NRC (U.S Nuclear Regulatory Commission) response, to Lee J Alter Chairman, of Tallahassee Area Community, Inc. In regards to his letter.

SUBJECT: 
TAC INQUIRY REGARDING UNDERGROUND BORE HOLE MINING AND ABLATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR URANIUM RECOVERY


Dear Mr. Alter:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is in receipt of your letter dated July 12, 2012, addressed to Bill Von Till and myself, regarding your concerns about the emerging technologies in uranium recovery including ablation technologies in the State of Colorado. 

After reviewing the issues related to Underground Bore Hole Mining - (UBHM) and Impact Ablation, the NRC staff determined that the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment (CDPHE) is the regulatory authority with jurisdiction on these matters within the State of Colorado.

It is our understanding that although there have not yet been any applications submitted to CDPHE for licenses or permits requesting use of this technology in the State of Colorado;there are companies in Colorado investigating the possibility of doing so in the near future. The NRC will defer to the CDPHE to communicate with their potential licensees in this area to better understand the process that will be utilized in implementing this new technology. CDPHE may request technical assistance from the NRC to address this new technology for uranium recovery.

Until then, the NRC will continue to monitor the state of the technology in order to consider what regulatory changes will be necessary should companies request NRC authority to utilize such technology for uranium recovery.

If you have any further questions or concerns regarding ablation technologies and their implementation in the State of Colorado, we suggest that you direct them to Steve Tarlton, Program Manager, at (303) 692-3423 or steve.tarlton@state.co.us.___________________________________________________




Extract from letter NRC response


  



This is indeed excellent news for BLR, as it clearly stipulates to TAC, that due to Colorado being a self regulating "Agreement State" due to agreement between Colorado’s Governor and the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, that dictates that the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE ) is the sole regulator of radioactive material within Colorado through its Radiation Management Unit.
 
Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment (CDPHE) has already from what I can attain, associates no link between BHM &Ablation within Milling jurisdiction.

Within the CDPHE guidelines that are currently in place both BHM &Ablation will be jointly classified as a Mining process, as no grinding or chemical processing will take place within the Mine site.


Milling can be clearly defined to where Ore is crushed and then leached with a leaching agent, usually sulfuric acid or an alkaline leaching product. Ideally, the Mill is located near the mine to reduce transportation costs. The final product is referred to as "yellow cake," which consists of U3O8 and impurities.


As we all know the ablated ore will under no circumstances, be classified as " Yellow Cake " therefore Milling has not yet taken place. 

 
PDF LINK
LIST OF AGREEMENT STATES
As at January 2012

"Agreement States" are those states that have signed a formal agreement with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) pursuant to Section 274 of the Atomic Energy Act.

Under this agreement the NRC has relinquished regulatory control over certain by-product, source and special nuclear material uses in the state.

NRC periodically assesses the compatibility and adequacy of the state's program for consistency with the national materials program for Atomic Energy Act radioactive material. List of current agreement states and their date of agreement are .............. Click to access :)