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Government of Canada Policy on Radioactive Waste and Legacy

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Government of Canada Policy on Radioactive Waste and Legacy Government of Canada Policy on Radioactive Waste and Legacy Uranium Mines Tom Calvert Uranium and Radioactive Waste Division Natural Resources Canada May 1, 2014 2 1: HISTORICAL CONTEXT Port Radium ~1957 3 Responsibility for Mineral Resources in Canada . Since 1930, all ten Canadian provinces responsible for mineral resources within their boundaries. Prior to 2003, federal government responsible for mineral resources in the three territories. Responsibilities for resources have been transferred to the territorial governments in the Yukon Territory (2003) and Northwest Territories (2014) and will be transferred in Nunavut. 4 Second World War . 1942: the federal government requested Eldorado Gold Mines Limited to re-open its radium mine on Great Bear Lake, Northwest Territories and its refinery in Port Hope, Ontario to supply uranium for the US-UK-Canada Manhattan Project (world’s first nuclear bomb). 1943: The federal government and most provincial governments banned uranium exploration and mining by private companies. (uranium is a strategic commodity). 1944: The federal government purchased Eldorado Gold Mines Limited to create the federal Crown corporation (publically-owned company) Eldorado Mining and Refining Limited . 5 Post War Period 1946 -1948 . 1946: The federal government created the Atomic Energy Control Board (AECB). 1948: Private exploration and mining was allowed but subject to AECB regulations: . Permits were required for advanced exploration and for the production of uranium. The permits required companies to report resources and production only to the government (kept secret). All uranium had to be sold through Eldorado. The provincial governments remained responsible for regulating uranium mining within the provinces. 6 Cold War Uranium Mining Boom, 1948-1965 . 1948-1953: Private companies discover many low-grade uranium deposits, though most are not economic due to high cost / low prices. 1953-1956: The US government offered special- price five-year contracts for uranium, creating an incentive for private companies to develop low- grade uranium deposits. Eldorado supplied the uranium from the private companies to the US government at cost and did not profit from these contracts. 7 Cold War Uranium Mining Boom, 1948-1965 . 1953: Eldorado’s Beaverlodge mine opens. 1954-1958: 23 privately-owned mines open. 1956: US demand met - no additional contracts. 1956: Restrictions on publishing uranium resources and production were removed. 1957: Contract to supply UK government. 1958: Requirement to market all uranium through Eldorado was relaxed. Limited quantities of uranium could be sold to friendly countries for research purposes. 8 Cold War Uranium Mining Boom, 1948-1965 . 1961: With no new US contracts, only 8 uranium mines remain operating compared to 25 in 1958. 1962: Requirement to market uranium production through Eldorado ends. 1963: An additional contract with the UK government and a federal government stockpile program allows 4 of the remaining mines to operate beyond 1965. All other mines closed. 1965: All future uranium sales must be for peaceful purposes only (federal policy). 9 Second Uranium Mining Boom, 1974-1983 . 1974: Formation of the Saskatchewan provincial Crown corporation Saskatchewan Mining Development Corporation (SMDC) which was involved in uranium exploration and mining. 1975 - 1983: New mines open in Ontario and Saskatchewan (nuclear power contracts). 1977: AECB developed regulations for uranium mining activities, including tailings management. 1981: Eldorado purchased Rabbit Lake mine. 1982: Eldorado’s Beaverlodge mine is closed. 10 1988 to Present . 1988: Eldorado and SMDC were privatized and merged to form Cameco Corporation. 1988: AECB requires companies to provide decommissioning plans for uranium mines. 1996: AECB requires companies to provide financial assurances for the costs of decommissioning. 1996: Last operating uranium mine in Ontario closes. Saskatchewan becomes sole producer. 11 2: FEDERAL POLICY Eldorado Refinery Port Hope, Ontario, 1955 12 Federal Policy Radioactive Waste Policy Framework (1996) . Waste owners: . responsible for managing their waste . responsible for developing and implementing long-term solutions . Federal role: . ensure long-term waste management carried out in a safe, environmentally-sound, comprehensive, cost-effective manner . develop policy, regulate, and oversee waste owners’ compliance with legal, financial, and operational requirements 13 Federal Policy Nuclear Safety and Control Act (2000) . Waste producers/owners must be licensed . Established the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) to replace the Atomic Energy Control Board (AECB) 14 Federal Policy: Application . Under the terms of the 1988 privatization of Eldorado, the federal government has accepted financial responsibility for legacy sites at Beaverlodge, Saskatchewan and Port Hope, Ontario. The federal government also has responsibility for abandoned mines in the three territories. (i.e. Port Radium and Rayrock mines, Northwest Territories). All other uranium mine sites in Canada are the responsibility of the current owners (private company or the province). 15 3: POLICY INITIATIVES FOR NON- FEDERAL SITES Gunnar Mine, 1959 16 Federal – Provincial Agreements . Policy initiatives allow the federal government to voluntarily take action that is not required by federal legislation or is not strictly within federal jurisdiction. The Government of Canada has entered into agreements with the provincial governments of Ontario and Saskatchewan to assist in the remediation of legacy uranium mines located on non-federal lands. 17 1995 Canada – Ontario Memorandum of Agreement . 1955-1996: 17 uranium mines operated in Ontario, producing 176 million tonnes of tailings, 85% of Canada’s total. Both the provincial government (since 1955) and the federal government (since 1977) had a role in regulating the operation of these mines. 1988: The federal government began requiring decommissioning plans for uranium mines. 1995 Canada – Ontario 18 Memorandum of Agreement . 1991: The Ontario government began requiring mining companies to provide financial assurances for the costs of decommissioning mines (including uranium mines). Some companies had difficulty providing these financial assurances. 1995: The governments of Canada and Ontario entered into a “safety net” agreement to share costs if an owner was unable to finance the decommissioning of a uranium mine. 1995 Canada – Ontario 19 Memorandum of Agreement . All sites in Ontario have now been decommissioned by the owners without government funding. Since 1996, the federal government has also required that companies provide a financial assurance for decommissioning. As a result, it is unlikely that there will be a need to implement the shared-cost funding provisions provided in the agreement. Shared Responsibility 20 Contaminated Sites Framework . Federal funds have been allocated for the years 2005 to 2020 to contribute to the cost of remediating contaminated sites located on non-federal land. To qualify for funding, the contamination must be partly a result of federal government activities or security efforts. The Framework is not specific to uranium mines. Industrial sites (i.e. Sydney Tar Ponds) have received most of the funds. Shared Responsibility 21 Contaminated Sites Framework . Proposals for funding require an analysis of the potential remediation options, a remediation plan, and the total cost. A Memorandum of Agreement is negotiated with the proponent if the proposal is accepted. 2006: Canada – Saskatchewan Memorandum of Agreement was signed to provide funding to remediate Cold War legacy uranium mines in Saskatchewan. 2006 Canada – Saskatchewan 22 Memorandum of Agreement . The Gunnar uranium mine was closed in 1964 in accordance with the provincial regulatory requirements of the time. The company that operated the Gunnar mine no longer exists and the province of Saskatchewan is now the custodian of the site. Under the agreement, the federal government is providing $12.3 million to assist with the remediation of the Gunnar mine site. 23 4: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Bicroft Uranium Mine, Ontario 24 Natural Resources Canada: Science and Technology Expertise . Environmental hydrogeochemistry . Acid rock/mine drainage, metals leaching . Geology and mineralogy . Surface and groundwater hydrology . Mine site assessment, rehabilitation and decommissioning . Effluent treatment and monitoring . Environmental toxicity and risk assessment . Cold-climate research . 25 Natural Resources Canada: Uranium Mine Rehabilitation Research . Mine environmental research since the late 1960s, including uranium mining. Establishment of the National Uranium Tailings Program (NUTP) in the early 1980s. Establishment of the Mine Environmental Neutral Drainage (MEND) Program in the late 1980s. 26 National Uranium Tailings Program (NUTP) 1981-1986 . Detailed characterization of inactive uranium mine tailings in Ontario (Elliot Lake) and Saskatchewan (Gunnar mine). Development of site characterization and reclamation techniques. Development of contaminants migration models which have been widely adopted . Results of NUTP were incorporated into the MEND program. 27 Mine Environmental Neutral Drainage (MEND) Program . Established in the late 1980s by Natural Resources Canada in partnership with industry. Research on acid rock/mine drainage and metal leaching from mines, waste rock and tailings. Included extensive research of uranium tailings at Elliot Lake. 28 Mine Environmental
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