Left in the Dust - Areva's uranium mining in Niger
French-owned nuclear power company Areva has left a trail of uranium mining related health hazards and deaths in Niger. The company claims to be environmentally conscious but in other interviews has stated quite directly that they are "not a charity," and that Niger is a poor country that needs the jobs. Almoustapha Alhacen, President of the local Nigerian NGO Aghir in’ Man (which means “the shield of the soul” in the Touareg language) has said: “Radioactivity increases poverty because it creates more victims. With each day passes we are exposed to radiation and continue to be surrounded by poisoned air, polluted water and earth – while AREVA makes hundreds of millions from our natural resources.” Click on the link in our video section to see Greenpeace's excellent short film about uranium mining in Niger. Without uranium mining there would be no nuclear fuel, and uranium mining is killing people. Does this part of the nuclear fuel cycle seem clean, and green?
Uranium Mining in Niger : Tuareg Activist Takes on French Nuclear Company
In an amazing piece of in-depth journalism Der Spiegel takes a harsh look at French-owned nuclear power company Areva, and the devastating cost of their mining of uranium in Niger. In a country where 1000's die of preventible disease, and one third of the children suffer from malnutrition, there is no question that the workers are financially dependent on Areva. Does this mean, Der Spiegel asks, that "in a country like this, is it right to demand the same strict radiation protection measures as in Europe?" Areva has said in the past that "it didn't view itself primarily as a charity. Niger is also helped, Areva officials said, if people get work and the government earns revenues from uranium production." Alhacen, a Tuareg activist who still works for Areva, is outraged by this callous reasoning: "Who said anything about charity?" he asks. "It's our uranium! Areva's charity is pollution, some of which will always remain with us. Areva is committing a crime here. They take the water, and trees and plants disappear as a result. There is no life. And what for? For your energy." And he is right, the uranium, the money, and the energy all go elsewhere. Sickness, contamination, radioactive dust, and death remain in Niger. There is talk in this article of a balance between morality and the market. Uranium is mined all over the world, almost always in poor, indigenous, and minority communities. Is it right to abuse workers because they are desperate? In this case it is clear that the market has won. Uranium mining is not only an ecological disaster, it has become a human rights issue as well.
When the Dust Settles: PARTS 1-5. Uranium Mining
A movie explaining the decision by the QLD ETU to take a stand against the expanding uranium mining and nuclear power industries in Australia and around the world. We can only hope the lessons learned from the use of asbestos are applied to this d...
High Court Declines To Review Uranium Mining Case
By Jacqueline Bell Law360, New York (November 15, 2010) -- The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to weigh in on a battle launched by environmental and Native American groups over alleged health and safety risks stemming from in situ leach uranimum mi...
Uranium Mining Protest: ANFA in Kalgoorlie
bluemoonfilm / August 11, 2010 The protest against uranium mining Kalgoorlie 2010. Concerns of the Aboriginal people about the dangers uranium mining presents to the land and the people who live there as well as that of providing uranium to ma...
IPPNW calls for a ban on uranium mining : 19th IPPNW World Congress in Basel
The International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) has called for a ban on uranium mining and the production of yellowcake (uranium oxide), describing both processes as “irresponsible” and “a grave threat to health and to the environment”. The findings of the conference in Basel show that uranium mining contaminates groundwater and radioactivity remains in the heaps, tailings and evaporation ponds. Uranium and its radioactive decay elements are highly toxic. They attack inner organs and the respiratory system. Scientific studies presented show that the following diseases are caused by exposition to radon gas, uranium and uranium’s decay elements: Bronchial and lung cancer; cancer of the bone marrow, stomach, liver, intestine, gall bladder, kidneys and skin, leukemia, other blood diseases, psychological disorders and birth defects.
IPPNW sees the connection to the proliferation of nuclear weapons as particularly relevant to their work. Also, an end to the practice of uranium mining would accelerate the abandonment of nuclear energy and increase pressure to change over to renewable energies.
IPPNW sees the connection to the proliferation of nuclear weapons as particularly relevant to their work. Also, an end to the practice of uranium mining would accelerate the abandonment of nuclear energy and increase pressure to change over to renewable energies.
Highlights from March 2010 uranium mining symposium in Virginia
Friends of the Earth l Highlights from March 2010 uranium mining symposium in Virginia
Job one: Uranium Mining in Virginia
SoVaNow.com l Tom McLaughlin September 23, 2010 Let’s be honest: The one thing that puts oomph into the campaign to mine uranium in Southside Virginia — aside, that is, from the special-interest pleading, the back-room dealing, and such — is the ...
Uranium Mining Meetings
A good question from UraniumFreeVirginia- why are meetings about uranium mining in VA being held in Colorado and Canada? Could it be because the Colorado & Canadian sites are in uranium industry territory? The National Academy of Sciences appe...
