Susan Hall is the uranium resource specialist at the US Geological Survey. She leads a project that estimates uranium remaining unmined in the US to help determine if potential supply is adequate to fuel US nuclear reactors.
Career History and Highlights:
Dr. Hall is an economic geologist at the USGS Central Energy Resources Science Center based in Denver, Colorado. She is the uranium resource specialist for the USGS, leading the uranium resource evaluation project for the US and also working on uranium environmental issues and international uranium supply and demand. Since she began her USGS career in 2008, she has revitalized the USGS uranium resources program; planning, securing funding, evaluating the efficacy of modeling methodologies, and initiating the first comprehensive, domestic uranium resource assessment since 1980.
She creatively applies cutting edge analytic techniques to develop genetic models for complex mineral systems. Her publications are described as “benchmark references” which success she attributes to the practical experience gained during a 20 year career in the mining industry before joining USGS coupled with the ability to seek out specialized expertise and develop successful research teams comprised of scientists in academia, industry, state and other federal agencies. She is a recognized international expert in uranium mineral systems. Her analysis of the underlying controls of these systems has taken her around the world to study deposits throughout North and South America, Europe and Africa.
Her investigations into the groundwater impacts of in-situ uranium mining, developed in collaboration with industry and state regulators, were used as scientific basis for regulations developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency. She contributes her technical expertise to tribal nations, state, and federal agencies to help evaluate remediation strategies for legacy uranium mines.
Dr. Hall has been invited to speak to U.S. Congress, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Agency, the U.S. Department of Energy, environmental law conferences, and industry forums and has been a keynote speaker and panelist at International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) conferences. Her expertise also extends to issues of international uranium supply and demand. In this role she chairs the IAEA-Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development/Nuclear Energy Agency Uranium Group as the first American to chair this group of international uranium resource experts in 30 years, and the first woman ever to hold this position.
Science and Products
Uranium Mineral Systems
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Uranium Mineral Systems
To assure adequate uranium to supply electricity from nuclear power, the US Geological Survey is working to better understand the genetic controls, distribution, and quantities of domestic uranium. Because of the heavy reliance on imported uranium, scientists also lead international groups of uranium resource experts to monitor world uranium supply. This research benefits the mining industry... - Data
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