Government of Policy on Radioactive Waste and Legacy 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 (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 , 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 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 Neutral Drainage (MEND) Program . Development of technologies for mine site assessment, rehabilitation, and decommissioning in: . Prediction and modelling . Prevention and control . Waste disposal . Effluent treatment and monitoring . Verification .

29 Mine Environmental Neutral Drainage (MEND) Program . The mining industry has widely adopted the MEND Program’s mine site assessment, mine decommissioning and mine management technologies. . Over 200 mine environmental related research reports and documents available at http://mend-nedem.org/ .

30 5. Conclusions

. Direct federal participation in uranium mining ended in 1988 with the privatization of Eldorado. . Federal regulation was originally focussed on the security issues regarding uranium as a strategic military commodity. The provinces and territories were responsible for regulating uranium mining before 1977. . Federal regulation now includes all aspects of uranium mining from advanced exploration to mine decommissioning.

31 Conclusions

. Federal Radioactive Waste Policy Framework stipulates that waste owners are to be responsible for their wastes. . The federal government has financial responsibility for legacy sites that were operated by Eldorado, as well as for abandoned mine sites located in the three territories. . The federal government provides scientific research and expertise to support environmentally-sound and cost-effective mine decommissioning.

32 THANK YOU

. Questions?

Eldorado Mine and Mill Beaverlodge, Saskatchewan