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Site Description
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Stage of Clean-up: Study Underway
The Midnite URANIUM+ Mine (MUM) is located on the Spokane Indian Reservation about eight miles from Wellpinit, Washington. The mine was developed and operated by Dawn Mining Company (DMC). DMC is a subsidiary corporation 49 percent owned by Midnite Mines, a publicly held Delaware corporation originally incorporated by Spokane Tribal members and others. The remaining 51 percent of DMC is held by Newmont, Inc. The property was leased by DMC from the Spokane Tribe and individual tribal members, and the mining leases are administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). While DMC is responsible for final reclamation of the site, the specifics of the reclamation are still to be determined. During mine operations, ore from the mine was transported off the Spokane Reservation to the DMC mill 25 miles east of the mine at Ford, Washington. The operator ceased mining URANIUM+ ore in 1981. All production from the mine has been from open pits. Approximately 3 million tons of 0.02 percent URANIUM+ oxide ore, 2.5 million tons of low grade ore (protore), and approximately 33 million tons of waste rock were excavated from six pits. Two pits are still open and fill with rain water and ground water. The other four pits have been back-filled with soil from the area. More...
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