They are coming not for the Alamo or the friendly people, great weather, fantastic deer and hog, dove and quail hunting, nor for the thick juicy steaks from Shorty’s or even the ice cold Pearl beer. They are coming for the uranium. Borehole Mining International, Inc. President Greg Abramov from Moscow and partner Tom Pool of Colorado recently met with PPT Energy Company, LLC. and Mining Engineer Consultant Jay Reynolds in touring PPT Energy’s uranium holdings in South Texas.

PPT Energy Company is a Texas uranium exploration and production company managed by former Conoco Uranium Land Attorney Carl Pipoly and oil and gas developer, real estate Broker, and former 1970’s uranium producer David Phillip. PPT invited Abramov and Pool to evaluate PPT’s uranium ore bodies for mining technology new to Texas uranium production.

"Borehole Mining is environmentally friendly, cost efficient, and productive," said Greg Abramov of Moscow while tasting a cold Pearl beer at Shorty’s Steakhouse in Hobson, Texas. Historically, uranium in Texas has been mined by stripping the surface soil to as deep as 300 feet and then removing the uranium ore. This operation can take years to complete. In the late 70’s and early 80’s companies began mining deeper deposits by the in-situ mining method. This is done by introducing an oxidizing agent into the host rock to leach the uranium into solution and then pump it to the surface.

"South Texas has many small and low grade uranium deposits that were never mined because strip mining was too costly and there were concerns over whether these deposits could be mined economically by the in-situ method," said Jay Reynolds. He went on to say, "Today the big uranium mining companies are all looking for gorilla ore bodies of 5 million pounds or more and have little or no interest in these smaller deposits PPT has acquired.

"Borehole Mining International, Inc. is the US continuation of Russian/USSR development of Borehole Mining technology, which took place in Russia during late 60s, and on through the take down of the Berlin Wall in 1991," said Tom Pool.

During the 1980s the United States domestic uranium industry collapsed. There were no new power plants permitted and the fuel market was being supplied mostly by foreign producers who were mining huge deposits.

But in the USSR, things were different. There, mining and the development of advanced technology in borehole mining was funded by the Russian government. Rather than shut down production, the USSR continued developing and perfecting borehole mining techniques for the efficient recovery of uranium.

Abromov brought these techniques to the U.S. and has obtained both US and international patents for their use. He explained the tool and the process.

He said that the tool consists of at least two concentric pipes which form two hydraulic channels - one for pumping down a high-pressure working agent (water) and a second for delivering pregnant slurry back to the surface to a collecting pond or tank. The slurry is then separated and clarified water is pumped back down for re-circulating. The process is that simple.

Because the process is so straightforward there are many advantages including low capital cost, mobility, selectivity, ability to work in hazardous and dangerous conditions, and especially low environmental impact.

The method has also been used to mine other natural resources and industrial materials such as: iron ore, quartz sand, gravel, coal, poly-metallic ores, phosphate, gold, diamonds, rare earths, amber and several more. Abramov said that he has seen borehole mining effectively used in exploration, oil, gas and water stimulation, underground storage, construction, drainage, environmental and other applications.

After viewing some of PPT’s properties, Abramov said that he sees no reason why his company’s borehole mining techniques cannot be used effectively and efficiently in south Texas. Abramov and Pool were both encouraged by the relatively soft sands and clays containing the ore deposits. Jay Reynolds, previous project manager of Chevron USA Panna Maria Uranium, agreed. He went on to say that the underground conditions in most of the areas in South Texas containing uranium ore are ideal for this kind of mining.

Carl Pipoly said PPT is committed to produce uranium in the most efficient and environmentally friendly manner possible and that borehole mining meets that commitment. Pipoly expects that PPT will have initial testing completed by mid-2007 and have production commenced by the end of 2007. He stated that he "sees PPT becoming a leader in the production of uranium in South Texas, and at the same time benefiting the local economies." David Phillip followed by saying, "PPT Energy will produce Texas uranium for energy independence today and tomorrow."

The visit by Abramov and Pool was hugely successful by all outward appearances. Pool and Abramov both agreed that south Texas has every thing they enjoy: "Good people, great weather, great food, and ice cold Pearl beer." And then on top of everything else, the PPT entourage pulled into Shorty’s under a sudden cloud burst. David Phillip quipped, "I’d call this from Russia with Love."These guys like South Texas," he said, and borehole mining won’t mess with Texas."