Urgeiriça

Urgeiriça is a village in northern Portugal near the town of Viseu. It is part of the civil parish of Canas de Senhorim, in the municipality of Nelas.

Small uranium mines and a processing plant are located at this village. Radium mined during the early years of this site supplied Madame Curie. During World War II, control of the uranium resources was a source of concern for the dueling countries. Many countries have purchased uranium mined and then processed into yellowcake from this site including Iraq in 1980.

The working conditions were particularly harsh, with 9-hour days in a row in dreadful humid conditions, where workers breathed in dust, in addition to the suspended radioactive particles that could be present, as well as radon gas. In addition, sulphuric acid was used in the mines.