Uranium mining, environmental inequality, and Native American health

The quest for uranium in the United States (U.S.) began shortly after WWII, when uranium ore was discovered on Navajo Nation. As a result, approximately 400 million tons of uranium ore were extracted from Native American lands by the mid-1980s. The legacy of uranium mining and milling operations has left behind thousands of abandoned radioactive mine sites, decades-long polluted waterways, and some of the highest rates of cancer and disease in the U.S. Although the location of uranium is based on geological indicators, the choice to mine tribal lands, exploit tribal workers, and disregard tribal agreements for the sake of profit is an act of injustice against Native Americans. The purpose of this chapter is to explain how uranium mining impacts the environment and human health, and its implications for Native Americans. Using data collected from multiple evidentiary sources, the author will highlight how uranium mining and milling operations facilitate Native American eco-genocide.