FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — Most springs and wells in a vast region of northern Arizona known for its high-grade uranium ore meet federal drinking water standards despite decades of uranium mining, U.S. scientists found.
The highest concentrations of uranium were found at several sites downslope from an abandoned mine within Grand Canyon National Park. Further investigation is needed to determine if the contamination is directly linked to the Orphan Mine, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
“The proximity of the mine to the spring, that’s our working hypothesis. We can’t say definitively. We need to look for other things,” said Fred Tillman, a research hydrologist for the Geological Survey...