Old Church Rock Mine

The Old Church Rock Mine (OCRM) site is a former uranium mine located along the west side of State Highway 566 approximately 13 miles northeast of Gallup, NM in the Church Rock Chapter of the Navajo Nation. OCRM includes a 75-acre fenced area of former mining operations and surrounding contaminated areas in the Eastern Abandoned Uranium Mine (AUM) Region of the Navajo Nation.

EPA is working with the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency (NNEPA) to oversee investigation and cleanup at the site while pursuing enforcement efforts with potentially responsible parties.

Background

OCRM is an inactive uranium mine located northeast of Gallup, New Mexico. Commercial exploration, development, and mining of uranium at OCRM began in 1957.

The first phase of mining at OCRM between 1960 and 1962 resulted in a total of 77,965 tons of ore. The second phase of mining resulted in a total of 238,286 tons of ore between 1963 and 1982. During the second phase, mined ore was transported from the site to the United Nuclear Corporation uranium mill at Northeast Church Rock, approximately 3 miles northeast of the site along State Route 566. Groundwater was pumped from the underground mine workings to prevent flooding. Once at the surface, groundwater was stored in on-site ponds and treated using ion exchange before being discharged to the adjacent arroyo.

Together, EPA and NNEPA initiated a removal assessment at the Old Church Rock Mine in November 2022. The removal assessment includes gamma scans of surface soils, surface soil sampling, scanning at residential areas, and background area studies. The purpose of the removal assessment was to evaluate whether the site poses an imminent and substantial danger to the surrounding community and whether a Time-Critical Removal Action (TCRA) is necessary.

Community Involvement

Community members have an opportunity to become involved in the cleanup activities and help shape cleanup decisions. EPA and NNEPA meet regularly, in coordination with chapter officials, with residents and other community members about work at the OCRM site.

Cleanup Progress and Timeline

• In 1991, United Nuclear Corporation removed mine waste from Old Church Rock Mine ponds and transported the waste to Northeast Church Rock Mill.
• In 2003, the Church Rock Chapter initiated the Church Rock Uranium Monitoring Project (CRUMP) to assess environmental conditions in residential areas. In 2007, the assessment results were published in the “Report of the Church Rock Uranium Monitoring Project."
• In 2007, a scoping survey was conducted by NNEPA, and recommendations were provided for assessing soils and sediments near Old Church Rock Mine.
• In 2009, a site characterization was conducted by a potentially responsible party to follow up on the recommendations provided in the 2007 NNEPA scoping survey. Further subsurface characterization was completed in 2013 under a second phase of the characterization.
• In 2022 EPA conducted a removal assessment to evaluate whether there is an imminent and substantial danger to the surrounding public. The Removal Assessment Report was finalized in August 2023.
  • Removal Site Assessment Report: Old Church Rock Mine (zip) (240 MB, August 25, 2023)
• Summer 2024, EPA anticipates beginning an interim action to address areas of concern identified in the 2023 Removal Assessment.
• In 2025, EPA anticipates completing an Engineering Evaluation and Cost Analysis (EE/CA).

Site Photographs