ENGINEERING ASSESSMENT AND FEASIBILITY STUDY OF CHATTANOOGA SHALE AS A FUTURE SOURCE OF URANIUM VOLUME Ⅱ ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIOECONOMIC, AND REGULATORY IMPACTS FROM CHATTANOOGA SHALE EXPLOITATION

摘要

As the first two parts of a four-part study sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, this report describes the engineering, feasi¬bility, economics, and environmental aspects of exploitation of Chattanooga Shale to recover uranium, synthetic crude oil, and by-product, thorium, ammonia, sulfur, molybdenum, vanadium, nickel, and cobalt. The encouraging conclusions indicate that the Chattanooga Shale is technically, economically, and environmentally a potential source of uranium, energy, and by-product metals, assuming successful future research and development (particularly hydroretorting) and favorable by-product metals market impact.nShale stratigraphy and critical feasibility considerations are addressed. Geology of the Chattanooga Shale and adjacent strata is reviewed.