ML25247A212
| ML25247A212 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 09/08/2025 |
| From: | Cohen S NRC/NMSS/DDUWP/URMDB |
| To: | Vontill R NRC/NMSS/DDUWP/URMDB |
| Shared Package | |
| ML25247A210 | List: |
| References | |
| Download: ML25247A212 (1) | |
Text
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MEMORANDUM TO:
R. William Von Till, Chief Uranium Recovery and Materials Decommissioning Branch Division of Decommissioning, Uranium Recovery and Waste Programs Office of Nuclear Materials Safety and Safeguards FROM:
Samuel B. Cohen, Hydrogeologist Uranium Recovery and Materials Decommissioning Branch Division of Decommissioning, Uranium Recovery and Waste Programs Office of Nuclear Materials Safety and Safeguards
SUBJECT:
SUMMARY
OF AUGUST 11, 2025 PUBLIC OBSERVATION MEETING WITH GRANTS ENERGY, A POTENTIAL APPLICANT FOR A URANIUM IN-SITU RECOVERY FACILITY LICENSE, REGARDING SITE HYDROGEOLOGY On August 11, 2025, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff held a virtual public observation meeting (via Microsoft Teams) with representatives of Grants Energy, a potential applicant for a license to construct and operate a uranium in-situ recovery (ISR) facility. To be located in San Mateo, NM, the proposed Grants Precision ISR would be the first ISR facility to use horizontally-drilled wells for uranium recovery. NRC issued notice of the meeting via its public website on July 28, 2025 (Agencywide Document Access Management System (ADAMS)
Accession No. ML25209A072). As outlined in NRC Management Directive 3.5, Attendance at NRC Staff-Sponsored Meetings (ML21180A271), the primary discussions of the public observation meeting occurred between the NRC staff and the potential applicant, Grants Energy. Additional meeting attendees included staff from the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) and individual members of the public. A list of meeting attendees and participants is included in Enclosure 2.
This meeting follows a June 25, 2025, public observation meeting, in which Grants Energy and the NRC staff discussed the proposed project and licensing project (ML25203A138). Grants Energy initiated pre-application activities on May 1, 2025, via submission of a Letter of Intent (LOI) (ML25125A097). In the LOI, Grants Energy communicated their intentions to submit an application for a license to construct and operate the Grants Precision ISR project in late 2026.
CONTACT: Samuel B. Cohen, NMSS/DUWP Samuel.Cohen@nrc.gov September 8, 2025 Signed by Cohen, Sam on 09/08/25
R. W. Von Till 2
The purpose of the August 11, 2025, meeting was to discuss technical aspects concerning the hydrogeology of the proposed project site, and the collection of baseline groundwater resource data. The NRC staff began the meeting by describing the structure of the meeting, stating the topics of discussion, and communicating the expectations and responsibilities of meeting attendees and participants. Following brief introductions, Grants Energy began their technical presentation. The presented slides are included in Enclosure 3 of the document package.
Significant topics discussed included the following:
Baseline Data Collection. Grants Energy described the steps taken to initiate baseline environmental data collection, including the deployment of a meteorological station, developing a radiological site model and sampling plan, ongoing cultural surveys, sending scoping letters to Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (THPOs), documenting ephemeral streams and other surface water features, analyzing soil records, and initiating vegetation and wildlife surveys. Groundwater and geologic data collection are discussed in greater detail throughout the presentation.
Site geology and the ore body. Grants Energy presented information about the geology of the site. Grants Energy noted that the Westwater Sandstone contains the ore body and identified the Brushy Basin Mudstone and Middle/Lower Recapture Creek Shale as upper and lower confining aquitards, respectively. Shared information collected from drillholes indicate the confining layers are continuous across the license boundary.
Prior hydrogeological testing. Grants Energy indicated previous drilling and well tests targeting the Westwater Sandstone, conducted in proximity to the potential license area, including wells drilled in 1971 at the Mount Taylor Mine, and in 2010 for the Roca Honda Resources project. Data collected from the well drilled at the Mount Taylor Mine was used to determine the permeability of the Brushy Basin Mudstone. Pumping test wells drilled at the Roca Honda Resources project area yielded 133.6 gallons per minute (gpm) over five days. Grants Energy noted the presence of the San Rafael Fault in the northwest corner of the proposed license area, which they state would separate the portions of the Westwater Sandstone targeted by each project.
Future hydrogeological testing. Grants Energy plans to conduct pumping tests within the proposed license boundary. Pumping tests will be conducted with the goals of determining hydraulic conductivity values, the lateral extent of the impacts of groundwater pumping, impacts of the presence of the San Rafael Fault, and potential coring areas. They stated that they intend to use the results of the pumping test to verify, validate, and refine their conceptual hydrogeologic model for the site. Grants Energy stated that water collected from pumping tests would be used to sample and characterize groundwater chemistry across the proposed license area.
R. W. Von Till 3
At the conclusion of the presentation from Grants Energy, members of the NRC staff asked several questions concerning the following topics:
Pump testing timelines and duration. The NRC staff asked when Grants Energy intends to begin pumping tests, and how long the pumping tests would take. Grants Energy stated that they intend to begin pump testing in Q4 of 2025, pending permitting from NM. Grants Energy stated the pumping test would happen over three to five days.
Sampling of private wells. The NRC staff inquired as to when Grants Energy would sample private wells to collect groundwater chemistry data. Grants Energy stated that sampling at private wells would occur shortly thereafter the initiation of pump testing.
Establishing background for the shallow aquifer (Point Lookout formation). NRC staff asked if the wells at the Mount Taylor Mine would be used to characterize the background chemistry of the Point Lookout Aquifer (a significant source of water for the San Mateo community). Grants Energy stated that they intend to use the wells at the Mount Taylor Mine to determine background chemistry within the aquifer.
Following questions from the NRC staff, members of the public were invited to ask questions.
While not required to respond, Grants Energy elected to answer the questions. Topics of discussion included the following:
Future in-person meetings with Grants Energy. A member of the public asked if representatives of Grants Energy would meet in-person with members of the community.
Grants Energy stated their continued willingness to meet with members of the public.
Impacts of past dewatering on Grants ISR operations. A member of the public asked if past dewatering at legacy mine sites would be accounted for by Grants Energy when developing their site conceptual model. Grants Energy recognized the potential impacts of dewatering and stated they would account for the dewatering while developing their site conceptual model.
Transparency during the technical review. A member of the public expressed concern about the accessibility of model results, the establishment of groundwater chemistry, and future public meetings. Grants Energy and the NRC staff indicated that modeling results, methodology, and technical review would be made public throughout the permitting process. Grants Energy noted that there will be many opportunities for community involvement in public meetings throughout the permitting process.
Impact of groundwater consumption on agricultural and drinking water resources.
A member of the public expressed concern about the volume of water consumed over the lifetime of the proposed project and inquired on potential impacts to drinking water and agricultural water resources. Grants Energy stated that the water consumed from the targeted aquifer is not suitable for human consumption or agriculture, due to the presence of naturally-occurring radioactive material. Grants Energy noted that the permitted use of water would result in aquifer drawdown over time. The potential applicants noted that ISR operations do not require extensive dewatering, a practice commonly seen in conventional uranium mining operations. The NRC staff and Grants Energy noted that a one percent bleed, typical of all ISR facilities, would result in water consumption during ISR operations.
R. W. Von Till 4
Contaminants of concern in the Westwater Sandstone. A member of the public asked what contaminants presently found in the Westwater Sandstone aquifer render the aquifer unsuitable for human consumption. Grants Energy reported that naturally-occurring uranium decay products, such as radium, were the primary contaminants of concern within the Westwater Sandstone.
Injection (lixiviant) and chemical process fluids. A member of the public asked what chemicals would be injected into the aquifer during ISR operations. She also asked how uranium is removed from the extracted ISR fluids, and the fate of the water following uranium removal. Grants Energy answered and said that oxygen and bicarbonate are injected into the aquifer during ISR operations. Grants Energy then described how uranium is removed from the extracted water, via ion exchange resins (IX). The uranium-rich IX resins are then subjected to chemical extraction, a process that yields solid uranium oxide, also known as yellowcake uranium. The yellowcake uranium would then be packaged and prepared for commercial shipment. Grants Energy then stated that 99 percent of the processed water is reused and re-injected into the aquifer.
Injection wells. A member of the public asked which permits were required for the injection of the extracted water back into the aquifer. Grants Energy answered by stating a Class III discharge permit, issued by NMED, would be required, in addition to an NRC source material license.
At the conclusion of questions from members of the public, the NRC staff thanked the meeting attendees for their participation and ended the meeting.
Docket No. 04038423
Enclosures:
- 1. Grants Energy ISR Presentation Slides.
- 2. Attendance Sheet.
ML25247A210; ML25247A212 OFFICE OCHCO/ADHRLD
/EDPB NMSS/DUWP
/URMDB OCHCO/ADHRLD
/EDPB NAME SCohen RVonTill SCohen DATE Sep 4, 2025 Sep 8, 2025 Sep 8, 2025