In-Situ Recovery (ISR), from the Latin “in situ”, meaning “in place,” is an environmentally friendly method of extracting uranium that uses wellfield technology to circulate a water-based solution through sandstone-hosted deposits. The process leaves the rock undisturbed and causes minimal surface disruption. ISR is highly regulated by the NRC, EPA, and OSHA to ensure environmental protection and worker safety.
ISR does not contaminate or pollute the groundwater. In the U.S., ISR is highly regulated and uses a closed-loop system that keeps fluids contained. In most cases, it uses only oxygen and at times, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) to extract uranium from the host rock. In fact, there’s no documented case of ISR contaminating groundwater in the United States. Companies are required to restore the groundwater to its original condition after extraction is complete.
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ISR only releases uranium in the mineralized portion of an aquifer that can not be used as an underground source of drinking water even before ISR activity because of natural mineralization. ISR mobilizes uranium that is already naturally present in the rock, then removes it through a controlled, closed-loop system. Once extraction is complete, the site enters a reclamation phase where the groundwater is restored to baseline conditions as required by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and other state regulators.
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ISR projects are not allowed in aquifers that serve, or could reasonably serve, as current or future sources of drinking water. They are only permitted in mineralized portions of aquifers that have been officially deemed contaminated and exempted from drinking water standards due to naturally high levels of uranium or other dissolved minerals, making them non-potable without significant treatment. In fact, because of uranium’s natural decay products, the groundwater in these mineralized parts of the aquifer is naturally radioactive.
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More than 25 ISR projects in the U.S. alone have successfully gone through groundwater restoration, meeting strict state and federal standards.
Importantly, U.S. ISR operations typically use a water-based solution consisting only of oxygen and sodium bicarbonate, a benign combination that dissolves naturally occurring uranium without introducing harmful chemicals. While ISR is practiced in other countries, restoration standards and chemical use vary widely, and the U.S. approach is considered one of the most environmentally protective in the world.
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It depends on the transport route, but all uranium shipments follow strict federal safety regulations set by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The uranium is sealed in Type A or Type B containers designed to withstand crashes, fire, and impact without leaking. In over 60 years of transporting radioactive material in the U.S., there have been no incidents involving a release of radioactive material from a properly prepared uranium shipment. If any transport crosses Tribal lands, consultation and additional regulatory review are expected.
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