White Mesa

Lakewood, Colorado-based Energy Fuels says opponents of the mill don’t understand how they've implemented safety measures at the site and how vital it is to the larger, nationwide push for clean energy.

Engineers at a uranium mill in San Juan County have figured out how to produce a concentrate of rare earth elements from domestic ore. But environmentalists say the development could further delay reclamation of the mill, which has outlived its purpose.

Normally, Ute people crowd into a large, round arena laced with cedar branches to perform the ceremonial Bear Dance. But this year, the event at White Mesa drew under 20 participants, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

At the White Mesa fairground in central San Juan County, about 50 boys and girls stand opposite each other in a red dirt corral lined with tall cedars.…