About the Piñon Ridge Mill

In the United States and across the globe, the demand for clean and inexpensive electricity is quickly increasing. Nuclear technology has the capability to provide this electricity in large quantities. According to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, there are at least 30 new nuclear reactors in the United States that are either in the permitting stage or in pre-application planning.

The United States currently derives 20% of its electricity from nuclear technology. This makes the United States the biggest producer of nuclear power in the world. Interestingly, the United States currently imports 90% of its nuclear fuel from other countries. Therefore, the United States is in danger of falling into the same “dependence trap” we have with oil.

Uranium is the fuel for nuclear power generation. As a result of these new nuclear power facilities coming on line and the continuing depletion of uranium stockpiles, the price of uranium has risen substantially in the past few years.

The Four Corners area has historically been a significant producer of uranium ore. Uranium operations stopped from approximately 1980 through the present due to economic considerations, not an exhaustion of reserves. In the current market and the projected continuing increase in demand, the Four Corners area is poised to once again provide uranium ore to fill the supply shortfall. Even though mines are present on the Colorado Plateau, a shortage of milling capacity in the area currently exists. The Piñon Ridge Mill will help alleviate that shortage.

The Piñon Ridge Mill will also produce vanadium concentrates in addition to uranium concentrates. Vanadium, which is found in many of the nearby ore deposits, has many industrial uses including the formation of high-strength steel alloys and batteries for renewable energy systems.