Gazette Exclusive: PQ to impose moratorium on uranium mining
Montreal Gazette - Mar 12, 2013
QUEBEC — The Quebec government will go ahead with public consultations on whether uranium development should be allowed in the province, The Gazette has learned. A well-placed government source indicated Tuesday that Environment Minister
By - Mar 12, 2013
Uranium’s rally from a three-year low is stalling amid signs Japan, once the world’s third-biggest nuclear power producer, will keep all but a handful of its reactors offline this year.
The atomic fuel has slipped 6.8 percent to $42.40 a pound since the Liberal Democratic Party won Dec. 16 elections, erasing most of the 12 percent gain in the six weeks before the vote. While the LDP pledged to review the previous administration’s zero-nuclear policy, regulators probably won’t allow any more plants to start in 2013, a survey of power companies by Kyodo News showed. Uranium will average less than $48 a pound in the six months ending June, the lowest for this time of year since 2010, according to Credit Suisse Group AG.
A delay in the resumption of nuclear plants would be a blow for uranium producers from Australia to Namibia, while boosting natural gas exporters such as Qatar, which helped plug Japan’s power deficit after the March 2011 meltdown at Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s Fukushima Dai-Ichi plant. The disaster sent uranium tumbling as countries from Germany to China said they would phase out atomic power or slow project approvals. All but two of Japan’s 50 reactors are still shut and must meet stricter safety standards before they can restart.
“There is much uncertainty around the entire nuclear program in Japan,” Jonathan Hinze, a senior vice president at Roswell, Georgia-based Ux Consulting who forecasts prices won’t exceed $50 before the end of the year, said in an e-mailed response to questions. “Due to Japanese reactor outages as well as smaller reductions in demand from Germany and elsewhere, there continues to be an ample supply of uranium for near-term delivery. We do not expect a rapid price run-up is likely.”
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-12/uranium-rally-falters-on-japanese-nuclear-delays-energy-markets.html
FARMINGTON — The Navajo Nation is
expected to accept a $3 million grant to replace homes contaminated by uranium
in past decades.
The Naabik’íyáti’ Committee passed legislation last week accepting the grant, according to a Navajo Nation press release Monday. The legislation now goes to the Navajo Nation Council for approval.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded the grant to the tribe in July 2012.
The funding will allow the Navajo Nation Community Housing and Infrastructure Department to replace nine housing units that were demolished after contamination. The units are located across the reservation, according to Freida White, Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency Superfund Program Supervisor.
http://www.daily-times.com/ci_22773336/navajo-nation-accept-3m-grant-homes-affected-by
UPDATE 1-Talvivaara, authorities assessing uranium clean-up
* Samples last week showed high uranium levels in lake
* CEO says pumping out uranium water would not be costly
* Expects authorities in next few months to decide what needed (Releads with CEO comments)
HELSINKI, March 12 (Reuters) - Finland's Talvivaara said on Tuesday it will work with authorities to assess the need for a clean-up of leaked uranium found at the bottom of lakes near its Sotkamo nickel mine but does not expect such operations to be costly.
Nuclear safety authority STUK said water samples taken last week from Lake Salminen, near the mine in eastern Finland, showed uranium levels six times higher than levels advised for drinking water.
Chief Executive Pekka Pera said Talvivaara expected authorities overseeing its operations to decide during the next few months if the water should be pumped out or cleaned up.
"It would take a half of a day to pump out that amount of water and chemicals worth a couple of thousands of euros," Pera estimated.
STUK said the levels of uranium in waters near the mine had decreased since the leak but the latest data suggested there was still a heavy concentration of pollution in some lakes.
STUK director Tarja Ikaheimonen said the uranium-affected water could begin flowing downstream in the spring as snow and ice begin to melt, though added it would not pose a significant threat to public health.
"I think these waters belong to the waters that need to be cleaned," Ikaheimonen said.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/12/talvivaara-uranium-idUSL6N0C4BNL20130312
UPDATE 1-Canada's Cameco begins uranium sales to China
The atomic fuel has slipped 6.8 percent to $42.40 a pound since the Liberal Democratic Party won Dec. 16 elections, erasing most of the 12 percent gain in the six weeks before the vote. While the LDP pledged to review the previous administration’s zero-nuclear policy, regulators probably won’t allow any more plants to start in 2013, a survey of power companies by Kyodo News showed. Uranium will average less than $48 a pound in the six months ending June, the lowest for this time of year since 2010, according to Credit Suisse Group AG.
A delay in the resumption of nuclear plants would be a blow for uranium producers from Australia to Namibia, while boosting natural gas exporters such as Qatar, which helped plug Japan’s power deficit after the March 2011 meltdown at Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s Fukushima Dai-Ichi plant. The disaster sent uranium tumbling as countries from Germany to China said they would phase out atomic power or slow project approvals. All but two of Japan’s 50 reactors are still shut and must meet stricter safety standards before they can restart.
“There is much uncertainty around the entire nuclear program in Japan,” Jonathan Hinze, a senior vice president at Roswell, Georgia-based Ux Consulting who forecasts prices won’t exceed $50 before the end of the year, said in an e-mailed response to questions. “Due to Japanese reactor outages as well as smaller reductions in demand from Germany and elsewhere, there continues to be an ample supply of uranium for near-term delivery. We do not expect a rapid price run-up is likely.”
Price Low
Uranium for immediate delivery slid to $40.65 a pound on Nov. 5, the lowest since March 2010, before rebounding to $45.50 on Dec. 13, according to Ux, which provides research on the nuclear industry. The price climbed as high as $152 in June 2007. It will average $45 this quarter and $47.50 in the three months ended June, the median of five analyst estimates this year by banks including Credit Suisse and Toronto-Dominion Bank compiled by Bloomberg shows.http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-12/uranium-rally-falters-on-japanese-nuclear-delays-energy-markets.html
Navajo Nation to accept $3M grant for homes affected by uranium
Updated: 03/12/2013 02:24:21 PM
MDT
The Naabik’íyáti’ Committee passed legislation last week accepting the grant, according to a Navajo Nation press release Monday. The legislation now goes to the Navajo Nation Council for approval.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded the grant to the tribe in July 2012.
The funding will allow the Navajo Nation Community Housing and Infrastructure Department to replace nine housing units that were demolished after contamination. The units are located across the reservation, according to Freida White, Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency Superfund Program Supervisor.
http://www.daily-times.com/ci_22773336/navajo-nation-accept-3m-grant-homes-affected-by
UPDATE 1-Talvivaara, authorities assessing uranium clean-up
* Samples last week showed high uranium levels in lake
* CEO says pumping out uranium water would not be costly
* Expects authorities in next few months to decide what needed (Releads with CEO comments)
HELSINKI, March 12 (Reuters) - Finland's Talvivaara said on Tuesday it will work with authorities to assess the need for a clean-up of leaked uranium found at the bottom of lakes near its Sotkamo nickel mine but does not expect such operations to be costly.
Nuclear safety authority STUK said water samples taken last week from Lake Salminen, near the mine in eastern Finland, showed uranium levels six times higher than levels advised for drinking water.
Chief Executive Pekka Pera said Talvivaara expected authorities overseeing its operations to decide during the next few months if the water should be pumped out or cleaned up.
"It would take a half of a day to pump out that amount of water and chemicals worth a couple of thousands of euros," Pera estimated.
STUK said the levels of uranium in waters near the mine had decreased since the leak but the latest data suggested there was still a heavy concentration of pollution in some lakes.
STUK director Tarja Ikaheimonen said the uranium-affected water could begin flowing downstream in the spring as snow and ice begin to melt, though added it would not pose a significant threat to public health.
"I think these waters belong to the waters that need to be cleaned," Ikaheimonen said.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/12/talvivaara-uranium-idUSL6N0C4BNL20130312
UPDATE 1-Canada's Cameco begins uranium sales to China
* Cameco, CNNC unit have deal for 23 mln lbs by 2020
* Cameco shares down in afternoon trading
By Rod Nickel
March 13 (Reuters) - Canada's Cameco Corp has begun
shipping uranium concentrate to China, the company said, tapping
into what could become a lucrative market for years to come.
Saskatchewan-based Cameco signed an agreement in 2010 to
supply China Nuclear Energy Industry Corp, a unit of China
National Nuclear Corp, with 23 million pounds of uranium
concentrate through 2020. The same year, it also signed a deal
to supply China Guangdong Nuclear Power Holding Co Ltd with 29
million pounds of uranium concentrate through 2025.
Cameco has made shipments under both deals, with more
deliveries to come later this year, company spokesman Rob
Gereghty said on Wednesday.
Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall told reporters on Tuesday the
Canadian and Chinese governments have an agreement on nuclear
cooperation. That pact ensures monitoring to verify that
Canadian uranium is used for civilian purposes, such as
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/13/canada-uranium-china-idUSL1N0C5AD120130313
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