URI Plans N.M. Regional Uranium Mill

Lewisville, Texas-based Uranium Resources is acquiring a portion of the last vestiges of the Rio Algom U.S. uranium holdings from BHP Billiton for $110 million in cash, and assumption of liabilities and retirement benefits of up to $35 million.

URI will also pay the mega-miner $16.5 million when and if it receives a license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to construct and operate a conventional uranium mill in the Ambrosia Lake District of New Mexico.

Located 20 miles north of Grants, the site could halve the time needed to build a new mill in the uranium district rather than building a uranium mill on a Greenfield site. Construction of a regional uranium mill could serve several uranium mining projects now planned near Grants, New Mexico.

URI will also gain 14,000 acres of surface fee land and mineral interests that are believed to contain 20 million pounds of mineralized uranium materials.

Dave Clark, URI President and CEO, said the purchase of Rio Algom "provides one of the key assets we need to achieve our strategic goal to produce 10 million pounds of U308 per year by 2012. We believe building a new mill on a NRC licensed site with associated water rights could allow production to begin within four to five years."

The planned mill will have the capacity of processing up to 8,000 tons of uranium ore per day.

Rail Runner Offers Quieter and Safer Railroad Crossings for North Valley

New Mexico Rail Runner Express begins construction on Candelaria Quiet Zone

Construction work started on the first of several north valley railroad crossings to be designated "Quiet Zones". The crossing at Candelaria Road is getting fitted with a new median with an "unmountable curb" that will keep motorists from trying to go around a crossing gate.

In August, the design-build contract for phase II of the New Mexico Rail Runner Express was awarded to design firm HNTB, Twin Mountain Construction II Company and HERZOG Group. The completion of the project, that will bring service from Albuquerque to Santa Fe, is set for December 2008.

The second phase of the Rail Runner will run on existing BNSF track from Bernalillo to the base of La Bajada. The project will call for the construction of 22 miles of new track, where it will then connect to existing Santa Fe Southern track at St. Francis Drive and I-25.

At a minimum, each grade crossing must be equipped with flashing lights and barrier gates. Additional warning signs and safety measures - such as the type of median being constructed at Candelaria - also help compensate for the absence of the train's horn as a warning device.

The Candelaria crossing is one of six railroad crossings along a stretch of track between Menaul and Osuna Boulevards in the north valley that have been earmarked for quiet zones, utilizing appropriations from the last legislative session. The quiet zone modifications on Candelaria should be in place this winter.

I-40 Rio Puerco Interchange Opens

The New Mexico Department of Transportation held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the opening of the Interstate 40 Rio Puerco Interchange. The nearly $6 million GRIP project was awarded to local contractor Twin Mountain Construction II Company. Construction on the project consisted of reconfiguring the on and off ramps, milling and overlaying a 1.5 mile stretch of I-40, installing a new box culvert and extending the existing drainage structure. In addition, the construction of a roundabout directly in front of the Route 66 Casino and Truck Stop timed perfectly with the opening of the new Route 66 Hotel.

The contractor was able to complete the roundabout in 35 days, 10 days ahead of schedule, and have substantially completed the remainder of the project. Because of temperature restrictions, crews will return in the spring to complete final surfacing of the roads. Until then, all lanes will be open to traffic.

This is the eighth GRIP project to be completed in District 3. 

To submit project news, events and personnel announcements, please email them to Scott Blair, editor, at scott_blair@mcgraw-hill.com. Include a color photograph or project rendering if applicable.