The Department of Interior has approved the reopening of a uranium mine in Lisbon Valley.
On May 23 the Department of Interior (DOI) announced the approvals for Canadian based Anfield energy to operate the Velvet-Wood mines in Lisbon Valley.
The approval came just 11 days after the department announced the use of emergency procedures as part of a national energy emergency declared by President Trump on January 20, 2025 aimed at, in part, decreasing reliance on foreign energy.
The result is an accelerated environmental review by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) with a completion timeline of 14 days, that accelerated review led to approval of the mine operation.
The Velvet-Wood mine is located off Williamson Fork road in Lisbon Valley, less than five miles from the Lisbon Valley Mining operation.
Anfield bought the mine in 2015 and has announced plans to bring their Shootaring Canyon Mill into production located north of Ticaboo on the northwest side of Lake Powell a little less than a 200 mile drive from the mine in San Juan county to the mill in Garfield county.
Environmental groups have raised concerns about completing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in under two weeks.
The NEPA process includes evaluations which can take multiple years in some instances in just two weeks.
NEPA processes typically include analysis of potential impacts on the project environment, alternatives to consider and any mitigation of impacts on public lands including watersheds.
The process also includes opportunities for public participation in the form of comments and sometimes hearings.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum says the administration is responding to solve an energy crisis.
“This approval marks a turning point in how we secure America's mineral future," said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum.
“By streamlining the review process for critical mineral projects like Velvet-Wood, we're reducing dependence on foreign adversaries and ensuring our military, medical and energy sectors have the resources they need to thrive. This is mineral security in action.”
Data from the US Energy Information administration shows that US commercial nuclear reactors have almost complete reliance on foreign imports of uranium.
While it varies year to year from 2019 to 2023 nearly half of US uranium came from Canada and Australia, with Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan making up most of the rest of imported uranium for commercial nuclear reactors.
The DOI says “The Velvet-Wood project will bring new jobs and infrastructure to the area, reopen and expand the existing underground mine, and restore the land once mining is finished.
“Most of the work will take place underground, targeting known mineral deposits left from earlier operations.”
Anfield reports between 1979 and 1984 the Velvet mine produced four million pounds of uranium and five million pounds of vanadium.
While the Velvet project could include opening of existing declines and vents, the Wood area of the project has not been mined but is adjacent to the Velvet project.
In its release the DOI says that the plan would result in three acres of new surface disturbance in part because of the existing underground mining plan and existing surface disturbances.
A 2023 assessment by the Anfield also identifies their Slick Rock project, located in Disappointment Valley in San Miguel County Colorado about 25 miles north of Dove Creek near the Dolores river.
Velvet-Wood mine application approved
