Not even sure how to start this post but I want to talk about New Mexico and uranium, not a combo that has been easy in the past. It’s been a long journey to New Mexico. I began up in the Yukon, found my way through Texas, and each step taught me something new. Now, standing here, it all feels like it led me exactly where I’m meant to be. After being with enCore Energy for probably 7 years (lost track) I moved on in November to a project with another company. Yes, I know my team is helping enCore again as of a few weeks ago, but an opportunity to work in New Mexico presented itself to me about a year ago, one I waited for some many years. And in New Mexico I am now.
New Mexico has intrigued me for many years, amazing uranium resources but social issues from environmental concerns with the Navajo Nation and more. The checkered past with uranium mining presents some clear historical challenges around uranium extraction. These issues are real, uranium extraction through conventional mining practices pre-EPA did cause damage and does need to be fixed. Yet as a country the United States needs New Mexico to be part of the solution for affordable, clean nuclear energy in a strong economy.
My interest was piqued when three of us met for the first time in the New Mexico Technical laboratory of Dr. Johnson in Crownpoint, NM last winter. Sitting there we developed the concept for a joint initiative amongst several companies to form what would become the Clean Energy Association of New Mexico (CLEAN) and now here we are. CLEAN is an organization that is focused on educating and building awareness of the ‘new’ nuclear energy industry and the wellfield-based in-situ recovery process for uranium extraction. A technology that, I should note, was developed in the United States and is celebrating its 50th anniversary. A technology that does not use conventional mining techniques to extract uranium. And a technology that now accounts for 60% of global uranium extraction.
I have had the pleasure of attending a few community meetings in New Mexico and have meet some truly wonderful people. People that understand the past and are clear about their issues, but who also want a future with local wealth, good paying jobs for the youth, healthy, prosperous communities while protecting the air, land and water.
I see an amazing future for New Mexico, a land rich in resources that can be managed properly. It’s exciting to be a part of this initiative. We can’t change the past, but together we can change the future.
