Legal proceedings
�VANE has joined legal proceedings with the National Mining Association and Nuclear Energy Institute against the U.S. Department of Interior ("DOI")
seeking compensation for the damages that the Company sustained by the withdrawal by the DOI of over one million acres of federal lands in northern Arizona. The withdrawal prevents the Company from carrying out activities on its 678 mining claims, including claims held by its joint venture with U1, on which the Company has invested several years and several million dollars in an effort to develop uranium reserves to the benefit of the U.S. as well as to increase shareholder value. Development of hard-rock minerals has long been undertaken through the unpatented mining claim system, which is the only avenue to obtain, control, and protect rights to develop hard-rock minerals on federal lands in the U.S. and has been and continues to be used extensively by corporations and individuals. The Company followed established precedence in investing in its mining claims and was unaware that the DOI might take these lands without warning and without compensation for VANE's investment.
There have been four related lawsuits filed against the DOI. These lawsuits laid the groundwork whereby VANE can participate at low cost without impacting VANE's overall exploration programme. The Company previously notified investors of the impact of the withdrawal and changed its emphasis to state lands which are unaffected by the withdrawal. The Company provides details on the withdrawal issue on its website
www.vaneminerals.com and will update investors as the legal proceedings progress.�
�Kristopher K. Hefton, BSc Geology, Chief Operating Officer VANE Minerals plc, who meets the criteria of a qualified person under the AIM Rules - Guidance for Mining, Oil and Gas Companies, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained within this announcement. VANE Minerals, as operator of the project, is responsible for the contents of this press release.�
�Mohave County (Arizona) has teamed with mining company
Quaterra Alaska Inc. , and filed a lawsuit Monday (Apr. 16, 2012) in federal court in an effort to reverse a federal 20-year closure of one million acres of uranium-rich lands in northern Mohave County. The duo is requesting that the federal government stand down - and release the lands.
The lawsuit has been assigned to U.S. Senior District Judge Paul Rosenblatt, of U.S. District Court of Arizona, based in Phoenix. (Today's News-Herald Apr. 18, 2012)
(Case Title: Quaterra Alaska Incorporated, et al v. Salazar, et al, Case Number: CV12-8075-PCT-PGR, Date Filed: 04/17/2012)
Washington County (Utah) officials agreed Tuesday (May 1) to join a lawsuit against the federal government's decision banning new uranium mining on Arizona Strip public land. The County Commission unanimously approved the resolution to join the Mohave County, Ariz., lawsuit. Washington County Commissioner Jim Eardley said. Garfield County, Kane County and San Juan County also have said they will join the lawsuit. (The Spectrum May 2, 2012)
The San Juan County (Utah) Commission unanimously adopted a resolution to participate as a joint plaintiff in a lawsuit being brought against the federal government due to their attempt to close the Arizona Strip to multiple use and uranium removal. (San Juan Record May 9, 2012)
The Nuclear Energy Institute and the National Mining Association said they sued the U.S. to reverse a ban on new uranium mining on federal land around the Grand Canyon in Arizona. The two organizations, representing mining and nuclear power companies, today asked a federal court in Arizona to reverse a U.S. Interior Department ban, announced Jan. 9, on new hard-rock mining claims on about 1 million acres (405,000 hectares) of land, according to an e-mailed statement.
Richard Myers, vice president for policy development with the nuclear power group, said in the statement that the proposed land withdrawal was designed to protect against circumstances that no longer exist. The land involved isn't within the Grand Canyon or the buffer zone protecting the national park, according to the statement. �Contrary to the assertions by the administration, today's environmental laws ensure that ore extraction and production at uranium mines have minimal environmental impact on the surrounding land, water and wildlife,� Myers said. The case is National Mining Association v. Salazar,
U.S. District Court, District of Arizona. (Bloomberg Feb. 27, 2012) Case Title: National Mining Association, et al. v. Salazar, et al., Case Number: CV12-8038-PCT-GMS, Date Filed: 02/27/2012�