| "body"> | | | | don't think we're going to see the days when we |
| While other states' politicians are wondering how | | | | used to have the greatest collection of Caterpillar |
| to keep their voters employed, Wyoming's mining | | | | scrapers in the world, out here moving millions of |
| companies are scrambling to find workers for | | | | yards of dirt in the Gas Hills to go down 300 or |
| their projects. According to Matt Grant, Assistant | | | | 400 feet, to get to the roll fronts." |
| Director of the Wyoming Mining Association, "The | | | | Senator Peck is very clear about his views on |
| mining industry has at least 700 job openings right | | | | nuclear power, "I think the future of the nuclear |
| now." He added, "Those are direct jobs. If you | | | | industry is very bright. I see the utilities are gaining |
| include the service industry jobs, for which there | | | | courage. We're going to see the next generation |
| is a ratio of three service industry jobs for every | | | | nuclear power stations stepping forward and |
| direct job, then the real number is closer to | | | | getting permitted right alongside existing power |
| 2,800." | | | | plants, where people are used to them and |
| Grant explained that an unskilled worker could | | | | comfortable with them." And what is his take on |
| start tomorrow with an annual salary of $44,000. | | | | the spot uranium price? "We're seeing the |
| "A skilled electrician can make up to $100, 000 per | | | | emerging nations like India, China, Korea, and |
| year," Grant confided. Living in Wyoming isn't | | | | others looking to nuclear for a significant portion |
| expensive, and of course, energy costs are | | | | of their energy needs," he said. Senator Peck's |
| somewhat lower. Right now, Campbell County's | | | | uranium price forecast? "As the price keeps rising, |
| Chamber of Commerce, the Casper Area | | | | we'll see $40 to $45/pound uranium." |
| Development company, and Sweetwater | | | | Wyoming's Fast Track Permitting Process |
| County's job recruiters are slugging it out to find | | | | The first stop, after a junior uranium company |
| laid off auto workers for the increasing number of | | | | assembles its claims package and begins getting |
| job openings this state offers. As Wyoming's | | | | down to serious business, is Wyoming's |
| Secretary of State Joe Meyers told | | | | Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). |
| StockInterview.com, "If the companies are going | | | | That's what John Corra of Wyoming's director of |
| to build uranium plants, tell them to bring their own | | | | that state agency told it should be, "Come see us |
| workers. There's none here." | | | | early. We think we can help people a lot. The |
| With a rising spot uranium price, and Wyoming | | | | permitting process can be frustrating as all get |
| "suddenly" becoming in vogue again, Wyoming | | | | out. Communicating with the DEQ early and often |
| politicians are celebrating. Grant re-iterated the | | | | will help us help them." Those were the advices |
| oft-quoted uranium oxide (U3O8) figure for | | | | rendered by both John Corra, and Wyoming's |
| Wyoming's reserves: 300 million at $50/pound. In | | | | Administrator of the Land Quality Division, Rick |
| the intriguing, and yet confusing, method in which | | | | Chancellor. Both clearly announced they were |
| the Energy Information Agency calculates ore | | | | eager to work with every uranium development |
| body reserves for uranium, the higher the price | | | | company desiring to put an ISL operation into |
| of uranium, the more the reserves. It doesn't | | | | place in Wyoming. |
| matter, though, because Wyoming has plenty of | | | | We mentioned that companies, such as |
| uranium. | | | | UR-Energy (TSX: URE), Energy Metals (TSX: EMC) |
| How Wyoming Politicians Feel About Uranium | | | | and Uranerz Energy (OTC BB: URNZ), were |
| Mining | | | | hoping to have an ISL permit between 2008 and |
| State legislator, Dave Edwards, who represents | | | | 2010. "For those companies who say they may |
| Douglas, the nearest town to Cameco's Power | | | | have a permit by 2008, it behooves them to |
| Resources' operation at the Smith-Highland ranch, | | | | come and talk to us before they start gathering |
| where uranium is ISL mined, remarked on the wild | | | | the baseline to make sure they got it right," |
| frenzy of staking for uranium claims in Wyoming, | | | | Chancellor cautioned. "Otherwise, they may waste |
| "We are already feeling the effects. It's good for | | | | the whole year gathering baseline and find out |
| the real estate market." But how does he feel | | | | they didn't sample for the right stuff." Chancellor |
| about uranium mining for those who voted him | | | | explained a company needs to have full disclosure |
| into office? "It does provide high-quality jobs," he | | | | of about a year of baseline data. "You want to |
| responded. "If there were no uranium mining, | | | | know the quality of the water inside and outside |
| there would be a big impact." Edwards, a former | | | | the ore zone so that water can be properly |
| Navy pilot with more than 1,000 jet landings on | | | | classified," Chancellor said. "We're looking for all the |
| aircraft carrier, during the Vietnam War, doesn't | | | | constituents, the physical properties, chemical |
| believe all the myths about the dangers of | | | | properties, whatever metals are in there." |
| uranium mining, "I've not heard any talk from any | | | | Chancellor, who has served in Wyoming's DEQ for |
| of my constituents about how dangerous uranium | | | | the past 25 years, outlined the baseline study |
| mining is. I think people have common sense. I | | | | process, "We classify the groundwater, based |
| think people understand what nuclear power really | | | | upon the baseline studies. We have regulations on |
| is, and when properly taken care of, there is no | | | | how that is done. They have to restore that |
| need for hysteria. It's just not going to blow up | | | | water to reach that class of use that was |
| anybody's brain or screw up any children. We're at | | | | pre-mining." But he also warned all uranium |
| that point in mining and using uranium." | | | | companies, "They should make sure their plan for |
| That's quite a contrast from those who say "not | | | | baseline gathering meets our requirements. We |
| in my backyard," as was sometimes heard by the | | | | stress they can save a lot of time by coming in |
| less well educated in rural New Mexico, when | | | | and letting us know what their operation is about. |
| talking about uranium mining. Edwards spoke | | | | So when someone comes in, we already have an |
| frankly about the Smith Ranch uranium operation, | | | | idea of what they are planning to do." |
| "One of the best things in Converse County we | | | | How long does it take before the frustrating |
| have is the 'in situ' (ISL) mining uranium operation | | | | process of permitting comes to closure? |
| on the Smith Ranch. It's done by Power | | | | Chancellor responded, "It takes about a year to |
| Resources, and they do a very nice job of it." | | | | go through that part of the permitting process. It |
| Edwards has, from time to time, toured the | | | | depends upon how responsive a company is to |
| Smith Ranch facility to inspect the uranium mining | | | | our request for information. Sometimes, they |
| operation and gives Cameco the thumbs up, "The | | | | may take 3 months to respond back to our |
| uranium metal never hits the air space. It is | | | | comments. That just drags out." He quickly added, |
| enclosed, virtually from the time it comes out of | | | | "The permitting process could be faster at the |
| the ground until it is put in a barrel, loaded into a | | | | Powder River Basin, or in areas where there has |
| truck and hauled off." | | | | been ISL mining." John Corra agreed, chiming in, |
| Senator Robert Peck, who represents the | | | | "Anywhere where there has been existing |
| Riverton area, and also publishes the Riverton | | | | activity, or existing exploration, and there's a fair |
| Ranger newspaper, is savvy to the uranium | | | | amount of data for us to make our decisions, |
| industry. One acquaintance told that it was | | | | then it will go faster." |
| Senator Peck's earlier successes in the uranium | | | | Does Wyoming's DEQ move fast? "We may |
| business that paid for his house and his nest egg. | | | | respond in 45 days because of our in-box stack. |
| He believes there is still growth ahead for | | | | It may only take 3 days to review it, but it may |
| Wyoming's uranium industry. Responding to | | | | take 42 days to work down to it. It depends |
| whether there is any uranium left in Wyoming | | | | upon the work load at the time, but we try to |
| after the massive extractions of the past 50 | | | | get back to them within 45 days, 60 days at the |
| years, Peck answered, "There's lots left." He | | | | most." Corra helpfully offered, "If some operation |
| remarked upon Cameco's Power Resources | | | | has an issue, and a tight timeline, we will always |
| subsidiary, "Their largest resource of their many | | | | sit down and talk to them to understand what |
| holdings, around Wyoming, is in the Gas Hills. That | | | | that is. We'll try to work with them. Otherwise, it |
| was the center of uranium production for over a | | | | is first come, first served. That's the only fair |
| thirty year period. There were three uranium mills | | | | way." He added, "The DEQ is always trying to find |
| there and they still show 50 to 60 million pounds | | | | a way to make things happen, to enable things |
| of recoverable uranium in the Gas Hills proven by | | | | without sacrificing the environment. And we'll try |
| previous drilling." | | | | to help." |
| How does Peck envision the uranium industry in | | | | What additional advice does John Corra have for |
| Wyoming playing out, over the next decade? "I | | | | the growing number of uranium companies, hoping |
| think we are going to see three or four | | | | to develop an ISL operation in Wyoming? "The |
| companies that are comfortable with, and | | | | other thing we encourage them to do is get ahold |
| knowledgeable about, uranium and nuclear power | | | | of local governments: the county and the |
| running the show in the uranium resurgence." He | | | | municipalities in the area," he counseled. "Just |
| likes Cameco, that's for sure. "I see Cameco just | | | | make contact with those entities. Do the |
| becoming better and better positioned with | | | | on-the-ground stuff and be a good neighbor. If |
| uranium mining, and uranium fabrication of fuels. | | | | you can be a good neighbor, your life is going to |
| They are in the entire cycle, as well as having big | | | | be a lot easier." Corra explained how recently one |
| operations in Kazakhstan, where they will be | | | | overly ambitious uranium exploration company had |
| producing a significant amount of uranium there. In | | | | begun staking a sub-division near Douglas, |
| the mean time, they think they've got the best | | | | Wyoming, without having the mineral rights. That |
| uranium reserves in Wyoming already with what | | | | had been causing a laugh around Cheyenne in the |
| they picked up during the down period, including | | | | latter half of February. Secretary of State Joe |
| the Gas Hills remaining reserves." | | | | Meyer, whose office had investigated the incident |
| Peck also has kind words for Strathmore Minerals | | | | said, "It was a good thing they left and don't plan |
| (TSX: STM). "Strathmore Minerals has got | | | | to return." Corra repeated his advice, "It is |
| properties all around the country and the world, | | | | important for these companies to make sure |
| too, but they're not in production yet," Senator | | | | they know what else is going on in the area |
| Peck said. "They are gathering capital and deciding | | | | where they are proposing to put their operations." |
| where to best invest this capital, where it will | | | | Having spent his life working in the minerals |
| have the best chance of a successful payoff. | | | | industry, and only recently having joined the DEQ, |
| They're getting in from the ground up for uranium | | | | John Corra stressed, "We have some of the |
| production." | | | | cleanest air and cleanest water in the nation. We |
| Wyoming could become a relatively steady | | | | intend to keep it that way." But his voice |
| uranium producer, but it won't be the good old | | | | mellowed, saying, "As an agency, we have some |
| days. "We're not going to be up to where we | | | | pretty stringent requirements. It is doable, but it's |
| were at the peak, when we produced 150 million | | | | pretty serious business. It's a tough, but doable |
| pounds," Senator Peck admitted. "We're going to | | | | process. We don't want to scare anybody off." |
| be up to 4 million pounds per year, which is going | | | | COPYRIGHT © 2007 by StockInterview, Inc. |
| to make a solid, but significantly smaller industry. I | | | | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. |