Energy Queen Mine
La Sal, San Juan County, Utah
(former Hecla Shaft)

◊ Mine Operator
Energy Fuels Resources Corporation
44 Union Blvd., Suite 600
Lakewood, Colorado 80228
303-974-2140

Timothy Pierce
Technical Services Supervisor
31525 Highway 90
P.O. Box 888
Nucla, Colorado 81424
970-864-7775

◊ Land Ownership
Private Land

◊ Utah Division of Water Quality Contact
Keith Eagan
keagan@utah.gov
801-538-6017

◊ Mine Safety and Health Administration
MSHA Mine ID No. 4201568
To Search for Information on Inspections, Violations, and Accidents CLICK HERE

MINE INFORMATION

Energy Fuels Resources Corporation (Energy Fuels) proposes to reactivate the Energy Queen Mine (former Helca Shaft), off of Hwy. 46, between La Sal Junction and La Sal, Utah. Water that has accumulated in the mine will need to be pumped out and placed in a storage pond and treated to meet effluent discharge limits under a current Utah Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (UPDES) permit. Energy Fuels has requesed a Ground Water Discharge Permit, but has not requested an Air Quality Permit. Apparently, Energy Fuels expects to operate under an mining permit issued by the Division of Oil, Gas, and Mining in 1979.

MINE DOCUMENTS

• Hecla Shaft Notice of Intent (1978), Mine Plan, 2002 and 2008 Mine Inspections, Photographs, and Other Information
• Energy Queen/Hecla Shaft Large Mining Operation Progress Reports 1982-2008
• Letters regarding mine permit extension (and 1982 Pandora Progress Report) - 2002

DIVISION OF WATER RIGHTS

Energy Fuels has requested an appropriation (Water Right 05-3396) of water from the State Engineer, Utah Divison of Water Rights, for 80 acre feet of water from the Hecla Shaft at the Energy Queen Mine. The water is the water that would be released from the mine vents and pumped out of the mine prior to and during mining operations. The application states:

"The applicant has leased this property from Markel Ranch Holding, LLC. Produced water will be taken-up in the ventilation system as well as transported to the surface on the mined ore and waste rock. The enclosed table estimates these volumes of water annually. The remainder of the water will be pumped to the surface and used primarily for mine related purposes. Any excess water will be discharged to a surface drainage for which the applicant will obtain a UPDES Discharge Permit."

◊ Water Right 05-3396 (Link to Division of Water Rights File)
• Application to Appropriate - page 1
• Application to Appropriate - page 2
• Map
• Mine Water Consumption
• Notice to Water Users
• Approval

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND MINING

• Hecla Shaft Notice of Intent (1978), Mine Plan, 2002 and 2008 Mine Inspections, Photographs, and Other Information

• Application for Mineral Mine Plan Amendment - Permit No. M/037/043 - August 2008
(466 pages, 40.41 MB)

• Energy Fuels' Response to December 4, 2008, Comments - January 31, 2009
(51 pages, 2.17 MB)

DIVISION OF AIR QUALITY

Division of Water Quality
P.O. Box 144870
Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-4870
Fax: 801-538-6016

• Request for Evaluation of Compliance - Small Source Exemptions - May 16, 2008
• Small Source Registration - Small Source Exemption - September 4, 2008

UTAH DIVISION OF WATER QUALITY PERMITS

◊ UTAH POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (UPDES) PERMIT

• Energy Queen Mine Surface Water Discharge Permit Application - August 6, 2007
• UPDES Permit - March 14, 2008
• UPDES Statement of Basis - March 14, 2008

◊ GROUND WATER DISCHARGE PERMIT

◊ Permit Application
• DWQ Notice and Information
• Public Notice - February 19, 2009
• Permit
• Statement of Basis
• Permit Application - October 31, 2008 (.pdf format - 116 MB file)
• Permit Application - October 31, 2008 (.zip format - 88 MB file link)

◊ Maps
• Map Sources
• San Juan County Mines
• Local Map
• Aerial Map
View Larger Map
View Larger Map

Updated May 20, 2009

ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION

Utah Division of
Air Quality
◊
Utah Division of
Water Rights
◊
Utah Division of
Water Quality
◊
Utah Division of
Oil, Gas, and Mining
◊
Environmental
Protection Agency
~
• Uranium MInes
• EPA Uranium Mining
Studies - 2008
◊
Learn about
Uranium Mining
◊
Denison MInes
Ore Buying Program
for White Mesa Mill
◊
Other La Sal MInes
• La Sal
• Pandora