Hot Springs

[maryruth]

Yes, I'm sure the permits have been issued...
From what the fellow told me at PowerTech, they drill and remove the uranium, then combine it with water(?!) to make yellowcake. Yellowcake itself is a naturally occuring form of uranium which is visible in certain land formations here in Fall River County. So I don't really know how the process works.
We did have a plan for Honeywell to put in a cluster bomb-testing site in Hell Canyon 15-20 years ago which was defeated because the AIM people and others camped near there in protest. Hell Canyon now stands guard over the Institute for the American Mustang (Wild Horse Sanctuary) on the Cheyenne River. So protesting does work in some cases.
Waxing philosophical a little: Things are in a very sorry state when the financial bottom line and making lots of money are the criteria for having the "good life." Thinking back on the post about the Native Americans, they lived with the earth and recognized it as their "mother." We, read "white," have scourged and plundered the earth to satisfy our lust for "more," and now we are faced with the "Inconvenient Truth."
All the hippies have turned in to Yuppies....LOL!

[uncleharley]

Thanks for the info. It sounds like the mine is a done deal. Do you know where it will be located?

[maryruth]

From what I hear, they are just in preliminaries: drilling holes to determine if there is enough uranium to make their process worthwhile. They will be working over by Edgemont.

[cburkhart]

HI All:

Uranium mining is and will be happening all over the western U.S. In your area, the Defender of the Black Hills is fighting this. I would advise you to get on their website and see what you can do to help. This is a major issue! We are fighting this in Colorado as well--and we don't plan to lose!

Cynthia

[Jammie]

http://www.defendblackhills.org/

http://www.dlncoalition.org/dln_issues/black_hills.htm

http://www.defendblackhills.org/campaigns/mining/article116.html (broken link)


Cburk, thank you for the name of the organization that we can join. I just posted a few links about the group. Heaven help us, we don't want to lose our Black Hills either. Good luck to you in your state.

[Amac]

First, let me say that while I care about the environment in which I live, that I'm no environmentalist, largely because of the other leftist alliances (gun control, affirmative action, social issues) they've made.

However, this mine issue does appear to be significant:

http://www10.antenna.nl/wise/index.h.../346/3467.html

Uranium mining is going to have to take place if we are to be able to use nuclear power responsibly and reduce our dependence on middle eastern oil. The question is how, and where.

[uncleharley]

Thanks for the links Jammie

[ladynitenday]

We lived in Hot Springs and then Edgemont. A lot of the houses in Edgemont had to have their yards dug out and the dirt replaced because it was tailings from the uranium mine and was very contaminated. Ours was one of the last ones done. A friend had a ranch outside town and had an old mine that had been made into a civil defense shelter until they saw what the gieger counters read. They also had a water sample run and the report came back saying it had the highest radioactive content of any sample that lab had ever run.
Our friends still live in Hot Springs and their kids have to go to Rapid, Custer or Chadron for good paying jobs. About the only things around are menial or seasonal tourist work. They say they are about priced out of renting too because so many are coming, falling in love and buying up property. It has become a trendy place to live these days. Same as most places though that are far from big city life.
The area has a nice atmosphere and there is a lot to do winter and summer. The snowstorms can be bad and it's hard to get in and out of town though, so that's something to take into consideration. Went shopping with my friend in Rapid once and the hour trip back to Hot Springs took almost 4 hours. Thank heavens I am used to snow and had a 4WD rig or we wouldn't have made it and there was no place to pull over and wait it out that was safe. Two of our friends who work in Rapid still keep an apartment there in winter in case they can't get home.

[Sherron83]

My husband & I have been looking into moving to South Dakota. We presently live in Maryland & want to be out in the country. I work for government in a VA Hospital as a nursing assistant. I've looked alot of things up on the computer but would like to have a little more input. We are very down-to-earth & enjoy the simple things in life. We basically are home bodies. Not much for going out but would rather stay home. The main thing we do go out for is grocery shopping & we buy enough to last for months. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Take care & God Bless....

Sherron

[uncleharley]

Good water is precious in the southern Black Hills. In some locations you would be more likely to strike oil before you hit water for a well. In other area's the water is alkaline and/or radioactive. It's probably okay for washing or gardening, but drinking the stuff is not fun. Other area's have good wells, but you may have to drill 400 ft before you hit water. The reason I mention this is that if you are planning on living in the country, you will have to give special consideration to your water supply. Country Club Estates, which is about 2 miles out of Hot Springs has a community well with pipes to all or most of their lots. Water bills run about $10 per month there. Hot Springs, of course, has a public water system. I believe Edgemont does also. Other options are to have your water hauled in by a water supply service such as Rural Water. I don't know what their prices are, but many people use them. If you go that route, you will probably want an underground cistern near your house to hold your water supply.

The weather around Hot Springs is as good as it gets in South Dakota and in a lot of other places. The mountains to the north and west give you a lot of shelter from winter blizzards and there is a thermal reservore that keeps the ground temperature near Hot Springs a constant 65 degrees.

Hope this helps
uh