Grants Mining District, New Mexico

The Grants Mineral Belt was the primary focus of uranium extraction and production activities in New Mexico from the 1950s until the late 1990s. The belt extends along the southern margin of the San Juan Basin in Cibola, McKinley, Sandoval, and Bernalillo Counties as well as on Tribal lands. Several mines in this area are under the jurisdiction of New Mexico Environment Department and EPA. EPA is working with state, local, and federal partners to assess and address health risks and environmental effects of the mines.

Related Resources:

• Assessment of Health and Environmental Impacts of Uranium Mining and Milling - Updated July, 2012(2 pp, 5.86MB, About PDF)
• Aerial Radiological Surveys Ambrosia Lake Uranium Mines Ambrosia, NM (33 pp, 3.5 MB, About PDF)
• Aerial Radiological Surveys Poison Canyon Uranium Mines, Cibola and McKinley Counties, NM (41 pp, 5.5 MB, About PDF)
• Map of the Mines, Mills and Sub-Districts of Grants Mining District (1 pp, 567KB, About PDF)
• Site Activities Update Grants Mining District and Homestake Site, New Mexico January 2012 (2 pp, 41 KB, About PDF)
• Final Five-Year Plan (52 pp, 2.1M, About PDF)
• The Legacy of Abandoned Uranium Mines (6 pp, 0.6 M, About PDF)
• Responses to Comments on the Five-Year Plan (20 pp, 108KB, About PDF)
• Five-Year Plan Factsheet (6 pp, 73KB, About PDF)
• Five-Year Plan Factsheet in Spanish (6 pp, 172KB, About PDF)
• New Mexico Environment Department Grants Mining District Website

The Five Year Plan for the Grants Mining District is a multi-agency effort. For specific questions regarding the plan, please refer to the contact list below:

For general questions regarding the Five-Year Plan

Name	Department	Phone Number
Mark Purcell	Environmental Protection Agency	(214) 665-6707

For questions regarding legacy uranium mines

Name	Department	Phone Number
Phyllis Bustamante	New Mexico Environment Department	(505) 827-2434
John Pfeil	New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department	(505) 476-3407
Tony Herrell	Bureau of Land Management	(505) 954-2134
Nancy Rose	United States Forest Service	(505) 346-3900

For questions regarding former uranium mills

Name	Department	Phone Number
Tracy Plessinger	Department of Energy	(970) 248-6197
Lydia Chang	Nuclear Regulatory Commission	(301) 415-8141

For questions regarding assessment of potentially contaminated residential structures

Name	Department	Phone Number
Warren Zehner	Environmental Protection Agency	(281) 983-2229

For questions regarding assessment of groundwater impacted by legacy uranium activities

Name	Department	Phone Number
Phyllis Bustamante	New Mexico Environment Department	(505) 827-2434

For questions regarding investigation activities at the Jackpile Mine

Name	Department	Phone Number
Petra Sanchez	Environmental Protection Agency	(214) 665-6686

For questions regarding public health surveillance of uranium in the Grants Mining District

Name	Department	Phone Number
Heidi Krapfl	New Mexico Department of Health	(505) 476-3577