I promised some information on the history of drilling in the Coles Hill area in Pittsylvania County in my previous article on uranium mining. The following history may help readers to understand what they face in the future. While the Virginia Conservation Network has supplied a short history of uranium events in the Virginia Piedmont, you will find dates, events and links below that you can use to determine how to frame your questions for the public comment meetings slated for workday afternoons on Thursday and Tuesday, respectively, 21 and 24 May 2009.

A few things became very clear as I researched the material below. Although I’m positive I don’t have all the information to fill in the timeline between the time Marline Oil Corporation disbanded in 1990 and Jim Jerden’s dissertation in 2001, it appears that Walter Coles and his uranium mine were dormant. Then, in 2007, you’ll see a spate of activity, where Coles and family developed a company named Virginia Uranium, Inc. They bought up contingent land and, by the end of 2007, Virginia Uranium, Inc. (VUI) was drilling again to meet requirements for the Canadian Securities Administrators. Why? Because VUI is becoming part of a Canadian company named Santoy.

As I mentioned, I’m sure I’m missing some pertinent information, so I hope that readers who are familiar with this story will help fill in the gaps. Please take your time and connect to the links to read more, especially if you live in the area or if you have family and friends who live here. My remarks and questions are in green, as well as some information I wanted to highlight for emphasis. Please feel free to jump in to add any information in the comments section below.

This is my second installment about the uranium mining project in Pittsylvania County. My comments, questions and emphasis are in green. Additional comments will be in red as more people chime in on any history accounts concerning this mine (and I hope there are some new revelations).