But not everyone who might be involved is happy about it.

Officials say global warming and the mushrooming cost of oil have helped renew interest with the prospect of 500 million or more tons of ore, thousands of new jobs and billions in income, The Washington Post (NYSE:WPO) reported Friday.

But, there is a major drawback. Much of the uranium deposits are on or near Navajo land and the tribe, bitter over memories of serious illnesses that unexpectedly struck its members who mined the ore 20 years ago, banned mining and milling on its land in 2003.

The mines meant jobs and royalties for the Navajos but also, for many, such ailments as lung cancer, kidney disease and birth defects. Thousands of tribe members are reported getting federal compensation for past uranium exposure.

At least five companies are reported seeking mining permits and another wants to reopen a mill at Ambrosia Lake, the Post said.