Pittsylvania County planners will hear a building request Thursday by a company that wants to tap a vast uranium deposit if Virginia ends its moratorium on mining the radioactive ore.

Virginia Uranium is seeking a special use permit to build temporary storage and office space, viewed as a first step in mining the uranium.

The Pittsylvania County Planning Commission will consider a request that would allow Virginia Uranium to construct the buildings, drill wells for water, and create a septic field.

Virginia Uranium already has a state permit allowing it to do exploratory drilling on the land.

Governor Tim Kaine has said he wants to ease the ban on uranium mining in an effort to help Virginia become more energy independent.