Durango Disposal Cell, Colorado

This disposal cell, near Bodo Canyon, in the hills above the town of Durango, Colorado, was built by the DOE to contain 2.5 million cubic yards of radioactive tailings and buildings from the days of uranium processing at a mill in town. The mill operated (producing vanadium and uranium) from 1942 to 1963. The disposal cell was created in the early 1990's, and covers 42 acres, and is nearly a half mile long. Some of the surface of the pile is seeded and grows grass, though no larger plants are allowed to grow there. The cell and mill clean-up were performed as part of the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Project.