Presenting research on in-situ recovery of uranium supported by the Wyoming Legislature April 21, 2015 University of Wyoming Student Union Ballroom, Laramie, WY Hosted by the SCHOOL OF ENERGY RESOURCES Symposium Website: www.uwyo.edu/ser/conferences/
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AGENDA 2015 In-Situ Recovery of Uranium Research Symposium April 21, 2015 In 2009, the Legislature of the State of Wyoming appropriated $1.6 million to the University of Wyoming, School of Energy Resources (SER) for activities related to the development of in-situ recovery of uranium (ISRU) in the state. The ISRU research program was created to stimulate research and development in the area of ISRU in Wyoming. The ISRU Research Symposium is a forum for ISRU researchers to present their findings. 9:00 9:30 am Registration (University of Wyoming, Union Ballroom Foyer, 2 nd Floor) 9:30 9:45 am Welcome and Opening Remarks Jonathan Downing, Executive Director, Wyoming Mining Association 9:45 10:30 am Enhancing Bioremediation of In-Situ Uranium Aquifers through Uranium and Carbon Isotopic Tracing of Biologic Activity, Kevin Chamberlain, University of Wyoming 10:30 11:15 am A Column Study for Enhanced Bioremediation of In-Situ Uranium Aquifers with Varying Levels of Total Dissolved Solids, John Willford, University of Wyoming 11:15 am 12:00 pm Field Evaluation of the Restorative Capacity of the Aquifer Down Gradient of a Uranium In-Situ Recovery Mining Site During Mining Operations, Paul Reimus, Los Alamos National Laboratory 12:00 1:00 pm Networking Lunch 1:00 1:45 pm The Mineralogy and Provenance of Wyoming Uranium Roll Front Deposits and their Significance to In-Situ Recovery Mining Processes, Susan Swapp, University of Wyoming 1:45 2:30 pm Critical Evaluation of Restoration Goals Based on Improved Geochemical and Toxicological Characterization of Baseline- and Post-Mining Site Conditions, Thomas Borch and Thomas Johnson, Colorado State University, and James Stone, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology 2:30 2:45 pm Break 2:45 3:30 pm Testing the Chemical and Biological Efficacy of Cupric Oxide Nanoparticles from Uranium In-Situ Recovery Produced Water, Jodi Schilz, University of New Mexico 3:30 4:15 pm A Novel One-step Process for Uranium Production Bleed Water to Filter Trace Metals Using Cupric Oxide Nanoparticles, Brandon Reynolds, Wyoming State Engineer s Office 4:15 4:30 pm Closing 1 I n- Situ Recovery of Uranium Research Symposium
PROJECT ABSTRACTS 9:45 10:30 am Enhancing Bioremediation of In-Situ Uranium Aquifers through Uranium and Carbon Isotopic Tracing of Biologic Activity Kevin Chamberlain and John Willford, University of Wyoming A 30-day microcosm, laboratory experiment identified tryptone as a viable biostimulant to promote bioremediation and valence reduction of uranium (VI to IV) for restoration of in-situ recovered (ISR) uranium aquifers at Cameco's Smith Ranch-Highland site. A previous study had identified cheese whey as a potential biostimulant, but it had temporarily clogged wells during a field trial. Tryptone is an enzymatic digest of casein, the same protein source as cheese whey, but it is completely water-soluble to at least 2% concentration. Tryptone also has a high nitrogen value, and provides the highest iron content for a milk-derived peptone. A safflower oil/methanol mix was also tested in the microcosm but was not as effective. The experiment merely fed naturally occurring bacteria within the collected drill-core material and did not introduce any new strains. The addition of tryptone as a bio-stimulant produced a 53% to 68% decrease in the concentration of soluble uranium. Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) data demonstrated a clear increase in microbial biomass amongst the tryptone-treated microcosms and established that the Geobacter species of bacteria was most likely responsible for reduction of U(VI) in this system. The experiment also established that uranium isotopic measurements from monitoring well waters, specifically fractionations in 238 U/ 235 U, are useful metrics in monitoring the progress of the bioremediation and establishing that valence reduction has occurred. The 68% decrease in soluble uranium was accompanied by a nearly 1 permil, shift in 238 U/ 235 U from 137.83 to 137.73, approximately 10 times the analytical precision. Results from carbon isotopic measurements were also encouraging but are not yet definitive for monitoring bacterial activity in this application. The uranium isotopic measurements can be made from monitoring well waters and do not require any additional coring. The positive results from the microcosm laboratory experiment have led to a follow-up, longer-term column experiment (also reported in these proceedings) to better mimic field applications. A field trial is currently underway at the Smith Ranch-Highland site. Preliminary results from the follow-up, column study indicate up to 99% decrease in soluble uranium through bio-stimulation. 2 I n- Situ Recovery of Uranium Research Symposium
10:30 11:15 am A Column Study for Enhanced Bioremediation of In-Situ Uranium Aquifers with Varying Levels of Total Dissolved Solids John Willford and Kevin Chamberlain, University of Wyoming Current restoration methods for in-situ recovered uranium including aquifer sweeps and chemical treatments are costly and often result in large amounts of consumptive water loss, so improved restoration strategies may improve the economics of uranium mining, streamline the mining to restoration process, and further minimize environmental impact. Restoration of in-situ recovered (ISR) uranium aquifers requires the reduction of soluble uranium (VI) back into the insoluble uranium (IV) form. It has been shown that some microorganisms maintain the ability to catalyze this reaction as part of their natural metabolic activity. Thereby this study intended to stimulate the growth of the naturally-occurring microorganisms in the Smith Ranch-Highland (SRH) mined uranium aquifer by the addition of previously identified organic nutrients with the goal of observing U(VI) reduction in a continuous system. A long-term, laboratory column experiment was conducted to further evaluate the positive results observed in our previous microcosm study (abstract also included in this packet), which demonstrated an effective reduction of soluble uranium (VI) concentration in aquifer waters via stimulation with tryptone (a processed form of casein protein). In addition to demonstrating efficacy, we intended to determine optimal tryptone concentrations along with levels of total dissolved solids (TDS) and soluble uranium concentration where biostimulation may prove most effective. In the 2000 mg/l and 200 mg/l tryptone treatments, demonstrated upwards of 99.3% and 82.6% reductions in uranium concentration respectively on the high TDS/U water for 2000 mg/l tryptone and the medium TDS/U water for 200 mg/l tryptone. These effects were seen rapidly (within 3-4 weeks) for the 2000 mg/l treatment and more slowly (~4 months) for the 200 mg/l treatment. The 20 mg/l treatment of tryptone did not demonstrate any significant difference in soluble uranium concentration throughout the life of the columns (~1 year). In our initial analyses, a significant shift in the 238 U/ 235 U ratio was observed in many of the treatments, generally correlating with reduction of uranium. Contrary to the microcosm results, less of a trending shift in 13 C/ 12 C dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) ratios was observed, with little significant correlation with analyses to date. The value of monitoring uranium isotopic ratios as an indicator of biological reduction continues to be evident, with potential questions about carbon isotopic ratios being raised. Once again, the potential of tryptone to stimulate reduction of soluble uranium (VI) concentration in an experimental system has been demonstrated and which justifies further experimentation. 3 I n- Situ Recovery of Uranium Research Symposium
11:15 am 12:00 pm Field Evaluation of the Restorative Capacity of the Aquifer Down Gradient of a Uranium In-Situ Recovery Mining Site During Mining Operations Paul Reimus, Los Alamos National Laboratory Two different types of tracer tests were conducted to evaluate the ability of the aquifer downgradient of a uranium in-situ recovery (ISR) mining site to attenuate the transport of uranium from a mined area after ISR operations have ceased. Two cross-hole tracer tests were conducted to evaluate aquifer hydrologic heterogeneity that will influence downgradient contaminant transport. Because downgradient wells were not available for testing, these tracer tests were conducted in a previouslymined well field using two well patterns that were subsequently used in a SER-funded biostimulation experiment. The test results indicated significant heterogeneity that should be accounted for in contaminant transport models. In addition to the cross-hole tests, three single-well injection-withdrawal tracer tests were conducted in a mining area that had not yet gone into production. In these tests, waters that were elevated in uranium and other constituent concentrations were taken from a previously-mined area and injected into the unmined area. The unmined ore zone was geochemically reducing and was considered to be a reasonable proxy for the aquifer downgradient of an ore zone after mining. Two of the single-well tests involved the injection of the same solution that had about 40 mg/l of dissolved uranium, with the injected waters being allowed to sit in the aquifer for different time periods before being pumped back (approximately 15 days and 90 days). The third test involved the injection of a solution with significantly lower concentrations of uranium (~5 mg/l) and other dissolved constituents because it came from an area that had been previously restored by groundwater sweep and reverse osmosis; this water was allowed to sit in the aquifer for approximately 90 days. Non-reactive tracers were added to the injection solutions so that the uranium recovery when the wells were pumped back could be compared to the recovery of the tracers. The results of the injection-withdrawal tests using the water with the higher uranium concentration indicated significant attenuation of uranium in the aquifer relative to the tracers, with greater attenuation occurring in the test with the longer residence time. The test with the lower uranium injection concentration had the highest uranium recovery relative to the tracers, which was unexpected. However, much of the uranium recovered in this test is believed to have come from the ore zone rather than from the injection solution. Uranium isotope analyses being conducted at UW are helping to distinguish between the injected and ore-zone uranium. 4 I n- Situ Recovery of Uranium Research Symposium
1:00 1:45 pm The Mineralogy and Provenance of Wyoming Uranium Roll Front Deposits and their Significance to In-Situ Recovery Mining Processes Susan Swapp, Carol Frost, and Ron Frost, University of Wyoming, Robert Gregory and Jonathan Fred McLaughlin, Wyoming Geological Survey Uranium deposits in Wyoming occur in roll-front deposits. These deposits form in immature arkosic sandstones in Tertiary basins flanking mountains exposing Precambrian crystalline rocks. Uranium is transported in its highly soluble oxidized state (U6+) and most deposits form when uranium in solution is reduced to highly insoluble U4+ and deposits as minerals such as uraninite and/or coffinite (U/C). Alternatively, oxidized uranium forms insoluble minerals when sufficient vanadium is present (especially carnotite-group minerals, CGMs). Conditions for formation of these deposits include (a) a source of uranium, (b) sediments capable of channeled ground water flow, and (c) existence of either sufficient reducing potential in the sediments or sufficient vanadium to generate a localized uranium deposit. Recognized reducing agents in sediments can be abundant buried organic material, pyrite, sulfate-reducing bacteria, or even natural gas. ISR mining extracts uranium by re-oxidizing it, rendering it highly soluble, and extracted it in circulating fluids from the surface. Economic potential of a deposit depends on uranium and host rock mineralogy and petrography as well as on grade. The Lost Creek U/C deposit in the Great Divide Basin is characterized by apparently inadequate abundances of reducing agents to generate the deposit. In this study, the pre-ore sediments were found to contain abundant biotite, and both the up-gradient oxidized rocks and the ore-bearing rocks contain chlorite and corrensite (a vermiculite-group clay mineral). The primary reducing agent in this deposit is inferred to be ferrous iron released from biotite in the transition to corrensite. This unconventional reductant resulted U/C deposit that is efficiently exploited via ISL mining, primarily because the only reduced phase in the ore deposit is the U/C mineralization. The Willow Creek mine has units of U/C mineralization that are readily recovered, units with good ore grade and U/C mineralization that yield disappointing recovery rates, and units characterized by abundant CGMs. In this study, we determined that both pyrite and organic material were likely reductant phases, and that regions of disappointing recovery are characterized by either very high abundances of reducing phases or by extremely high vanadium content and primary CGM mineralization. The CGM mineralization apparently does not form deposits with classic roll-front morphology, and conventional ISR mining techniques are less effective because the uranium in the deposit is already in and oxidized and insoluble state when fluids are introduced. Thermodynamic considerations suggest that lixiviants with the lowest practical ph should be the most effective in extracting the CGM uranium. 5 I n- Situ Recovery of Uranium Research Symposium
Finally, we are presently analyzing sulfur isotopes in the ground water and in the pyrite to determine the role of sulfate reducing bacteria in the formation of these deposits. Results are anticipated within the next month. 1:45 2:30 pm Critical Evaluation of Restoration Goals Based on Improved Geochemical and Toxicological Characterization of Baseline- and Post-Mining Site Conditions Thomas Borch and Thomas Johnson, Colorado State University, and James Stone, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology In-situ recovery (ISR) uranium (U) mine restoration is generally based upon a return of the site to baseline conditions. Little scientific information is used to justify utilizing baseline conditions for regulatory compliance and the constituents monitored for compliance have not been evaluated to ensure they are proper indicators of restoration. The three overarching research objectives of this study are a) health effect determination to perform an assessment of constituent toxicity, b) geochemical characterization of U from baseline conditions and comparison to a mined site and c) hydrological evaluation and modeling analyses to integrate the hydrologic and geochemical data and associated interpretations into a predictive mathematical model analysis of the baseline and post reclamation conditions. Our study is based on experiments conducted at the Smith Ranch-Highland in Wyoming and thus all data presented are very site specific, however, the novel methodology developed for site characterization can be applied to any site. There is considerable concern regarding the health effects of ISR uranium mining. These concerns must be viewed in light of the presence of naturally occurring uranium ore, itself a latent hazard. To contextualize risk, groundwater quality in the operational and post-restoration phases of mining was compared to baseline quality. Of the sixteen groundwater constituents included, only uranium and radium-226 showed significant (p<0.05) deviation from site-wide baseline conditions; total radiation dose decreased as a result of mining. Geochemical data indicate that U in sediments is mostly associated with the carbonate and organic fractions with a smaller fraction associated with Fe and Mn-oxides. Molecular-scale spectroscopic data indicate 30-80% of U(IV) in the ore zone is comprised of monomeric U(IV) while the remaining fraction constitutes primarily biogenic U(IV) mineral phases. Microbial community analysis and U -isotope fractionation studies indicate that different mechanisms are responsible for immobilization of U within the mine sites depending on location relative to the orezone and depth of sampling which highlights the complex interplay between biotic and abiotic factors instrumental in controlling the reduction and mobility of U(VI) in subsurface aquifer systems. 6 I n- Situ Recovery of Uranium Research Symposium
Generic complexation geochemical modeling, calibrated via batch sorption isotherms using upgradient water and downgradient sediment, suggest that the aquifer has significant capacity to immobilize soluble uranium downgradient of the mining zone. However, natural attenuation efficacies vary due to site heterogeneity, suggesting an inherent need to better understand spatial changes in varying geological conditions. 2:45 3:30 pm Testing the Chemical and Biological Efficacy of Cupric Oxide Nanoparticles from Uranium In-Situ Recovery Produced Water Jodi Schilz, University of New Mexico In-situ recovery (ISR) of uranium is the predominant method of uranium mining in the United States today. During ISR, uranium is leached from an underground ore body, transported to the surface, and then extracted from leachate solutions using ion exchange. The resultant production bleed water (PBW) contains contaminants such as arsenic, vanadium, uranium, and other heavy metals. Cupric oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) previously were shown to extract arsenic and selenium from contaminated groundwater (K.J. Reddy, McDonald, & King, 2013), but have not been tested against a complex mining mixtures such as PBW. Samples of PBW from an active ISR uranium facility were treated with CuO-NPs and contaminant removal was assessed. Both batch and flow-through reactors were used. In vitro cell culture studies were done on PBW before and after CuO-NP treatment to assess changes in cytotoxicity and the bactericidal properties of CuO-NP were investigated. Previous reports state that CuO-NPs removed arsenic and selenium from groundwater (Martinson & Reddy, 2009; K.J. Reddy et al., 2013). Our results indicate that CuO-NPs also adsorb uranium and vanadium. Our studies showed that CuO-NPs removed between 85-90% of vanadium and 35% of uranium. The solution ph of the PBWs tested varied from 6.8 to 7.3 but removal efficiencies of arsenic, selenium and vanadium were not affected in that ph range. The ph affected the release of copper from the CuO-NPs into the solution: the lower ph was associated with more copper release from the CuO-NPs, compared to the higher ph. The amount of copper release would affect the application of CuO-NPs to remove contaminants from PBW. Cell culture experiments showed that PBW exposure decreased cellular viability, and the cytotoxicity was ameliorated by CuO-NP treatment of PBW. Results suggested a higher amount of DNA damage and increased apoptosis but no change in the amount of oxidative stress and use of antioxidants between untreated and CuO-NP treated PBW. 7 I n- Situ Recovery of Uranium Research Symposium
CuO-NP treatment reduced bacterial counts, in batch and flow-through tests. However, results suggest that the bacterial reduction was most likely due to exposure to the copper ions in the solution, and not a direct result of contact with the nanoparticles. A further study of CuO-NPs absorption of vanadium is currently underway. The ph of ISR water may limit the use of CuO-NPs as a vanadium removal system. CuO-NPs show promise for decontamination of metal mixtures. 3:30 4:15 pm A Novel One-step Process for Uranium Production Bleed Water to Filter Trace Metals Using Cupric Oxide Nanoparticles Kyle McDonald, Trihydro Corporation, Brandon Reynolds, Wyoming State Engineer s Office, Katta Reddy and Tex Taylor, University of Wyoming, and Donna Wichers, Uranium One The in-situ uranium recovery process produces substantial amounts of production bleed water (PBW). The objective of this presentation is to discuss the effectiveness of cupric oxide (CuO) nanoparticles in the removal of trace elements (arsenic, vanadium, and residual uranium) from PBW. Batch experiments in the lab were conducted with PBW using CuO nanoparticles to remove trace elements and to develop a flow-through reactor for field studies. Based on batch experiment results, a flowthrough adsorption column for use with CuO nanoparticles was developed and tested in the field. The flow-through adsorption column effectively removed arsenic and vanadium and to some extent residual uranium from PBW in the field. 1.5 g of prepared CuO nanoparticles effectively decreased arsenic concentrations from 16 to 7μg/L in 10 L of PBW. Further, the prepared CuO nanoparticles decreased vanadium from 860 to 340μg/L. The removal of vanadium is likely due to an adsorption process by the CuO nanoparticles. This could be of potential economic importance to the uranium industry as vanadium is a costly contaminant in uranium production and yellowcake processing. No other chemical constituent of the water was significantly affected except for copper, which increased from 10 μg/l to 3.5 mg/l due to a low ph of approximately 6.5. Regenerated CuO nanoparticles performed similarly to prepared CuO nanoparticles. Analysis of the regeneration wash fluids suggests an incomplete regeneration of the CuO nanoparticles in the field. Further testing of the flow-through reactor in the field using pre-ion exchange water suggested that cupric oxide nanoparticles again removed vanadium. However, copper concentrations increased significantly in the treated water due to the low ph. Advantages and disadvantages of using CuO nanoparticles in the removal of trace elements from PBW and pre-ion exchange water will be discussed. 8 I n- Situ Recovery of Uranium Research Symposium
SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES Borch, Thomas Dr. Thomas Borch completed his B.Sc. and M.Sc. in the Chemistry Department at the University of Copenhagen. He conducted his doctoral studies under the direction of Dr. William P. Inskeep at Montana State University in affiliation with the Center for Biofilm Engineering. Dr. Borch was a Postdoctoral Scientist in the Soil and Environmental Biogeochemistry group at Stanford University with Dr. Scott Fendorf. Dr. Borch became a faculty member at Colorado State University in 2006 and his research program is directed at determining reactions influencing the fate of radionuclides, heavy metals, organic matter, and contaminants of emerging concern. Chamberlain, Kevin Kevin Chamberlain is a Research Professor at the University of Wyoming, Department of Geology and Geophysics, with expertise in U-Pb geochronology and isotope geology. He has developed a number of new geochronologic techniques including direct U-Pb dating of high-temperature deformation and in-situ SIMS U-Pb dating of mafic rocks using micro-baddeleyite. He has published over 60 articles with applications of U-Pb geochronology ranging from tectonics, petrology and paleontology to meteoritics. Current projects include dating ash layers to correlate stratigraphy and determine the ages of fossils, using the ages of mafic dike swarms to constrain pre-pangaea supercontinents, directly dating an Archean-aged foreland thrust fault, and using uranium isotopic compositions to monitor bioremediation in the in-situ uranium recovery industry. Johnson, Thomas Dr. Johnson has extensive experience in radiation safety, nuclear detection methods, and power plants. The last 15 years Dr. Johnson has spent in academia performing research in diverse areas of radiation safety including environmental, medical, and uranium mining. He has authored or coauthored over 30 peer reviewed papers, three books, and mentored over 30 graduate students. He has been responsible for multiple research projects funded by the Department of Defense, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy, United States Department of Agriculture, and other agencies. Dr. Johnson was the principal investigator on the majority of these grants, and was responsible for bringing over $4 million in research into Colorado State University over the past nine years. He was appointed to the Radiation Advisory Committee for the State of Colorado in 2010, and elected chair of the committee in 2015. Prior to obtaining his current position at Colorado State 9 I n- Situ Recovery of Uranium Research Symposium
University, he was an assistant professor at the Uniformed services University. In addition to his academic duties, Dr. Johnson was an active member of the United States Air Force reserves until 2009 when he retired the rank of major. Dr. Johnson also served for six years in the United States Navy, as an engineering laboratory technician, on the nuclear powered submarine USS Cavalla. Reimus, Paul Paul Reimus has B.S. and M.S. degrees in Chemical Engineering from Michigan Tech University (1981) and New Mexico State University (1984), respectively. He also has a PhD in Engineering from the University of New Mexico (1995). He worked at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (Richland, WA) as a research engineer from 1983 to 1989, and he is currently a staff scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory, where he has been since 1989. For the past 25 years, Dr. Reimus has worked primarily on projects studying the fate and transport of contaminants in groundwater systems. He has served as principal investigator of saturated zone transport investigations for the Yucca Mountain high-level nuclear waste repository project, radionuclide transport investigations for the Nevada Test Site environmental restoration program, and chromium plume mitigation studies for environmental programs at Los Alamos. He has conducted numerous laboratory and field investigations to obtain a better understanding of physical and chemical transport processes for both solute and colloid contaminants in the subsurface. Dr. Reimus has also conducted numerous field experiments in which he introduced solute or colloid tracers to interrogate the flow and transport properties of groundwater systems. In addition to contaminant transport studies, this work has included the development and testing of tracers to interrogate surface area in oil shale reservoirs and in geothermal reservoirs. He has worked in both porous media and fractured rock systems and in a wide range of geochemical environments. He has also developed several semi-analytical and numerical modeling tools to help design and interpret field tracer tests and laboratory contaminant transport experiments. In his SER-funded research project, Dr. Reimus has brought this experience to bear on some of the restoration issues facing Uranium ISR operators. Reynolds, Brandon Brandon Reynolds was born and raised in Lander, Wyoming. He graduated from the University of Wyoming with a B.S. and M.S. in Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management. Brandon worked as a research scientist under Dr. Katta Reddy at the University of Wyoming for three years. He recently began work at the Wyoming State Engineer s Office. 10 I n- Situ Recovery of Uranium Research Symposium
Schilz, Jodi Jodi Schilz received a bachelor s degree in Foreign Languages and Microbiology/Chemistry from the University of New Mexico. She is an AmeriCorps (Colorado conservation Corps 2001) and Peace Corps (Tanzania, 2005-2007) alumni. She has a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences/Neuroscience from Colorado State University and recently completed her PhD in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Wyoming. She has done epilepsy, lung cancer/smokeless tobacco and environmental toxicology research. She has taught microbiology, pathophysiology and pharmacology. She is currently an assistant professor at the University of New Mexico physical therapy department where she will be teaching evidence-based practice, pathophysiology, and pharmacology. She will be pursuing research interests including gait abnormalities, mitigation of environmental pollutants and therapies for metabolic disorder. Stone, James Dr. Jim Stone is an Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. During his 11 years at SDSM&T, his research has focused on contaminant fate and transport, and sustainability/life cycle assessment modeling. Swapp, Susan Susan grew up in Southern Utah. She was introduced to geology and to the uranium industry early, when her father served as the superintendent and chief geologist for the Happy Jack uranium mine in what is now Canyonlands National Park. Susan studied mathematics and geology at Indiana University and earned her M.S., M.Ph., and Ph.D. in geology at Yale University, specializing in mineralogy, crystallography, and metamorphic petrology. Susan next served as an Assistant Professor at the State University of New York at Binghamton for four years. In 1986 she happily accepted a position as a Senior Research Scientist at Princeton University, where she was privileged to work with Prof. Alexandra Navarotsky in crystallography and calorimetry research. After 4 years in this position, Susan jumped on an opportunity to return to the mountain west and accepted her current position as Senior Research Scientist in the Department of Geology and Geophysics here at the University of Wyoming in 1990. Susan s interests include crystal chemistry and crystallography of uranium-bearing phases, mountain-building processes in the early earth, and electron microscopy as applied to nano-materials. Her ISR research has been focused on understanding how mineral paragenesis influences the origin of roll-front uranium deposits in Wyoming Tertiary basins, and the influence of the genetic factors on the success of ISR mining in these deposits. 11 I n- Situ Recovery of Uranium Research Symposium
She reports that she s old enough to remember the uranium boom days of the late 1950s and the 1960s, the near-collapse of the industry in the 1980s, and its recent resurgence, largely in response to the success of ISR recovery and renewed interest in uranium as a major source of electrical power that is free from concerns of greenhouse gas issues. She is particularly inspired by the potential for major new understanding through recent technological advances in our ability to characterize nanomaterials, and by the prospect of long-term economic development in Wyoming. Willford, John Dr. Willford is an academic professional lecturer in the Department of Molecular Biology working with the Microbiology and Life Sciences programs at the University of Wyoming. He completed his Ph.D. in food microbiology at the University of Wyoming in 2008 with a focus in developing diagnostics for foodborne pathogens. In pursuing his own laboratory research, Dr. Willford has continued within applied microbiology directions which largely focus around public health and environmental bioremediation. The current primary research interest involves the utilization of biostimulation to reclaim in situ mined uranium aquifers, which has been ongoing for the last three years with a multidisciplinary collaborative group. In addition to his research interests, Dr. Willford teaches General Biology and co-teaches the Microbiology Senior Capstone course at UW. These efforts have also allowed for ventures into instructional and assessment research projects within the Life Sciences and Microbiology programs, respectively. 12 I n- Situ Recovery of Uranium Research Symposium
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