December 13, 2007

Uranium mining in Canada

Earlier this year, the mining company CVRD Inco, which incidentally received a poor grade in Globe and Mail's 2004 Corporate Social Responsibily Survey, convinced the New Brunswick government to grant it uranium prospecting rights to a 136,000-hectare area close to the city of Moncton. A uranium mine in this location, bordering the city's watershed, could spell disaster for the residents' drinking water.

Uranium mining brings the risk of severe contamination, as is the case with mines in northern Saskatchewan, where heavy metals and other pollutants had caused environmental problems. It is known to cause surface and ground water contamination, as happened in Ontario, where the entire Serpent River system was severly affected. It is perfectly understandable then that Moncton's city council unanimously passed a resolution opposing uranium exploration so near the watershed. Unfortunately, the councillors cannot win against the provincial government's "open for business" policy.

Canada has an extensive history of involvement with uranium going back to the Second World War. In the 1960s, with the end of military contracts, Prime Minister Pearson's government, to keep two privately-owned mines in his riding of Elliot Lake operating, began stockpiling uranium. He also declared that all future Canadian uranium exports would be for peaceful purposes. The Trudeau government of the 1970s was a key player in the establishment of an international uranium price-fixing cartel that used secret quotas and phony bidding in order to increase world prices.

Since the 1980s, Canada has been undisputably the largest producer, with about 25% of world supply, and exporter of uranium on the globe.

Sources:

Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility, Uranium A Discussion Guide (created by the National Film Board of Canada)

This Magazine, Nov./Dec. 2007, Hot And Bothered Inco vs. Moncton

World Nuclear Association, World Uranium Mining