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Environmentalists argue that uranium mining contaminates groundwater and pollutes the air
Pinyon Plain Mine has a total of 1.6 million pounds of proven and probable uranium , and the current sale of the mineral in the US is around $ 62.00 a pound in 2023 , giving the site a potential revenue of $ 100million .
The Pinyon Plain Mine , formerly known as the Canyon Mine , was already in development before President Obama instated the original mining ban in 2012 , meaning it falls under the Mining Act of 1872 .
The Mining Act authorized mining for economic minerals , like uranium , making Pinyon Plain Mine exempt from both presidential bans .
Although uranium itself is minimally radioactive , the ore that is mined can release radioactive elements like radon gas .
Radon gas is a radioactive gas that forms when radioactive metals , like uranium , break down during the mining process .
When breathed in , radon gas is linked to major health risks including lung cancer , diminished bone growth , and renal failure .
Critics say the mine could also destroy one of the most beautiful natural parts of the by contaminating the environment with radioactive dust , water‐borne toxins , and increased background radiation levels , according to a study published in the National Library of Medicine .