UW Works with Wyoming DEQ-AML, UR Energy on Soil Reclamation Project Using Coal Char

The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality Abandoned Mine Lands Division (WDEQ-AML), UR Energy USA and the University of Wyoming have formed a collaborative five-year research partnership to advance soil health and mine reclamation technologies. The project evaluates innovative soil amendments, including state-produced coal char, to accelerate the restoration of disturbed lands to productive native rangelands across Wyoming.

By partnering directly with UW, WDEQ-AML and industry are creating a real-world research environment to evaluate nascent reclamation practices and generate the scientific data needed to move promising applications toward commercial adoption.

"This collaboration serves as a force multiplier for our state," says Josh Oakleaf, AML project manager and vegetation coordinator. "By combining cutting-edge research, state reclamation expertise and industry experience, we are validating Wyoming coal char technologies and bridging our energy legacy with sustainable land stewardship."

The five-year initiative is structured across two distinct implementation phases. Phase I will encompass the first three years of the project, focusing on baseline testing, site setup on field plots, and initial application of coal char and other soil amendments to improve soil quality and enhance ecosystem recovery near the Little Medicine Bow River. Phase II covers the subsequent two years, shifting the focus toward a multiyear evaluation of soil health recovery, vegetation establishment, specialized microbial analysis and transferring proven technologies to active industry sites.

This effort brings together exemplary scientific research from the UW School of Energy Resources (SER) and the College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources. The research teams will be led by principal investigator Jennifer Bell, an SER assistant professor of soil science and reclamation in the College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources; and co-principal investigator Resham Thapa, an associate research professional in SER's Center for Carbon Capture and Conversion. Their expertise will be focused on microbial ecology, reclamation and coal char as one of the soil amendments being investigated.

UW Professor Emeritus Pete Stahl, former director of the Wyoming Reclamation and Restoration Center, will provide guidance on semi-arid ecosystem recovery.

"Transforming Wyoming's coal into high-value soil amendments allows us to turn local resources into practical environmental solutions," Thapa says. "This research directly addresses land restoration challenges by stabilizing soil chemistry and giving native plant species the foundation they need to thrive."

"Restoring these ecosystems requires looking beneath the surface at the living soil network and rebuilding the soil," Bell adds. "By analyzing soil microbial communities and soil nutrients, we can track long-term biological recovery and ensure these restored rangelands remain resilient for decades to come."

On the ground, field operations drawing on local industry experience will inform reclamation strategies. As part of its acquisition of Pathfinder, UR Energy owns the Shirley Basin and Lucky Mc mine sites in Wyoming's Shirley Basin and Gas Hills mining districts. Pathfinder and its predecessors historically produced millions of pounds of uranium from these properties, primarily between the 1960s and 1990s, before conventional operations were suspended due to low market pricing. Research findings from this collaboration will directly inform active reclamation efforts across UR Energy's Shirley Basin and Great Divide Basin project sites.

"Partnering with WDEQ-AML and the University of Wyoming gives us an extraordinary opportunity to apply state-of-the-art soil science directly to our operations," says Ryan Schierman, vice president of regulatory affairs at UR Energy. "By combining historical industry context with innovative reclamation techniques, we can enhance land stewardship across the Shirley Basin and the Great Divide Basin while supporting sustainable solutions for Wyoming's mining heritage."

Additionally, the initiative supports workforce development by funding a dedicated Ph.D. candidate and multiple undergraduate students, creating a direct talent pipeline for future Wyoming reclamation professionals.

As part of the initiative, UW SER will provide Wyoming coal char produced through its ongoing coal-conversion research for field-scale evaluation as a soil amendment. Testing and research efforts are slated to begin immediately.