Uranium Mining: Not a thing of the Past but a lingering presence in the Future

After reading Leslie Marmon Silko’s Ceremony, I was really intrigued with the idea of Uranium mining and the process it takes to mine the destructive element since it plays a key role in the novel. I went on YouTube and found out a lot of interesting videos about how the process of Uranium mining is done, but more importantly, I stumbled upon current videos about mining in the Grand Canyon.

            In the first video I came across, it discusses how opening mines would create jobs and reduce the U.S’s dependence on imported Uranium while completely disregarding the wellbeing of the Diné people who live close to the canyon. These supposed “benefits” of uranium mining do not outweigh the negative aspects of the potential project. As Taylor McKinnon states in the video, uranium contamination would be virtually unavoidable. Another key concept that I think is worth noting is the idea of having a pristine landmark surrounded by radioactive mining sites reminds me a bit about our talks of in-progress thanatourism. Not only is the Grand Canyon already a popular tourist destination for people traveling to and through the U.S but it could also potentially become a site where hundreds of thousands of people can get exposed to radioactive material as they take in the majestic beauty of the canyon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGuMeBkp5rU

I found a second, (the one located above) portrays a native spokesman for the Diné people named Klee Benally as he sits down with Democracy Now and discusses the same/similar ideas regarding the re-opening of a mine 6 miles away from the Grand Canyon entrance. Taylor McKinnon is also in this video as well and advocates for the closing of the Energy Fuels Resources company’s plans to expand and re-open closed mining sites.

            I hope you find these videos interesting and helpful to you as we continue to look into the long range destructive effects that uranium mining and nuclear bombs have not only on the country they are used on, but also on the native people who are effected by the mining of the materials needed to build the super weapons. 

-Meagan Davis