State considers lifting ban to extract farm's uranium mother lode

[donsu]

http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=135140&ran=222014&lpos=spot3&lid=homePO


Coles Hill is the name of a historic farm here in Pittsylvania County, a quiet place off a dirt road with a stately brick home overlooking tangled hedge rows and rolling fields.

It also is the site of one of the largest uranium deposits in the United States, and the biggest ever discovered on the East Coast.

As much as 110 million pounds of uranium ore could lie beneath these gentle hills where cattle now graze and tobacco once reigned. The value of this radioactive deposit, based on current market prices: about $10 billion.

-snip-

Along with neighbors, family and friends, Coles has formed a company, Virginia Uranium Inc., and hired geologists and professionals, who work in a small office in Chatham, the Pittsylvania County seat. They hope to persuade local, state and federal officials to allow all uranium buried beneath Coles Hill to be mined, milled and sold to nuclear power plants.

It is an enormous project full of promise and pitfalls, but one that Gov. Timothy M. Kaine is at least willing to study.

In his Virginia Energy Plan released this summer, the governor suggested that, in the name of greater energy independence and cleaner-burning fuels, the Pittsylvania County option remain on the table – at least for now.

-very long snip-

“I could have sold out and moved to Florida,” Coles said, “but I’m staying here. I’d live right here with the mine just down the road. I want to make this happen.”
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may it never happen

I'm surprised the neo cons haven't stolen it yet

[jwirr]

1. Before they take that step they better take a look at the four corners

area in the west. Danger!