Uranium Mining Returns To West

Uranium mining in the West has seen its fortunes come and go. The Cold War nuclear arms race, and subsequent development of nuclear power plants led to a boom, followed by a long bust, as concerns about weapons proliferation, radiation and the virtually limitless lifespan of nuclear waste led America to turn away from new nuclear development. Now, with a resurgence in nuclear power on the horizon -- at least in many politicians' energy scopes -- the price of uranium has jumped 13 fold in five years, leading to a new boom in mining Western reserves. But the unsavory legacy of past booms has many on their toes, as they strive to hold the industry -- and government regulators -- to higher standards that preserve the environment and the quality of life in that region, according to a story in the June 19 Christian Science Monitor.