Public discussion of the draft reclamation plan for the Karamkenskogo tailings dam, (English translation follows Russian text.) February 10, 2012.

MEXICO Arsenic in Baja California Sur: Occurrence in Soil, Water, and Mineral Deposits and Remediation Technologies and Their Estimated Costs Foro Agua y Arsenico: Problematica de Baja California Sur/ Water and Arsenic Forum: Problems in Baja California Sur La Paz, BCS, Mexico, December 9­10, 2011. Paul Robinson, Research Director, Southwest Research and Information Center

MEXICO Renewed Gold Mining in Planned in Baja California Sur: Water Supply-Related Information, March 7, 2011. Paul Robinson, Research Director, Southwest Research and Information Center

RUSSIA A compilation of documents related to the Karamken Gold Mine Tailings Dam break of August 28, 2009.

MEXICO Renewed Gold Mining in Planned in Baja California Sur: Location, Current Plans, Environmental Issues at Mines and Initial Observations about the Current Plans, June 2009. Paul Robinson, Research Director, Southwest Research and Information Center

A guide to support the expanded use of Citizen Environmental Rights in Magadan and Eastern Russia This Guide is compiled to help citizens of Magadan Oblast become familiar with their environmental rights, and to encourage them to participate in public decisions that are related to mining activities in their area. May 2005.

Mining and Mineral Development Management Policy in the Selenga River Watershed This paper provides an introduction to the scope of mining activity in the Selenga River watershed in both Russia and Mongolia. The Selenga River is the primary tributary to Lake Baikal and drains an area the size of France. The most significant past and current mine sites in the watershed are identified, environmental consequences of those operations are described and options for policy action to address environmental and social impacts are considered. The paper is in proceedings of: Science for Watershed Conservation: Multidisciplinary Approaches for Natural Resource Management Conference Convened by United States Geological Survey (USGS), Institute of General and Experimental Biology, Siberian Division -Russian Academy of Sciences, and Mongolian Academy of Sciences, September 1 - 8, 2004, Ulan-Ude, Russia and Ulanbaatar, Mongolia

A waste containment dam break spilled 160,000 cubic meters of coal ash into the Partizanskaya River and the Nahodka Bay watershed from a ring dike disposal site near Partizansk in the Russian Far East 200 kilometers east of Vladivostok in May 2004. Observations and Selected Photos have been compiled to identify concerns raised during a site visit by Research Director Paul Robinson at the request of ISAR-FE (Institute for Social Action in Russia - Far East) and colleagues in the region. Partizansk Information on the Web provides additional background on the Partizansk area.

"Comments and Recommendations Submitted to Environmental Assessment Panel Reviewing Decommissioning Proposals for the Elliot Lake Uranium Mine Tailings Management Areas" is a ten point analysis of the closure plans for the large uranium waste sites in Ontario prepared by Paul Robinson in 1995 for the Canadian Environmental Assessment Panel Hearings on the Decommissioning. The "Comments" includes a critique of the sub-aqueous disposal aspects of the Elliot Lake decommissioning proposals. These comments were prepared on behalf of Northwatch, a community-based environmental organization with general offices in North Bay, Ontario.

"A Model Mine Shows Its Cracks: An Independent Report on Environmental Problems At The Kubaka Gold Mine in the Russian Far East," by Julie Edlund, David Gordon and Wm. Paul Robinson for Pacific Environment and Resources Center, with technical assistance from Southwest Research and Information Center.

Press Release announcing Right-to-Know lawsuit filed by Southwest Research and United Steelworkers of America, Local 890 on September 15 against Phelps-Dodge related to inadequate reporting of toxic release.

Copy of technical paper by Research Director Paul Robinson on long-term groundwater contamination at two uranium mill tailings sites in New Mexico titled: GROUNDWATER RESTORATION LONG BEYOND CLOSURE AT THE HOMESTAKE-MILAN AND UNITED NUCLEAR-CHURCH ROCK URANIUM MILL TAILINGS PILES, NEW MEXICO, USA: FULL-SCALE PROGRAMS REQUIRING MORE THAN 20 YEARS OF ACTIVE TREATMENT (24k document) in: "Proceedings of Conference on Uranium Mining and Hydrogeology - II", Claudia Helling, et. al. editors, Technical University - Freiberg, Saxony, Germany, September, 1998

Copy of Statement by Research Director submitted to House of Representative Subcommittee in support of expansion of Radiation Exposure Compensation Act titled "MORE THAN RADON IN THE URANIUM DUST: (30k document) An Overview of the Basis for Uranium Miners and Millers Exposed to Non-Radioactive Hazards and Radioactive Hazards other than Radon Decay Products to be Included in US Radiation Exposure Compensation Act Program. The statement was provided in support of testimony presented to US House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims Hearing on Uranium Workers Health Effects and Radiation Exposure Compensation Act Amendments on June 25, 1998 in Washington DC.

Copy of research paper on uranium and thorium mines in the Chita region of Siberia and their associated environmental and health problems on behalf Baikalwatch, a project of the Earth Island Institute and the Baikal Center for Ecological and Citizen Initiatives in Irkutsk, Russia titled: "Environmental Damage and Policy Issues in the Uranium and Gold Mining Districts of Chita Oblast in the Russian Far East: A Report on Existing Problems at Baley and Krasnokamensk and Policy Needs in the Region" (91k document) completed November 1996.

Copy of technical paper by Research Director Paul Robinson on innovative aspects of the remediation and restoration of a mine and mill complex in northern New Mexico titled: "Innovative Administrative, Technical and Public Involvement Approaches to Environmental Restoration at an Inactive Lead-Zinc Mining and Milling Complex Near Pecos, New Mexico" (48k document) in "Proceedings of Waste Management '95", University of Arizona/DOE/WEC, Tucson AZ, March 1995. Proceedings on CR-ROM from WM Symposiums, Inc.

"Review of Recent Uranium Production and Market Trends" prepared by Wm. Paul Robinson on behalf of Saskatchewan Uranium Committee, June 13-14, 1996 (15k document).

EVALUATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY CHANGES PROPOSED FOR THE LA OROYA SMELTER COMPLEX IN CENTRAL PERU: FINAL REPORT February 1, 1999. Submitted to: Sociedad Peruana de Derechos Ambientales (SPDA).

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Synopsis of trip can be found in The Workbook.

Update of Mining Activities by SRIC can be found in the SRIC News "Chino Mines and Molycorp's Questa Operation" and SRIC's Co-hosts Statewide Mining Workshop.

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From Voices of the Earth

• Volcanoes of Kamchatka — Renewed Efforts to Protect Russian World Heritage Site, Winter 2004
• Karamken: An Abandoned Gold Facility Shows Need for Reclamation in Russia, Fall 2004
• State Requires Reclamation To Begin At Molycorp, Fall 2002
• Mine Reclamation in New Mexico, Spring 2001
• Shedding Light on Uranium Operations in Siberia, Spring 2001
• Molycorp Clean-up Far from Over, Fall 2000
• Molycorp Reclamation Plan, Winter 2000