(last updated 26 May 2012)
Cameco signs agreement to supply uranium to China
On June 24, 2010, Cameco announced it has signed an agreement with China Nuclear Energy Industry Corporation (CNEIC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), to supply approximately 23 million pounds of uranium concentrate [8,846 t U] under a long-term agreement through 2020. "This is Cameco's first long-term uranium supply agreement with a major Chinese nuclear utility," said Jerry Grandey, Cameco's CEO. The agreement with CNEIC is subject to Chinese government approval.On Nov. 23, 2010, Cameco announced it has signed an agreement with China Guangdong Nuclear Power Holding Co., Ltd.
(CGNPC) to supply 29 million pounds of uranium concentrate [11,154 t U] under a
long-term agreement through 2025.
Semitrailer hauling uranium oxide hits ditch after collision at highway intersection in Saskatchewan
Two people were sent to hospital following a two-vehicle collision on the morning of June 23, 2007, at the intersection of Highway 11 and Highway 15 near Kenaston, 80 km southeast of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. After a collision with a car travelling eastbound along Highway 15, the semitrailer travelling southbound on Highway 11 left the road and drove into the ditch at the southeast corner of the intersection. The drivers of both vehicles were taken to hospital with undetermined injuries. RCMP say the semitrailer was transporting uranium oxide, but the material did not leak from the truck. (StarPhoenix June 25, 2007)McArthur River miners exposed to higher radon levels during mine flooding
A breakdown in company procedures during the April 2003 flooding of Cameco Corp.'s McArthur River uranium mine led to about 300 underground workers being exposed to higher than usual levels of radon gas, according to a company spokesperson.Some 295 workers were exposed to radon levels higher than the mine's historical average, and of that total 30 appear to have been exposed to radon levels three to five times greater than usual. The levels of exposure are still considered safe by Canada's nuclear watchdog. (Saskatoon Star Phoenix Nov. 19, 2003)
McArthur River mine shut after water inflow
On April 7, 2003, Cameco suspended production at the McArthur River uranium mine due to increased water inflow in a development area of the mine. (Cameco April 7, 2003)Cameco now anticipates production restart will be delayed four to six months based on current conditions. (Cameco April 14, 2003)
In fact, the mine resumed operation on July 2, 2003. (Cameco July 2, 2003)
McArthur River mine threatened by forest fire
On June 26, 2002, a forest fire came into close proximity of the McArthur River uranium mine site. The mine's airport was shut down, and 110 employees were evacuated to Key Lake. Approximately 60 people stayed on site to keep the plant operating and to fight the fire.On June 27, 2002, the fire had been progressing towards the site, but it slowed down in its progress. (CNSC meeting transcript, June 27, 2002
PDF, p. 19-20) Forest fire near Key Lake uranium mill
A large forest fire is burning in northern Saskatchewan about six kilometres away from the Key Lake operation uranium milling site. The company is taking steps to reduce risks, Cameco spokesman Gord Struthers said. (CBC 17 Jun 2009)Uranium discharges from Rabbit Lake (highest by far in Canada) showed increase rather than the predicted decrease in 2010
In 2010, the average monthly uranium discharge concentrations of the Rabbit Lake facility exceeded the 0.1 mg/L Uranium Screening Objective during three months (Aug., Sep., Dec.), while in 2009, they had remained below the Screening Objective during all months. Moreover, the facility's total loading of uranium to the environment increased in 2010 by 15% to 390 kg.These increases stand in contrast to the further decreases expected for 2010 in the 2009 report (see below).
> Download 2010 Annual Report on Uranium Management Activities
, May 2012 (Canadian Nuclear Safety
Commission) In spite of improvements, Rabbit Lake still Canada's uranium mine with by far the highest load of uranium discharged to the environment
The 2009 review of uranium releases at Canada's operating uranium mines and mills indicates that no facilities exceeded their Saskatchewan licence limit (2.5 mg/L) for uranium effluent discharge concentration. All facilities also achieved the optimization screening objective (OSO) of 0.1 mg/L. [Health Canada's current drinking water guideline is 0.02 mg/L.]Results from 2009 show that of all facilities, the Rabbit Lake operation continues to discharge the highest load of uranium to the environment. Substantial reductions in effluent uranium concentrations and loadings were achieved by facility modifications and upgrades during 2007 and 2008. Throughout 2009, the average monthly concentration of uranium in effluent was consistently below the OSO of 0.1 mg/L [though only just...]. The facility's uranium loading to the environment (340 kg) was also approximately 45% lower than in 2008 (610 kg). Releases are expected to further decrease in 2010 with additional fine tuning and modification of the overall treatment process. [The mine with the second highest uranium load discharged in 2009 is McArthur River with 20 kg.]
Sharp increase of uranium loads in lake sediments near Rabbit Lake mine
| Effluents from the Rabbit Lake mine are causing a sharp increase in uranium
loads in sediments of Wollaston Lake's Hidden Bay. While natural uranium levels
in the lake sediment are below 3 µg/g, levels in Hidden Bay had reached approx.
25 µg/g in 2000, and have more than doubled each year since. According to the Athabasca Working Group, who performed the tests during its annual environmental monitoring program, "This has been recognized by the company and they are looking into ways of reducing uranium in the effluent." (Wollaston Lake, Athabasca Working Group Environmental Monitoring Program 2003) Apparently, efforts in reducing the uranium in the effluent were partly successful, since 2004 and 2005 sampling showed uranium levels in the lake sediment of approx. 90 µg/g, but these values are still approx. 30 times background. (Wollaston Lake, Athabasca Working Group Environmental Monitoring Program 2005) In 2007 and 2008, however, the uranium levels in sediment showed a sharp rise again, easily exceeding the federal "probable effects level" (PEL), at which no harmful effects to aquatic life are expected to occur. The 2008 level of approx. 280 µg/g even exceeded the peak level observed in 2003. In 2009, the level decreased again, but still remained above the PEL level. > Download Wollaston Lake, Athabasca Working Group Environmental Monitoring Program 2009 (692k PDF
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