Surface Blasting

For those living in the vicinity of Coles Hill, this web page should be required reading. Virginia Uranium Inc.proposes open pit mining of uranium for a period of 30 years. Even if naysayers discount the environmental pollution and health risks posed by a uranium mining and milling facility to its neighboring communities, the physical effects of its operation will not be so easily dismissed.

http://www.dmme. virginia. gov/DMM/training materials. shtml

Under Training Materials, click on:

SURFACE BLASTER’S CERTIFICATION STUDY GUIDE

Not only will we be exposed to low-level radioactive dust fallout from a uranium mining and milling facility, we will have to become accustomed to daily, successive TNT blasts-- for 30 years no less!!! (Maybe there will be no blasting on weekends or holidays?)

Study Guide Excepts:

Page 50:

It has been found that windows are probably the weakest part of a structure that will be exposed to air blast, they are most apt to suffer damage. Poorly mounted panes that are prestressed will be cracked and broken most easily. Extremely high overpressure could cause the formation of exterior masonry cracks or interior plaster cracks.

Although it is possible that high air blast overpressure could cause structural damage; those produced by routine blasting operations under normal atmospheric conditions are not likely to do so. The principal effects are most often 1) a slight overpressure that rattles windows and 2) noise that startles people. The rattling windows and noise may leave them under the impression that their house was violently shaken by blasting. Complaints may result if the subjective response of the people is such that the disturbance is annoying or intolerable.

Page 56:

The public relations problems involving blasting have increased in the past years. The increased difficulty that blasters face with public relations is the result of urban expansion and the commencement of surface operations near densely populated areas. When blast effects intrude upon the public's comfort, strained relations usually arise between operators and surrounding communities.

The two most common complaint problems are air blast and ground vibration. Blasting produces ground vibration and airblast that can result in structural response at off-site buildings. This perceived motion could be very disturbing to homeowners; therefore, it is advantageous to establish good public relations with nearby neighbors. Most homeowners mistakenly believe that any motion of window glass or house structure originates from ground vibration striking the foundation of the house, when in fact the concussion element of airblast is often the culprit. DMM Safety & Health Regulations establish maximum limits for both ground vibration and airblast based on comprehensive studies conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM).

Considering the last paragraph, has VUI begun to establish good public relations with its nearby neighbors, by explaining how surface blasting (open pit mining) is going to affect them? Or, is it like the low-level radioactive dust fallout from a uranium mining and milling facility: we will just have to learn to live with it?

Anne Cockrell

Notes from Gregg:

1) How will the Chatham Fault line be affected by all of this blasting? Will we have earthquakes? They will be blasting right on the fault line!

2) Will your insurance cover any damage from the mine, e.g. radioactive dust contamination, decrease of property value, damage caused by blasting (this will surely lower property values), etc. Better ask your agent. I did and the answer was "NO"! Nor could I get additional coverage for this.

3) I don't know about you, but no amount of public relations, propaganda, or glad handing, as blasters are apparently trained to do, will EVER convince me to live with the dust (can't live with it, it will kill you) or the constant blasting.

4) Thanks for this Anne!