Uranium Mining Site Destroyed by EPA

[@brannancloward]

As an abandoned mine explorer, nothing feels worse than going to a place you have gone to for years and finding that the government has been there closing the adit and destroying the history. Great videos.

[@RadioactiveDrew]

It’s pretty horrible what they do to these sites in the name of “safety”.

[@ColdWarFilms1947]

I can understand exactly how you feel. I am a military historian, and it has frustrated the hell out of me when the government spends taxpayers dollars to demolish historic structures in the name of "safety". Future generations will have no idea what these Cold War structures were like. Like the historic uranium mines, these places are priceless historical artifacts.

[@RadioactiveDrew]

@42BMWSAC that’s a huge problem as well. So many historical places get destroyed in the name of safety or to cover something up.

[@ColdWarFilms1947]

Exactly Drew! Cover-up being the operative term 🙄

[@flynnbrowning5685]

@@RadioactiveDrewhonestly, your attitude for mitigating heavy metal contamination is off putting. You are so aggressively forward and eager to spit condemnation on the EPA, while having done quite literally zero cursory research on the background on why it happened, but are ready to make a 12 minute video about how dumb and out of touch they are. You are not bahaving as a science educator or communicator, I expected FAR better than this from you. I am a resident of Salt Lake City, staring down the barrel of an ecological catastrophe due to mining operations that define the state history and culture, but due to this exact every sentiment you so dangerously and carelessly wave around, the EPA is helpless in stopping US magnesium from poising the air, and creating toxic dust storms.

[@mattcolver1]

We're from the government, and we're here to help you.

[@zgreen9673]

Nothing scarier!

[@barbaradoheny4473]

Actually, guys, everyone in the nuclear weapons programs, starting with the Manhattan Project, were ALSO from the government and look at the mess they left! Nobody from the private sector was running in to bid on cleaning it up, either, for quite a while.

[@ProtoHadron]

@@barbaradoheny4473 they would clean it up but they can't, you can clean up contamination but not scattered fission byproducts and with a nuclear weapon cleaning up that much contamination eould not unly be a nightmare but would also be verye expensive and it eould take way too much time so its better and easier to just wait for it to decay

[@ProtoHadron]

@@barbaradoheny4473 this is one way to trigger an entire community

[@SamwiseOutdoors]

Quote attributed to Ronald Reagan, noted proprietor of a public, open-air, gender-neutral bathroom since 2004.

[@highdesertdrew1844]

EPA, Department of the Interior (parks) are very interested in erasing any traces of human history or activity in pretty much every place they go. There are a lot of old millworks and mine sites that are in historic mining districts all over the west that have been 'remediated' in this way. We used to have an issue with "lead contamination" at the shooting range I was a member of. The lead was coming from the parking lot. It was an old range, and the contamination was caused by exhaust and leaking gasoline from back when they leaded gasoline.

[@robdapimp]

There is an area near me that was the largest sulphide body in the state, so in the late early 1800s and 1900s they mined it out for gold and other minerals, there was also a town upstream which was a ghosttown for many than 40 years or so. The EPA covered up the whole mine, destroyed the mill and the whole ghost town was tore down that had standing buildings. So to someone who does not know about what happened it seems like there is no history around

[@davidg4288]

My Dad worked for a large government agency that got busted by the EPA for excessive mercury in their waste water. After some investigation the mercury level in the sewage turned out to be lower than the site's incoming municipal water. The EPA complaint was quickly withdrawn.

[@Acroposthion]

@@davidg4288Classic.

[@lostpony4885]

My favorite range was shut down for lead contamination that made a lot of people sick including kids who were exposed to the buildings exhaust because the owner refused to mitigate for decades because he did not believe lead is harmful.

[@highdesertdrew1844]

@@lostpony4885 Particulate lead from primer dust and bullet impacts is definitely harmful, it's also really easy to mitigate with cyclone separators and filters that are driven entirely by having good airflow in the range. I have to deal with lead dust mitigation in my day to day at work where we manufacture ammunition. About 8 years ago we switched and started using heavy metal free primers. We have long loaded frangible and copper bullets for hunting and training ammo. The other trace contaminant in primer dust is barium, which is also kinda toxic depending on whether it's water soluble or not.

[@taesssi]

I know in New Mexico, they are trying to close off all abandoned mines. The state lists them as a health risk. Doesn't matter if it's a shaft or strip, they are trying to close them and 'restore'. This started I think around 2011.

[@RadioactiveDrew]

I see it as erasing history.

[@taesssi]

@@RadioactiveDrew I'm off the same opinion. I used to go-to a lot of mines around here. Hello I had a chunk of uranium sitting on my dresser for like 10 years, that I got from a mine when I was 15.

[@42VS42]

There are so many superfund sites in densely populated areas that they could be spending their budget on. Weirdest triaging I've ever seen. Reminiscent of what they did to the Central Containment Unit in Manhattan in the 80's.

[@DonOblivious]

My previous home sourced its water from the bottom of an active mine site sandwiched between 2 landfills, one of which is a leaking Super Fund site. If they *stop* pumping the mine water into people's homes it will further spread the landfill leak. Freeway Sanitary Landfill Pull up the google satellite imagery to see the Freeway Sanitary landfill, the mine, and the supposedly "safe" landfill sitting on top of the water source.

[@MG-wi1eq]

It's almost like they don't care about us 🤔

[@lostpony4885]

Mitigating a superfund site near people has to cost waaay more than whatever they did here. I bet they dont even know HOW to actually deal with a lot of things aside from packing contaminated materials including yards and yards of soil into landfills with a right-now solution that will likely fail eventually and which are probably super hard to redo once theyre covered up.

[@jessegreenwood1956]

Totally agree with you. The risk is minor. The loss of industrial archeology and history is MAJOR.

[@Theradiationchannel]

Hi radioactive drew I love your vids I now have a channel of my own and it used to be a gaming channel you have inspired me to get into radiation and seeing uranium plates I love your content bro it's always an honor to watch your vids

[@ravenwraith1017]

I really hope you are careful with this stuff dude...

[@Theradiationchannel]

@@ravenwraith1017 it's not that dangerous for radioactive plates

[@Denver_____]

I saw the short you have on your channel. I think you have what it takes to make a great channel with a little practice. Good explanation

[@jefftoombs68]

Babe, you need one of my blood pressure pills?

[@kano8474]

Drew you have inspired me. I purchased a Geiger counter. Got one old Civil defense one and a newer one. Yea it’s a shame how big brother wants to erase history.

[@RadioactiveDrew]

I’m glad to hear that you bought a Geiger counter. I really enjoy going out to places looking for stuff. Sometimes I’m surprised by what I find. I wish government agencies wouldn’t have such a heavy hand for so many things.

[@TBI-Firefighter-451]

Just like with the Radioactive Hazardous Waste Dump near Christmas Valley Oregon, The EPA and DEQ Buried it under Sand and now Radioactive Dust blows all over that area and now Christmas Valley is a Cancer Pod. My Uncle was a Uranium Miner in Death Valley after WWII and I played in the Radioactive Tailings Pile for many years with no ill effect.

[@bernarrcoletta7419]

It’s always nice to see one of your videos. I agree with you 100% that the EPA has too much authority; and that there’s other things that they should be doing. Rather than going after a mine in a sparsely populated area, they should be cleaning up Superfund sites. I was so disappointed when the big rocks that they put in the road didn’t contain buttloads of uranium ore though. Have a great weekend

[@RadioactiveDrew]

Glad you enjoy the videos. I’m sure if I looked around there a bit more I could find something spicy. That whole area has some good uranium deposits.

[@LM-fg7vi]

Government agency: If we save any of the money they gave us, we will get less next year, so lets throw it at something.

[@RadioactiveDrew]

I wish this was a joke but it’s spot on.

[@frodothehobo9581]

On the other hand, it is undoing the changes humans did to the landscape, and returning it to nature. May suck for explorers and adventurers, but for nature itself probably best.

[@davidjernigan7576]

If these people were intelligent and competent they would not be working for the government

[@RangerMcFriendly]

Yep. That’s why I left the NPS.

[@Jake-yx7ct]

I would agree they are heavy handed in their cleanup. There are no laws in place that I know of to force the mining companies to repair the lands that they have torn up and polluted.A good tour Drew.

[@alexdrockhound9497]

There are many many laws forcing mining companies to clean up after they are done mining.

[@RadioactiveDrew]

@alexdrockhound9497 it wasn’t a mining company that did this.

[@spacemoon56]

​@@RadioactiveDrewyea the mining company destroyed the local environment and left when the money was gone

[@RadioactiveDrew]

@@spacemoon56 how did they "destroy" the environment? I've been out to many of these old mining sites and the environment is doing just fine.

[@dalejr183]

Did u do a video of before they screwed it up?

[@RadioactiveDrew]

Unfortunately not. I've been trying to make videos of places I go to for the first time so I can capture it before its gone. But some of these places are spots I've been going to for a couple years before I started making videos on KZbin.

[@thomasprettyman1962]

Thank you for sharing the history of the uranium mines, that are left, I find it interesting.

[@edwojeck3567]

Drove the hard way in on Steens Road yesterday from La Sal. The sun was setting so we'll take the pavement back up the hill today. Thanks for pointing out these sites. Hope to camp at Uravan next week. There is a learning curve for my new hobby but I'm getting there.

[@RadioactiveDrew]

That's so awesome that you went out there. Its such a cool area to explore. The drive to Uravan from the La Sal area is pretty amazing.

[@jessiejane6259]

What are those brick pillars in the beginning of video?

[@jefftoll604]

Now it's completely boring there, ugh! Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.

[@MatějŠvenda]

I am starting to collect different radioactive elements and uranium ore is one of the highest on my list. I dont live in USA but in my country there are some uranium mines that are most of the time fenced off or are rally far from my home. Really good videos that i even learn something from.

[@Davvvici]

Hey mate, I really enjoy your content. Last year I went to the abandoned Green River Missile Base, and there is also an abandoned Uranium Mine on the site. It is a great lost place due to its history and you can still find radioactive remaining. I would really enjoy you making a video of this site. Best regards

[@RadioactiveDrew]

I think I’ve heard of this site. I’m planning on visiting it one of these days.

[@Gunbudder]

Have you ever heard of the Midnight Mine in Eastern WA? pretty interesting story

[@mysticforest7687]

This just makes me sad… I’m seeing that too much in Arizona with our huge and old mining history. It makes me sad that they’re doing this because history is important. I’ve been to a couple sites like this in my local area that have been closed that I was looking forward to exploring, and potentially making a claim on it If the mineral value was worth it. They close a lot of old mines in my area. Unfortunately a lot of them were really good gold silver copper, and other important mineral mines

[@RadioactiveDrew]

Mines are important sites that should be keep open. So much work has gone into getting access to areas deep underground its a shame to have all that work be for nothing. Plenty of valuable minerals in these areas.

[@chapter4travels]

I just found your channel and look forward to watching some of your videos. I just got interested in exploring old uranium mines myself. I just visited the abandoned Los Ocho mine south of Gunnison Colorado. Lots of remains and easy access on BLM land. Nothing really hot but plenty of easy samples in the 15 microsievert range. I'll be camping at the Bluewater lake state park in NM in a couple weeks and hope to explore Poison Canyon while I'm there.

[@RadioactiveDrew]

I’ll have to check out that location in Colorado. Poison Canyon can be a cool place to explore but there are a ton of fences.

[@chapter4travels]

@@RadioactiveDrew Private property fences or EPA restricted area type fences?

[@RadioactiveDrew]

@@chapter4travels private property fences. But there are some that seem to be pass through types. I use onX to find property boundaries when I'm out and about. Also if there is the absence of a "No Trespassing" sign then I'm going to assume its all good. Just use good judgement. Some of the locations out by Poison Canyon at EPA fences and those say no entry.

[@DominicBlaze-z6p]

Hey! Mine junkie here.. but just a thought have you tried strapping the radicode 101 w Cell phone to your drone? I know you walk the area, but when your on those sandstone bluffs you could fly the edge and get readings. W gps.. lol just a thought... if you need a junk cellphone I have a box or two..lol

[@RadioactiveDrew]

I have thought about it and this summer I might try out the idea. Problem is you need to keep a uniform elevation over the target area.

[@electrolytics]

Thanks. Appreciate your content.

[@RadioactiveDrew]

Thanks for watching and the comment.

[@kwilliams420]

That's very disappointing. I would love to know how much money they spent on that. Who got paid to do it and what the justification was. There has to be some way to find what other sites they plan on destroying.

[@PetraKann]

How much money did the miners make? Why arent they cleaning up the site?

[@kwilliams420]

Well, it was a hole in the side of a mountain, not an ecological disaster. I am guessing the uranium went directly to the government, but you could ask the miners, if any of them were still alive today.

[@goodfortune6399]

I would guess someone's brother-in-law got the contract to do that

[@mutantryeff]

It isn't "weird" if the contractors were a relative of those pushing the project.

[@TomKappeln]

Bulls Eye !

[@davidogle9247]

You know that's what's happening...

[@RadioactiveDrew]

I have no doubt that’s what’s going on.

[@Denver_____]

Someone’s uncle l, cousin, or friend, got a nice little paycheck to split with the decision maker

[@CloudSpecter]

Love your passion about these mines and anything around them! It was a joy to watch how you explained all of this

[@mannymayer9250]

Sorry, I don’t agree with your position on the EPA doing mitigation at this and other mining sites. They are doing what the mine owners should have been required to do at the end of mining operations. Mining owners have been getting away with this behavior for decades. But “we the people” not the mine owners are now having to pay for it.

[@RadioactiveDrew]

I like seeing evidence of history. Some of the trash left behind could be cleaned up. But even that can be a learning experience.

[@CJSHM]

@@RadioactiveDrewwhen it is toxic industrial waste it should be cleaned up. We have messed this planet up royally, watching you whine about a government agency trying to do the bare minimum to clean up after something and somehow that inconveniences your hobby obsession… grow up. We are destroying the planet and you’re whining because your hobby was inconvenienced.

[@bioshockgamer]

⁠@@RadioactiveDrewYeah I totally get that sentiment. But there is a line you have to draw somewhere sometimes. You can’t leave stuff lying around everywhere forever. This is more important if it benefits the return of native wildlife or something similar (the mines out there probably didn’t have any negative effect at this point as far as that goes and it obviously wasn’t harming humans) But in general people should probably clean up after themselves. I get how this being destroyed strikes a nerve, though, especially if you found joy in it being there. Having a snapshot of history to explore and being able to imagine the lives of the people who lived it is a cool thing to have. It being an ancient city or an old mine is no different. But inevitably, a lot of that history is going to get buried.

[@FutureRoadkill]

@@bioshockgamerI think having these buildings or remains left over is pretty cool, some may be dangerous or borderline about to collapse. But I’d want to still have these around, it’s nice for younger people as myself to go out and see these building and remains and just explore or hang out.

[@aaronorechwa5406]

Don’t worry there are 4,500 abandoned uranium mines left to go to.

[@JellyRadium]

That is actually pretty sad, all that history being removed is disappointing

[@lostpony4885]

Um....just curious how much uranium do you have at home and hows it stored?

[@RadioactiveDrew]

I have a collection of what I have found exploring old sites that can fit into 2 5 gallon buckets. This really isn't a collection I keep. I sell most of what I find on my site uraniumstore.com. As far as storing it, I keep it in my garage at the furthest point from anyone else. I also have some lead bricks around the buckets to kick down the radiation level.

[@Desert-edDave]

They have to spend that money to get more funding - no matter how illegitimate the reasoning. It really is sickening just how blatantly wasteful something like this EPA project is. The government is a well-practiced entity in the field of destroying history.

[@charlesrajca1359]

As a resident of an area with drinking water polluted by PFAS from a corporation upstream with taxes having to pay for extra filtration of its water, why is the EPA caring about these old mines that arent hurting anyone, when there are entire populations being actively poisoned...

[@RadioactiveDrew]

PFAS should be of a much greater concern that’s for sure.

[@jsigmo]

If your town or regional drinking water system is not already looking into this, they need to do it NOW. The deadlines for being included in some of the classes involved in settlements from the companies who manufactured these chemicals are coming up soon. Early December 2023 for several of them. A huge part of the extra filtration that will be needed to remove PFAS/PFOA from drinking water will hopefully be paid for with money from the enormous settlements reached and being reached from several of the manufacturers of those chemicals. Our town is currently doing baseline sampling for the one water source for our municipal drinking water system. Based on those results, we will be part of the huge class action suit(s). Preliminary testing several years ago has already shown that our water source has been impacted, but the newer testing methods have far lower detection limits and hopefully better overall accuracy. It's likely that in the end, our town will need to add an expensive activated carbon system at the output of our existing water treatment system, and then add an additional chlorination system after the activated carbon filters. Activated carbon removes chlorine as well as many undesired contaminants. These activated carbon filter systems require ongoing maintenance as well as periodic replacement of the activated carbon itself, not to mention the added electrical power needed to run additional pumps, etc. Hopefully, our town will not only have the new filter system covered, but some source of money to fund the ongoing maintenance, periodic carbon replacement, and power needs. On the bright side, the activated carbon will also remove a lot of other contaminants, including so-called "disinfection byproducts" and their precursors. So this will enhance the quality of the town's drinking water far beyond just removing the PFAS/PFOA compounds. Keep in mind that we've all been eating off of cookware, paper plates, etc., and drinking this stuff in the water for many years. It's only recently that EPA has decided to designate these compounds as regulated contaminants. So it's not as if this is suddenly a new problem. I find it somewhat amusing to realize that everyone was safer back when our fast food came packaged in polystyrene foam boxes cleanly made from natural gas until the so-called "environmentalists" went nuts about that and insisted that these companies use "natural" and "recyclable" materials (basically cardboard treated with PFAS) instead of the evil polystyrene foam. Ooops! ;) But make no mistake. Even though huge settlements are often reached requiring various companies to pay for remediation of problems like this, the costs will be passed along to consumers, ratepayers, taxpayers, etc. People like to imagine that fining, suing, or taxing corporations somehow brings magic money into existence. It doesn't. Companies must, of course, cover all of their costs by raising prices, cutting pay and benefits for employees, laying people off and automating, etc. In the end, consumers pay ALL taxes, fines, and legal judgements levied on companies. Nonetheless, your community does need to make sure they're doing what they can to assure that they receive their fair share of any settlements that are reached in these class action suits. Of course, we'll all pay for this unfortunate chain of events, but then we've benefited from the good characteristics of these chemicals for many years, and it's only recently that their dangers have been studied and brought to everyone's attention. That's true of a lot of things. We love the products, convenience, and benefits of many things. But when it's discovered that there are downsides or dangers from the building blocks used to make these wonder products, we all want to disavow our own culpability and find someone else to blame and make pay. It's a complex world, and many times the dangers of wonderful things don't come to light until years later. Who doesn't like fire-fighting foam that helps put out extremely difficult fires? Who doesn't like waterproofing for clothing? Who doesn't like their cheeseburger and fries to be delivered in a package that doesn't leak all over our pants? But then we find out that there are some unanticipated downsides to the components that go into making these products, and all of the sudden we want to make someone else pay for it. It's like Roseanne Roseannadanna says: "It just goes to show ya. It's always something. If it's not one thing, it's another!" kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5m8eKeOftZ3l5Isi=hWDXJ4ElHDpv8sar

[@tdiron5277]

Mining changed the natural landscapes and the mining company left a dump of equipment trash and exposed what was not exposed naturally (not good) . Land reclamation superfunds exist and some developer used government funds to cleanup a future site too avoid future legal issues… Your personal disappointment in not seeing the mine dump any longer would change in a more objective look . Think of abandoned salt mines where reclamation is wait for a sinkhole swallow a future neighborhood… Change is not bad or good It’s just change ? Step out from the cave and look both ways crossing the road 😂 Just a thought 😎

[@lostpony4885]

I thought it would be a better video if he researched what mitigation steps were taken there. Is there any kind of liner or is it a cosmetic patch job? Im a greedy consumer.

[@muffysvlogs6045]

What about Elliot lake lake in Ontario

[@RadioactiveDrew]

I’ve heard that area has some really high grade uranium.

[@kstricl]

My dad ha an asbestos rock in his collection when i was growing up. I have asbestos tiles under my hardwood. I'm nearly 50, and do not have mesothelioma. People get hysterical over perceived risk, ignoring actual risk, because one is easier to point at than the other. Burying low energy beta emitters makes cheap Geiger counters happy and reduces perceived risk. That's what happened here. Now, about the pollution from the older coal fired powerplants...

[@madmax2069]

Yeah, asbestos is only harmful if you disturb it and create dust and breath it in. Same ignorance surrounds radiation, just look at all the ignorance surrounding the Fukushima treated water release (you can find it on the news channels on videos covering it). Everything is dangerous in large enough quantities, you can die from drinking too much water...... People are highly ignorant on these things (which should be taught in schools), or are willfully ignorant.

[@PsRohrbaugh]

Low-energy betas are the worst.

[@TheTarrMan]

Maybe it's the DHS capping all those mines out of some sort of new-found cold-war era fear. Sad to see this happening. Hope the rest stay open.

[@Joe_VanCleave]

My thought exactly!

[@RadioactiveDrew]

I do think there is an effort to remove access to uranium mines. Funny thing is I find a lot of uranium ore outside of the mines and on the mining roads.

[@TheTarrMan]

@@RadioactiveDrewI wish I knew what to say. The whole situation is sad.

[@TheTarrMan]

@@RadioactiveDrew Maybe you could reach out to someone (I have no idea who) and get an interview. Maybe even possibility document the process of how they do that. Regardless, what we think of it, it would still make an interesting video.

[@PsRohrbaugh]

If someone has the ability to gather enough uranium ore, and refine it into something reactor grade (let alone weapons grade) without being noticed, we have much bigger problems. There's a reason these were huge industrial compounds. It's not something you can do with a pickup truck full of rocks in your garage.

[@boyettewhite]

The EPA just ruined some desert Bats homes .

[@norandois]

Also in Canada, Our government has destroyed copper mine site because of AMD, but even years later, mine still doing amd as well, just everything leveled, what a shame

[@ccjensen4670]

Don't forget the Rio Algum mine site in Lisbon Valley with its three ponds..deep ore and refinery for the Western Slope of the Rockies built there.

[@RadioactiveDrew]

I'll have to look into this area.

[@Stealther]

So delayed restocking on uranium ore?

[@christophertiredofbs8514]

I love the channel, I feel like I am out there with you exploring. I can totally see your frustration and disappointment, we are very similar in our feelings with these things. You have a unique ability not to curse on your channel, I have a foul mouth when I get pissed!! These things also happen here in Massachusetts, they are always filling in quarries, and we had places that made munitions and Wompatuck State Park, and bear Cove… They filled the munitions domes with concrete, and bulldozed The buildings down It’s so sad, gone forever, a part of history… It sucks No camping No fires No drinking No dirt bikes No shooting No hunting I suppose over here in Massachusetts that’s why all these people around me have dogs. Ughhhhh!!!! Thank you for another awesome video, don’t let it get you down!

[@RadioactiveDrew]

I try and keep the channel clean. I know I have subscribers that watch my stuff with their kids. I feel like I can get my point across without having to swear. Sometimes I’ll record a clip with a couple f-bombs and then do another one clean. Sometimes it’s easier to get that stuff out.

[@nicholasdedomenico6205]

I literally just took a trip into the McCormmick and Mi Vida mines like 3 weeks ago. I’m gonna go ASAP if they plan on shutting it down

[@darielyazzie2019]

I believe when an approach is taken to mitigate any hazards that impact the environment and ecosystem of that environment, then please do so. Loose mine waste will contain radionuclide particulates that will drain off of these mines, typically located in higher elevations, and all precipitation will drain off from theses areas and collect where?...in the watersheds that feed the ecosphere. Radionuclides in water does not positively help anyone, or anything. In an arid region like this, water is such a high needed resource and will increase in the future. My point being, whatever we can do to save what we have and back track some of the harm that has been done will only ensure that the future generations will have something to rely on...clean potable water will be worth way more than left behind mine relics that exist as human health risks. IMO...

[@Vash612584]

"gotta be everyone's mom" you hit the nail 100% square on the head with that statement.

[@RadioactiveDrew]

From the comments on this video I think a lot of people feel the same way.

[@Vash612584]

@RadioactiveDrew Absolutely. Unfortunately, we are outspoken and drowned out by the never-ending sea of Karens out there.

[@bentomook]

Where I live, they will do these projects as a “proof of concept” with regards to re-wilding an area after human industry is no longer occurring at the site. Often times there is science going on to see how the site becomes wild again over time. I’ve never seen it in remote areas tho, I understand your frustration.

[@RadioactiveDrew]

I just hate seeing areas that have a lot of history destroyed.

[@flynnbrowning5685]

@@RadioactiveDrewit’s a 4 second google Drew, just google the EPAs site for this project, everything is right there in the open. If you’d stop being angry at big brother for a moment and read literally any of the 100+ documents regarding this project, you’d be able to breath better without a foot in your mouth.

[@chapter4travels]

The EPA to this day still enforces the bogus, discredited LNT regulations. (linear no threshold) if for no other reason than to make nuclear power extremely expensive.

[@RadioactiveDrew]

The LNT is such a joke that has zero scientific evidence.

[@trottermalone379]

Another great video! Thanks Drew!! Asserting that the government’s allocation process for public resources is obtuse is quite the understatement. Give a bureaucrat a budget and an ill-defined mandate and there is no telling what you will get. What does “safe” actually look like... What is undeniable by any measure - the government has way too much power, money and control, and way too little accountability.

[@RadioactiveDrew]

I couldn’t agree more with what you said.

[@AtomicElectronCo]

Thank you EPA! Yeah they've done the same with mines down here in AZ. Just horrible. It is a waste of money.

[@RadioactiveDrew]

It’s all a waste of money. Would be far more beneficial to stabilize the mines and how them safe-ish for mining or geology students. There is so much that can be learned from looking underground.

[@williamlabarre4755]

Maybe try to get them listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Could snarl things up for decades.

[@RadioactiveDrew]

That would be a good idea. Problem is that so many people view anything having to do with uranium mining as if they are mining atomic weapons from the ground.

[@elchicharron9503]

You make some of the same arguments I do. If you want to know what mines are on the chopping block, it's all of them. I'd also like to see a schedule and order, so I could visit some unseen ones before it happens. There's also the new mineral discoveries that will never happen because they are bulldozed over. They are impeding science as well.

[@RadioactiveDrew]

I couldn’t agree more. What they are doing to these mines is horrible.

[@Zanthum]

4:30 they are going after the lead in ammunition now too so at least they are consistent in their heavy handedness

[@WJV9]

Lead in shotgun shells has been killing ducks and geese for years, it needs to be regulated.

[@travelingwaves]

Thanks Drew !

[@paraglidingprospector]

I recently went camping and when I woke up, I did a little exploring. I found a similar abandoned mine with the same yellow warning signs. They’ve essentially done the same thing to that site, but (thanks to watching your channel) I spotted some old core samples! Wish I had a Geiger counter on me to test, but it was definitely a cool mine site. However, the signage warned against camping nearby, which I had already done… :-/ Cool videos man! Keep ‘em comin!

[@RadioactiveDrew]

Thanks. I’m glad you enjoy the videos.

[@jefftoombs68]

Seriously, is this part of the land that was given back to the first peoples?

[@lostpony4885]

Doesnt bulldozing it all around make it a lot harder to actually mitigate the site?

[@RadioactiveDrew]

They dumped a bunch of dirt over the whole site and then used bulldozers to spread it out.

[@FullModernAlchemist]

They do have better things to do, it’s just blocked by politicians who own oil investments. They could be dealing with all the pollution related to oil and gas.

[@FOXCRF450RIDER]

Landmarks are disappearing everywhere for all sorts of bogus reasons. Such a shame.

[@RadioactiveDrew]

It truly is a shame. So much can be learned from sites like this.

[@Kevin-ht1ox]

Has anyone reached out to the EPA to find out why?

[@Kevin-ht1ox]

www.epa.gov/navajo-nation-uranium-cleanup

[@lookylook570]

They’re reply would be “Because we are the EPA & an arm of the government who knows what is best for you peasants, so suck it”

[@darylbuckner5596]

It’s very sad to see the mine history erased. See this in many places.

[@RadioactiveDrew]

It’s very sad and it’s upsetting to me. Editing this video made me a bit mad.

[@JohnLobbanCreative]

We do enjoy your videos.

[@flynnbrowning5685]

Had you bothered to search about why, which you didn’t, you would have seen that the EPA identified this site as the source of contamination that was impacting human recreation. In fact, the site and field surveys are well documented on the EPA website, with lab work, survey work, impact work, and every type of justification you could ask for. But you didn’t even bother to look.

[@RadioactiveDrew]

I do a lot of research to make my videos. I'm constantly reading EPA reports on radioactive areas...many of them uranium mines. So my statement on how they are destroying these places is fact. I'm one of the few people that goes out to these sites and makes a video showing people exactly what is going on.

[@ethanyotter7874]

If the epa is going to do this crap they need to spray native seed onto the tailings to help. Freshly plowed tailings isn’t going to help anything.

[@chrisbusenkell]

EPA: If you think the problems we create are bad, just wait until you see our solutions.

[@RadioactiveDrew]

I think you have captured the essence of their new slogan.

[@frizzlefry1921]

And wait till you hear about all the stuff were not bothering to do!

[@tdiron5277]

I am a prospector in norther California I get how you feel about that particular mine . In my area we have 19 mines in one county the miners peppered the hills with “History “ and I get giddy when ever I cross one. As for saving them for historical reasons vs land value ??? Today I looked at a property with a mine 49acres for cheap. Further research and a price drop of $50k in six months is not good .i found out the land is being looked at by the forest service to take over ??? I and others backed away . Can’t fight city hall or BLM .

[@RadioactiveDrew]

Yeah its hard to fight the state or fed on land issues.

[@06eyM3]

They gate off old gold mines, coal mines, etc too. They also gate entrances to major natural cave systems. This is because people, men mostly from my experience, are full of bravado and stupidity and get themselves hurt or killed exploring such underground passageways. It costs the system lots of money to haul your injured ass or corpse out of these places, and creates a danger for us emergency service workers and high\low angle rescue techs who have to go in there to rescue you. They put up the gates to try to save you men from yourselves. 🤦🏼

[@RadioactiveDrew]

Educating people about mines and keeping them open would be far better.

[@peteschoepp2887]

Awesome video brother

[@ICTDiesel]

You have places like this that cause no harm and then you have places like Picher Oklahoma with MOUNTAINS of Chat blowing around and they hardly do anything....

[@escuelaviejafarms]

I am with you on this one.

[@elddisguy]

Would they touch it if it was a known bat roost or hibernation site? just think of th outcry it woould cause.

[@RadioactiveDrew]

Good question.

[@TomKappeln]

EPA, FBI, NSA, ATF, CIA .......................... 3 letters 🤬💩

[@Rob-n3h7d]

The EPA and the US Forest Service destroy historic sites all the time. The US Forest Service has burned down all the cabin sites in the Kootenai district. I don't understand how they can do it when it's Protected by the antiquities act.

[@RadioactiveDrew]

That's amazing they did that. The EPA has been in the habit of extreme overreach for some time now.

[@Eg-tl2js]

What's the problem? Looks like a perfect example of EPA logic to me.

[@RadioactiveDrew]

True.

[@scottcapron1873]

All those 3 letter government agencies FBI, CIA, ATF, EPA, etc. should be all ended. But they would end social security first and throw the elderly out in the streets before Big Government gives up any power.

[@PetraKann]

But not the CDC, Pfizer, MOderna, the FDA ? IS that what you are selectively advocating for cottappron1963?

[@scottcapron1873]

That would be under etc. I never took the COVID shot or wore a mask. I am a senior citizen. I never had COVID. Alternative medicine and a strong immune system. Yes, ban them all!

[@mountainmonk5874]

Some mines do need to be fixed, most don't in my experience.

[@RadioactiveDrew]

To be fair some mines do need fixing. But there is fixing and then there is destroying a site.

[@djshnibz]

They probably did this more for the heavy metals exposure from tailings, but yeah in the middle of nowhere who’s it affecting?

[@iancanuckistan2244]

It sounds like a few of the mine sites should be preserved as historical sites.

[@codyhopwood5644]

The EPA wants to fix this but not cold water creek 🧐

[@davericb]

right on! How about preserving the mining history. Also, please visit the Rocky flats plutonium factory site buried in 19 feet of concrete. I live 6 miles from there. The land is now called a wildlife sanctuary !! and they let people in there but we're talking plutonium and they had a couple of accident leaks. It's all shut cover now but talk about an incredible episode. They say you can still pick up radiation Indiana Street and Highway 93 and Highway 72. It's surrounded by heavy travel roads and the south end has a brand new cookie-cutter development Highway 72 has a plastic stallion painted red with a gas mask on it's muzzle on the other side of the street private property. Colorado

[@jtcustomknives]

How is this not destruction of an historic sight?

[@RadioactiveDrew]

The EPA apparently has car blanch to destroy whatever it wants in the name of public safety.

[@jefftoombs68]

I bet they were afraid some stocky red-headed radioactive rock collector was going to take. Truck load back with him and refine them to make a bomb.

[@haydenunsell]

epa: we’re from the government and we’re her to help! pitcher oklahoma: hey could you come clean up our town from the toxic piles? epa: absolutely not we can not have that but you could just evacuate and turn a blind eye even though this site affects a lot more than this little town. also epa: holy cow! a harmless uranium mine! nope we can’t have that just lying about gotta cover that up before some unsuspecting person gets cancer from low level background radiation.

[@TheCrossroads533]

Toxic piles? Call a proctologist.

[@pazsion]

What were the readings before this “clean up” and after… It does seem more like erasing history than lowering exposure

[@pazsion]

If these readings are like this after adding barriers… it would be x3 at least before this… Yea that’s putting everything at risk… like an unchecked oil or gas pipeline leak… Or the venting these industries do… fuels we can be using just vented off directly from the lp gas lines and oil and gas drill pads… large amounts of methane would act similarly to radon gas too… Just covering the ground and airspace where people live. Seen as quantifiable data points in the rise of lung and kidney cancers , diabetes down wind from these open mines… There are more toxic sites that need attention, but these sites would be quick and cheap .

[@pazsion]

Buildings and things that aren’t producing radiation should stay and be preserved and gain historical heritage site protections. This would mean explorers will need to be much better at leaving no traces and making sure things aren’t stolen too. The methods of mitigation for radon don’t include destroying buildings or disturbance of the grounds. This may have been improperly cleaned up as well. I don’t think they should have done it in this way.

[@TheSantaRocker]

EPA back at it again making Flash Floods more dangerous with smooth surfaces and kill valley slopes. SMH

[@RadioactiveDrew]

No kidding. I've been out in that area when the monsoons come through and its no joke.

[@skyking3525]

Another great video my dude. There are so many sites that I want to go visit now because of your inspiration. Beautiful country.

[@RangerMcFriendly]

To see more EPA incompetence look up how their actions led to the pollution of the Animas River in 2015 from the Gold King Mine. Tons of heavy metals released. From Wikipedia: “The 2015 Gold King Mine waste water spill was an environmental disaster that began at the Gold King Mine near Silverton, Colorado, when Environmental Protection Agency personnel, along with workers for Environmental Restoration LLC, caused the release of toxic waste water into the Animas River watershed.”

[@patcaribou]

At least they were trying to do the right thing, clean up a toxic waste dump left behind by a mining company, since mining companies never seem to have the money or the motivation to clean up their own goddamn mess. I"m not against mining but maybe they should be required to include cleanup and restoration costs in their budget before moving forward. They never seem to have much patience or support for their own employees either who die from black lung disease.

[@travelwithjustin]

As if there’s nothing else more pressing for them to spend the resources on.. ”what a joke” indeed. Thanks for the report

[@RadioactiveDrew]

No problem. Thanks for watching.

[@travishurd7619]

Epa did samething similar up at monte cristo in washington state, i did a big hike through there and they took all the tailings an put them in a huge hole too keep heavy minerals out of the water. You know water cuts through mountains over time and releases the minerals right? Lol

[@lomax6620]

Don't ever kill a rattle snake!!! There's a chance of it biting a EPA.

[@dugbrown11]

They're watching your channel

[@ProtoHadron]

whats even worse is that they basically just turned it into a tourist attraction

[@collectorguy3919]

Abandoned leaky gas wells should be a vastly higher priority for EPA.

[@randomchannel-px6ho]

It's just mind boggling stupid arrogance here. Sorry, you don't have a right to explore dangerous abandoned structures because "it's history".... and I love urb-ex and, but come on. The EPA cares about tye environment, not some autist who decided they love blights upon it. Yeah they aren't perfect by wahhhh i can't play with uranium because big brother is such an assine take

[@howardlyman]

You have some of the best videos out there, I always look forward to them. Sad how they are destroying everything. First rule of government is spend over your budget to get an increase next year. Second, bury anything you don't want to deal with as deep as possible. The government rarely has our best interest in mind. A question for you, I see you use a Radiacode 101 & 102 Have you ever checked out or tried the Raysid gamma spectrometer? I am thinking about getting one of them. Except for not having the display it is smaller about the size of a Zippo lighter and seems to spectrum identify much easier and faster. Be safe out in those mines!

[@kennethnielsen3864]

Thanks for sharing.

[@eriggle83]

Some desk nerd saw this as a easy "clean up" to help "justify" his job.

[@rackets001]

Your videos are great! The EPA is crazy! I like the idea that they will just bury half of the mountain west to "keep us safe." 😂

[@RadioactiveDrew]

The EPA does some weird things...I'm sure most of them are about making money from getting rid of these sites.

[@paraglidingprospector]

Seems a little more hazardous to rework the earth and spread the dirt and dust around like that. Time for me to get a UV light and a proper Geiger counter too! 😂

[@RadioactiveDrew]

A UV light and a Geiger counter is a good combo to have when camping.

[@marksteen9322]

@@RadioactiveDrew Because of the need for uranium for nuclear weapons during the Cold War, and the Atomic Energy Commission’s incentive program during the late 1940s and early 1950s, and the 1971-1980 nuclear power boom, there are more United States Geological Survey, US Bureau of Mines, and State publications on the geology and exploitation of uranium ore deposits than any other metal in America. Thousands of Professional Papers and Bulletins and State papers and publications are available for anyone interested in this strategic metal. The Big Indian mining district in Lisbon Valley is Utah’s most productive uranium area, with nearly 80 million pounds of uranium oxide produced from 16 major mines. The Radon and the Columbia mines were part of a cluster of ore deposits on the north end of the Lisbon Valley Anticline that produced more than 25 million pounds of uranium oxide. The Mi Vida and Standard mines produced more than 24 million pounds of uranium oxide from high-grade uranium ore between 1953 and 1984. Almost all of the Big Indian uranium ore was processed at the Uranium Reduction Company/Atlas milling facility in Moab. As I recall, the Mi Vida and Standard mines were reclaimed during the 1980s, when all of the buildings and structures were hauled away by contractors working for the State of Utah. The electric motor and ore cars that everyone comments on were barely used, because it was much cheaper to employ rubber tired equipment underground in the Mi Vida mine. The track doesn’t extend very far in the mine, because it was removed long before the mine shut down. I highly recommend reading “Lisbon Valley, Utah’s Premier Uranium Area, A Summary of Exploration and Ore Production” by William L. Chenoweth (1990), Utah Geological and Mineral Survey, Open-File Report 188, if any of you wants to know more about the ore deposits and history of the exploitation of the uranium ore bodies in this fabulous mining district. It has three pages of References that cite all of the important papers on this uranium mining district and a map of the Lisbon Valley Anticline showing the mines and ore bodies that modern day explorers will find very useful.