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DECISION RECORD <br /> FOR <br /> WHIRLWIND MINE URANIUM MINING PROJECT <br /> CO-130-2006-024-EA <br /> BLM Grand Junction Field Office <br /> BLM Moab Field Office <br /> INTRODUCTION <br /> Energy Fuels proposes to reopen the Urantah Decline and Packrat Mine as a single combined <br /> underground uranium-vanadium mine operation called the Whirlwind Mine (Proposed Action). <br /> Exploration and bulk sampling activities are currently ongoing in both the Urantah Decline (also <br /> known as the Whirlwind Portal) and the Packrat Portal under a BLM Notice of Intent. This <br /> Decision Record incorporates and supersedes existing BLM permits and or approvals for <br /> exploration and sampling at the Whirlwind Mine. <br /> The Whirlwind Mine property straddles the Colorado/Utah state line and consists of 206 <br /> unpatented claims, totaling 4,890 acres in the Beaver Mesa Mining District of the Uravan <br /> Mineral Belt. The mine claims are located on public lands administered by the BLM. The <br /> Whirlwind Mine is located approximately 5 miles southwest of Gateway, Colorado and about 45 <br /> miles southwest of Grand Junction, Colorado in Mesa County. The mine is accessed from <br /> Colorado State Highway 141, Mesa County Road 4 4/10 (John Brown Road), and Mesa County <br /> Road 5/S0. The Whirlwind Mine portals are located in Mesa County, Colorado in Section 36, T. <br /> 51 N., R. 20 W., New Mexico Principal Meridian at an elevation of about 7,000 feet. The mine <br /> vent shafts would be located in Colorado in Section 35, T. 51 N., R. 20 W. and Section 2, T. 50 <br /> N., R. 20 W., NMPM and in Grand County, Utah in Section 9, T. 26 S., R. 26 E., Salt Lake Base <br /> Meridian. <br /> Total surface disturbance required for operation of the Whirlwind Mine is 23.98 acres. <br /> Approximately 7.69 acres of the proposed disturbance will occur in previously disturbed and <br /> reclaimed areas. Project components include the Whirlwind Portal Area, the Packrat Portal <br /> Area, vent shafts and power drops in Colorado, and vent shafts in Utah. <br /> The Whirlwind Mine has an expected life of 10 years based on known and inferred resources. <br /> Mine startup is scheduled for fourth quarter 2008 which would allow the mine to reach a <br /> production level of 100 tons per day by the first quarter of 2009 and full production of 200 tons <br /> per day by the first quarter of 2010. At full production, Energy Fuels will employ up to 24 <br /> workers at the Whirlwind Mine. <br /> Energy Fuels plans to haul the ore to the White Mesa Mill in Blanding, Utah for processing. The <br /> primary and only all-weather haul route is from Mesa County Road 5/10 to John Brown Road, <br /> Colorado State Highway 141, Colorado State Highway 90/Utah State Highway 46 and south on <br /> U.S. Highway 191 to Blanding. <br /> Upon completion of mining, all disturbed areas would be reclaimed to dry rangeland for wildlife <br /> habitat which is the primary pre-mining land use. Reclamation procedures are described in <br /> Chapter 2 Section 2.2.2.10 in the Environmental Assessment(LA). <br /> Whirlwind Mine Decision Record 1 <br />