The White Mesa Mill, which resembles an industrial warehouse, is where Energy Fuels crushes gray-like uranium ore into a yellow powdery substance, then an olive green solid called U308.

The Pinyon Plain Mine, near the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, is the epicenter of Arizona’s uranium mining debate, especially since it became operational in January. KJZZ News had an opportunity to see the mine for itself from two points of view.

The Havasupai Tribe has opposed the Pinyon Plain Mine since its approval in 1986. Now, it’s been operational since January.

Mutton is a staple in Diné society, but in the Navajo town of Cameron, fear over uranium contamination has raised questions of whether it’s even safe to consume this local meat.

The Navajo Nation has been disproportionately affected by uranium mining and the testing of nuclear weapons. In 1990, Congress enacted RECA to provide screening services and compensation. The program ended earlier this month.

The first transports of uranium mined from the Pinyon Plain Mine near the Grand Canyon are set to begin soon in northern Arizona. There are questions from tribal stakeholders about the health risks of hauling the radioactive element through tribal lands.