Walter Coles owns property in Chatham, Virginia in Pittsylvania County where he wants to mine uranium on a 200-acre site. Obviously the state and local residents are afraid that such mining could release radioactive material that could contaminate the area's land, air and source of drinking water. It is being estimated that there is approximately 110 million pounds of uranium located on the site that would be worth about $10 billion at today's uranium prices.
Virginia banned uranium mining in 1982. Virginia Uranium, owned by Mr. Coles is trying to persuade the General Assembly to approve a $1 million study that will explore whether uranium can be safely mined in Virginia. Virginia Uranium has already been granted a state permit to drill 40 holes to examine the material. The two uranium deposits found at the site begin at the ground's surface and run about 800 feet deep. The Center will withhold a decision on this project until the study is completed, but our preliminary assessment is that this does not look like it is a project we can support. (The Washington Post)
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