Nuclear projects demand precision, trust, and proven expertise. Element supports utilities, manufacturers, and engineering teams with testing and qualification services that keep systems safe, compliant, and ready to perform—delivering data-driven insight to meet regulations and extend asset life.

Learn More

Waste Management

The DRUM program: Cataloging America’s abandoned uranium mines

September 30, 2022, 3:04PMRadwaste SolutionsGuest Contributor
DRUM team members at the Telluride 18 mine in the Yellow Cat area of southwest Colorado.

Based on a review of U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) records and available data from numerous agencies, there are an estimated 4,225 mines across the country that provided uranium ore to the U.S. government for defense-related purposes between 1947 and 1970. To aid in the cleanup of these legacy uranium mines and establish a record of their locations and current conditions, the Defense-Related Uranium Mines (DRUM) program was established within the Department of Energy’s Office of Legacy Management (LM).

To continue reading, log in or create a free account!

Related Articles

OSTP memo guides space nuclear plan

April 16, 2026, 12:00PMNuclear News

A White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) memorandum released on Tuesday guides NASA, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Defense on their roles in deploying...

NRIC’s DOME “open for business”

April 10, 2026, 2:03PMNuclear News

On Wednesday, Idaho National Laboratory announced that the National Reactor Innovation Center’s Demonstration of Microreactor Experiments (DOME) test bed is now “open for business.” With...