A uranium mine near Grants that's been idle for 23 years is seeking a shift in its permit status to "active." The Albuquerque Journal reports that Rio Grande Resources Corp. applied last month to the New Mexico Mining and Minerals Division to revise the Mt. Taylor Mine's permit by October 2014. That's when its current "standby" permit is scheduled to expire. Environmental groups say the sudden shift in plans — the company got its current permit just last year — is curious in light of the soft market for uranium. But mine manager Joe Lister says the company is anticipating an uptick in demand that wasn't anticipated when it applied in 2010 for its current permit. The Grants area is rich in uranium.