The ultimate energy alternative

BY GALEN L. GOLDSMITH

Alternatives to fossil fuel energy are a growing necessity worldwide. And while a variety of different solutions are under consideration, they all seem to have drawbacks. This points to the need for consideration of something more fundamental.

Nuclear energy is one extremely powerful, but potentially dangerous, alternative. Enriched uranium used in nuclear weapons and reactors begins as low-grade ore in stable underground deposits. When it is mined, however, exposure to the atmosphere causes radioactive decay to begin. Open-pit mines and tailing piles, in which decay is in process, add toxic byproducts to the air and water, and to the food chain.

Another technique involves drilling down to the underground water table, or aquifer, and pumping a caustic solution into this water, located 250-600 feet below the surface. This method is referred to as "in-situ leach mining." The chemicals in the solution dissolve uranium and other heavy metals. The miners then pump the metal-laden water to the surface to be milled. In 2006 and 2007, several mining corporations began drilling test wells in many parts of Colorado.

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