Canada uranium and other mines

Canada was the world's largest uranium producer for many years, accounting for about 22% of world output, but in 2009 was overtaken by Kazakhstan. Production is expected to increase significantly from 2013 as the new Cigar Lake mine comes into operation. Canada is also a large producer of many other mineral products. The problem is that many mining operations produce significant amounts of waste in an environment with a fragile ecosystem and limited resources to deal with environmental issues. While the government of Canada has introduced legislation to ensure that at least some of the costs associated with reclamation are accounted for in future developments, critics believe there are still serious risks. With a population of just 30,000 mostly Inuit people living in a territory the size of Western Europe, Nunavut is a part of Canada that starts on the far northern mainland and extends through the country’s Arctic Archipelago and almost to the North Pole. It is fairly undisturbed wilderness. Though some mining roads exist, not a single road connects its 25 communities. As a result, some of the biggest caribou herds in the world — ranging in size from 65,000 to more than 400,000 — migrate freely. Caribou numbers were down dramatically in some places in the Arctic in recent years thanks largely to cyclical fluctuations that occur naturally. But a rapidly warming climate also appears to be taking a toll. New mining operations may exasperate these issues or they may continue to change because of overall climate change. Caribou apparently need a lot of space to live especially when they are calving. Changes in the Arctic have to be watched and studied carefully. A decade after the Canadian government last unveiled a minerals and metals policy, Canada remains among the foremost producers of minerals and metals in the world, and the leading exporter. The industry continues to play an essential role in Canada's economy. It provides jobs for more than 340,000 Canadians and is the economic foundation for some 150 communities in Canada's rural and northern regions. These contributions cannot be over-emphasized, for they are an important part of the economic and social fabric of Canadian society. But there are concerns such as: Environmental effects and pollution Rapidly growing competitive forces brought on by globalization and the emergence of new mineral-producing countries in the developing world Sustainable development Now let us examine the environmental aspects of a uranium mine which are basically the same as those of other mining operations. Most uranium mines in Canada have ISO 14001 certification which means they have polices and procedures to address environmental concerns. Radioactivity associated with the uranium ore requires some special management in addition to the general environmental controls of any mine. The uranium itself has a very low level of radioactivity, comparable with granite. Virtually all the radioactive material from the associated minerals in the ore processed ends up in the tailings dam. In many respects uranium mining is much the same as any other mining. Projects must have governmental environmental approvals prior to commencing, and must comply with all environmental, safety and occupational health conditions applicable. Increasingly, these are governed by international standards, with external audits. Looming over the current debate about mining in the Arctic is the legacy of past mineral extraction. The Canadian government is currently on the hook for an estimated $4.5 billion to clean up dozens of uranium, gold, sliver, and zinc mines abandoned in the northern territories, including two in Nunavut. What the future will bring is always uncertain. What is hoped for is that knowledge of the past will be used to help build the future.