The Velvet-Wood mine is a uranium-vanadium mine located in San Juan County, Utah, the US.
Anfield Energy, which focuses on uranium and vanadium development, acquired the mine alongside the Shootaring Canyon Mill in 2015.
Between 1979 and 1984, the mine produced four million pounds of uranium (U3O8) and five million pounds of vanadium (V2O5).
The company submitted its Plan of Operation for its Velvet-Wood mine to the State of Utah and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in May 2024. The step was taken as part of its efforts to advance Velvet-Wood to production-ready status concurrently with the Shootaring Canyon mill.
This Plan of Operation includes details actions regarding operations, reclamation actions, and an estimate of reclamation surety based on third-party costs. It also provides the technical rationale for how these actions comply with the regulatory requirements of the State of Utah and the BLM.
The US Department of the Interior (DOI) approved the Velvet-Wood uranium project in May 2025. With the approval, the project became the first uranium project to be prioritised under newly established emergency procedures designed to expedite the environmental review process for critical energy infrastructure.
Velvet-Wood Mine Location
The Velvet area is situated in San Juan County, Utah, roughly 31 miles from Monticello, Utah, within Township 31 South. The Wood area is positioned in Township 31 South, Range 26 East, Sections 6 and 7, as well as Township 31 South.
The project encompasses unpatented mining claims and a mineral lease from the State of Utah, covering approximately 2,166 acres associated with the Velvet and Wood mine areas.
Geology and Mineralisation
The Velvet-Wood project is located in the Lisbon Valley uranium district, recognised as Utah’s largest uranium-producing area.
In the Velvet and Wood areas of the project, uranium mineralisation is present within the sandstone units of the Cutler Formation. These sandstones are fluvial arkose that have experienced bleaching.
The mineral deposits in the project are irregular and appear as tabular bodies. They are situated at the base, top, or near pinch-outs (narrowing) of the sandstone bodies. The primary productive zone within the Cutler Formation is found near the unconformity, which is the boundary between the Cutler Formation and the overlying Chinle Formation.
Mineral Resource Estimate
The current mineral resources of the combined Velvet and Wood historical mines have been estimated to include 4.6 million pounds of eU3O8, with a grade of 0.29% eU3O8 in the measured and indicated resource categories.
Additionally, there are 552,000 pounds of eU3O8 with a grade of 0.32% eU3O8 classified as an inferred resource. The vanadium-to-uranium ratio in these resources is 1.4 to 1.
Mining at Velvet-Wood Mine
The mining methods for both the Velvet and Wood mines will be largely similar, that involves utilising a random room and pillar approach. Single boom jumbo drills will be employed for drilling face blast holes, while 2 cubic yard Load Haul Dump (LHD) equipment will be used to ensure efficient mucking of both mineralised material and waste.
Due to the variability in grades, multiple headings will be necessary to maintain a consistent grade for the mineralised material stockpiles and to meet the desired tonnage.
Each crew is scheduled to drill a face approximately 1.5 times per day, resulting in an average output of 300 tonnes per day from each mine complex. This contributes to a total of 600 tonnes per day to the mineralised material stockpile, while allowing ample time for shift changes, safety training, routine maintenance, and addressing unscheduled breakdowns.
At the Velvet mine, there is an existing decline measuring 12ft by 9ft and extending 3,500ft in length. The PEA plans to re-enter and stabilise this decline to access the old velvet mineralisation. An additional decline of same dimension will be developed from this existing decline to reach the new velvet mineralisation.
For the Wood Mine, several access options were evaluated. The preferred strategy is to access the Wood Mine through the workings of the New Velvet Mine. This approach minimises the need for additional mine permitting, as it eliminates the requirement for a new surface entry and ensures all development occurs underground, thereby reducing surface impacts.
Contractors Involved
The technical report for Velvet-Wood project, along with Slick Rock project, was prepared by Douglas Beahm of BRS Engineering. Several other co-authors also contributed.
