A
uranium mine in North Dakota will shutdown in the summer of 2004 because of an outbreak of Crohn's disease. State officials were contacted by a family living near the mine after three children were diagnosed with the intestinal disorder. Health officials believe the family's cattle, which grazed on land near the open mine, may have initiated the outbreak.
Crohn's disease is characterized by
diarrhea, cramping, loss of appetite, weight loss, scarring and abscesses.
The state Public Service Commission has begun the reclamation process and has fenced off the mine. Uranium is a naturally occurring chemical substance that is mildly radioactive. Everyone is exposed to low amounts of uranium through food, air, and water. Exposure to high levels of uranium can cause
kidney disease. It is not known to cause
cancer, but can decay into other radioactive materials that may. Uranium above natural levels has been found in at least 54 of the 1,517 National Priorities List
sites identified by the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
See a doctor if you have been harmed by uranium. In addition, it
may be important to
contact an attorney who
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See Also
- Specific Contaminated Sites
- Birth Defects
- Cancer
- Diarrhea: Overview
- Digestive Disorders: Overview
- Kidney & Urinary Tract Disorders
- Miscarriage: Overview