Recent reports of uranium in monitoring wells near the Sierrita copper mine in southern Arizona have raised concerns from some in the public about potential uranium contamination from proposed new mines in the region.
Uranium is a naturally-occurring mineral throughout Arizona, especially in areas underlain by igneous (ie. granitic) rocks, volcanics, and in the north, the Chinle Formation. AZGS released a report in 2002 on "Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) in Arizona" (Open-file Report 02-13, by Jon Spencer) showing the concentrations found across the state.