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Uranium mining claims jump in West
By JOHN HEILPRIN
Associated Press writer Friday, August 17, 2007


WASHINGTON -- Metals mining claims on Western federal lands jumped by 80 percent in the past 4.5 years, some popping up near popular national parks.

Overall metals mining claims rose from 207,540 in January 2003 to 376,493 in July of this year, two advocacy and research organizations said Thursday, based on their review of the Interior Department's Bureau of Land Management records.

Higher prices for gold and copper and renewed interest in uranium exploration, mainly due to global demand for nuclear power, helped fuel the jump.

"Claims have been on the rise," BLM spokesman Matt Spangler said. "That's mainly due to rising copper, gold and uranium prices. Those have been going up pretty significantly the past two and a half years."

During just two years between 2004 and 2006, four states -- Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming -- saw uranium mining claims rise from 4,300 to 32,000, the Environmental Working Group and the Pew Campaign for Responsible Mining reported.

Luke Popovich, a spokesman for the National Mining Association, had no immediate comment.

As nuclear power has rebounded, uranium prices have risen. Nuclear power proponents tout it as a relatively cheap, reliable and emissions-free source of energy, and many new nuclear power plants are planned around the world.

More than 1 percent of the metals mining claims were within five miles of 11 national parks and monuments analyzed by the two groups. That included 1,053 uranium claims near five parks: Grand Canyon in Arizona; Arches, Canyonlands and Capitol Reef, all in Utah; and Yellowstone, in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho.

Among states, Nevada had nearly half the mining claims. Wyoming was second, with 10 percent, followed by Utah, with 8 percent.

But Colorado and Utah added mining claims at the fastest rates, each with at least 200 percent more than at the start of 2003. Wyoming and South Dakota were next, each with more than a 100 percent increase.

The environmental groups said their review covered gold, silver, copper and uranium claims. The organizations said uranium mining interests are some of the largest claimholders in seven states -- Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.

The groups said they released the statistics to bring attention to the nation's antiquated mining laws, as metals mining companies pay no royalties for extraction on public lands, unlike the oil and gas industries. The groups are advocating legislation to require metals mining companies to pay royalties and create funds for abandoned mines cleanup.