Uranium mining has been ongoing in Texas since the 1950s. Early uranium workers were exposed to radioactive and chemical toxins, which increased their risk of developing certain illnesses and cancer. The government, through the RECA, provides compensation to affected uranium workers who meet certain criteria. These include uranium miners, millers, ore transporters, core drillers, and remediation employees of mills and mines in Texas and other uranium mining states in the country, who have worked for at least one year from January 1, 1942, to December 31, 1990.
The RECA covers certain kidney and respiratory illnesses for eligible uranium workers and their survivors. Respiratory diseases for which you can claim compensation are lung cancer, non-malignant respiratory diseases such as lung and pulmonary fibrosis, cor pulmonale related to lung fibrosis, silicosis, and pneumoconiosis. Compensable kidney illnesses include renal cancer and any other chronic renal disease, such as nephritis and kidney tubular tissue injury. For you to be considered for compensation, you must file a claim with the Department of Justice and prove that you meet the eligibility criteria. The evidence required depends on the type of claim. It may include diagnosis of covered illness, certificates of death, birth, and marriage, as well as the worker’s employment history.
The speed at which your claim is processed depends on the availability of sufficient evidence for the Department of Justice to make a decision. You can contact our RECA attorney, R. Hugh Stephens, at (716) 208-3525 for help filing a RECA claim in Oregon or anywhere in the country. He will advise you on your eligibility for the benefits, guide you through the claim application process, and help you file a successful claim. If your claim is successful, you’ll be awarded a lump sum payment of $150,000, as well as medical and impairment benefits. You might be eligible for compensation if your loved one died of a RECA-covered illness. Eligible survivor claimants may include a living spouse, children, parents, and grandchildren if they meet RECA-specified requirements. For instance, a spouse must have been married to the deceased worker for at least one year immediately before the individual’s death. Also, stepchildren must have lived with the worker in a regular parent-child relationship.
Uranium Mining in Texas
In Texas, uranium was first discovered west of Deweesville, Karnes County, in 1954. Mining in the region began in 1956, becoming the first large-scale uranium mining operation in the state. At the time, the uranium production industry was experiencing a boom, with a guaranteed market from the US government. Currently, uranium is used in nuclear reactors to generate electricity, in the manufacture of military equipment, and in the manufacture of medical diagnostic equipment.
By the end of 1956, about 15 uranium-mining prospects between the Rio Grande and Colorado Rivers were under exploration. By the end of 1960, the San Antonio Mining Company had extracted approximately 100,000 tons of low-grade uranium ore, ready for processing. During that same year, the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) reached an agreement with Susquehanna Western (Susquehanna Company and the Western Nuclear Company) to build a $2 million processing mill. The mill was completed in 1961 and could process 200 tons of uranium into uranium oxide per day using an acid-leach extraction process. The Texas mill was the smallest of the 17 plants across the country.
The government encouraged production by offering incentives to discoveries, building access roads, assisting in drilling activities, and providing convenient assaying and ore buying stations. As a result, the growing number of new mining discoveries by the end of the 1950s caused the AEC to start limiting growth. Consequently, in 1958, the AEC announced that it was no longer in the government’s interest to expand uranium production. The commission acted by restricting new contracts from 1961 to 1966, only allowing production of proven ore reserves. This move marked the end of the first uranium boom. During this period, the government was the sole buyer of uranium in the country, and the prices were based on an agreed price.
From 1960 to 1962, the Susquehanna Company and the Western Nuclear Company entered into a purchase agreement, in which the government would buy a pound of uranium oxide for $9.90. The 1962-1966 agreement saw the government purchase processed uranium at $8.00 per pound. From 1967 to 1970, the AEC purchases were based on a new “buying stretch-out” program that excluded Texas. As a result, the Susquehanna-Western mill temporarily suspended operations.
As demand for uranium by the federal government declined, private companies were already investing in nuclear power plants. The first commercial nuclear power plant, Shipping Port Atomic Power Station, was launched on May 26, 1958. The plant was located on the Ohio River in Pennsylvania. The nuclear power plants’ demand for uranium prompted another era of uranium exploration in South Texas and other states across the country.
Between 1961 and 1967, only the Susquehanna-Western companies were engaged in production. However, after 1967, many new companies began exploring deposits across the state and pursuing leases in the Karnes County deposits as well as other counties along the Texas coastal plain. In 1969, Tenneco Minerals began mining at a site 4.5 miles south of the Susquehanna-Western mill. All new mines developed in Texas between 1970 and 1976 were shallow open-pit surface mines.
In 1968, the Susquehanna-Western’s mill in Karnes County processed about 1.2 million pounds of uranium oxide. Three additional mills were set up in Karnes and Live Oak counties to process ore from mines such as Susquehanna, Conquista JV, and Chevron. During this period, uranium oxide was going for between $5.50 and $6.00 per pound.
The industry expanded rapidly between 1970 and 1980 as the AEC partially released market controls on the price of uranium ore and eased restrictions on its sale to private nuclear power plants. Companies such as Carbide began extraction using the in-situ leaching methods at the Palangana Dome. Unlike the open-pit and underground mining techniques, the in-situ technology was safer as employees were exposed to limited levels of radiation and other toxins. Susquehanna-Western constructed an additional mill for high lime ores at Ray Point. During the same period, the Conquista open pit, owned by Pioneer Nuclear and Continental Oil, commenced production.
Health Impacts of Early Uranium Mining, Processing, and Transportation
Early uranium workers involved in the extraction, processing, and transportation of ore were exposed to high levels of radiation, among other toxins. The health effects related to uranium exposure were unknown at the time, and no protection was provided against these exposures. As a result, many uranium workers died of lung cancer, which is the main risk associated with uranium employment. Uranium exposure during mining and processing is also linked to respiratory illnesses such as lung and pulmonary fibrosis, corpulmonale related to fibrosis of the lung, silicosis, and pneumoconiosis, as well as kidney damage and cancer.
Uranium is a radioactive element that undergoes a natural decay process to produce alpha particles. Alpha radiation cannot pass through the skin, but if ingested or inhaled, it can irradiate internal tissues, disrupting DNA and increasing the risk of lung cancer among other cancers. Alpha radiation can also cause cellular damage in the kidneys and bones. Thus, prolonged inhalation of uranium dust and radon gas (a byproduct of uranium decay) placed uranium workers at an increased risk of developing lung cancer.
According to some researchers, inhaled and ingested uranium mainly targets the kidneys. Apart from radioactivity, uranium is a heavy metal and is associated with chemical toxicity. It can accumulate in the kidneys, bones, and liver, damaging them and causing cancer. This theory was recently confirmed in a study that found uranium levels in blood plasma to be lower compared to other body organs.
Uranium is significantly linked to bone damage and bone cancer. Being a chemical analog of calcium, uranium can be readily deposited in bones. It also remains in bones for longer periods than in other body organs, interfering with normal bone cell function and resulting in bone degradation over time.
Some studies also link high levels of uranium exposure to reproductive problems, congenital disabilities, neurological symptoms, cognitive deficits, and immune problems.
Contact us for Help Filing a RECA Uranium Worker Claim
While you can file a RECA claim on your own, the process might be draining, and the chances of success are low. Our RECA Lawyer can help you quickly gather the necessary evidence to file a successful claim. We will not charge you until your claim is approved and compensated. Our fee rates are defined by the RECA, i.e., 2% if your claim was accepted the first time, and 10% for claims initially denied. We offer free consultation services to our RECA claimants. It is best to file your claim as soon as possible if you are eligible. The new deadline for filing RECA claims is December 31, 2027. We are not guaranteed an extension of this deadline.