Sierra Club Canada’s Submisssions to CNSC Cameco’s proposed expansion of the world’s largest Uranium mines and mills in Northern Saskatchewan September 4, 2013 www.sierraclub.ca Acknowledgements Sierra Club Canada is a grassroots volunteer‐driven organization. Our most important work is accomplished by member‐volunteers. We would like to thank the following Sierra Club Canada staff and volunteers for their efforts in filing these submissions: • John Bennett, Executive Director, Sierra Club Canada, www.sierraclub.ca, • Isabelle Brunet, Executive Assistant, Sierra Club Canada, • Benny Cheng, B.Sc, Sierra Club Ontario, Green Energy Campaign, • Dale Dewar, MD, FCFP, Physicians for Global Survival, www.pgs.ca, • Christine Elwell, B.A., LL.B., LL.M., Sierra Club Ontario, Green Energy Campaign, • Jenn Elwell, B.A.,B.Ed.(expected), researcher and map specialist, • David Greenfield, Sierra Club CanadaPrairie Chapter, • D'Arcy Hande, The HUES3 Campaign, (Health Uranium Energy, Sustainability, Solidarity and Survival), www.cleangreensask.ca/Home/huesss‐campaign, • Rick Morrell, Executive Director, Saskatchewan Eco Network, www.econet.ca/, • Candyce and Marius Paul, Committee for Future Generations, http://committeeforfuturegenerations.wordpress.com/, and • Karen Weingeist, Coalition for a Clean Green Saskatchewan. Map Sources are acknowledged. SCC submission on the proposed Cameco expansion of the world’s largest uranium mines and mills. page 2 of 2 Table of Contents Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................. 2 Table of Contents ................................................................................................................................. 3 Foreword ............................................................................................................................................. 8 Summary ............................................................................................................................................. 9 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 10 HIGHLIGHTS ......................................................................................................................................... 10 1. Background to Proceeding .......................................................................................................... 13 Trouble in the Air ................................................................................................................................. 14 2. Provincial Regulation or the Lack thereof .................................................................................... 14 3. Federal Guidelines ...................................................................................................................... 15 Trouble in the Water ........................................................................................................................... 16 4. The Failure to Regulate ............................................................................................................... 17 Figure 1: Air‐related standards for uranium sector, 2013 .................................................................... 17 Figure 2: Water – related standards for Uranium Sector ..................................................................... 20 5. Background to Applications ........................................................................................................ 23 5.1 Geographical Location at 58 degrees latitude ............................................................................. 23 Figure 4: Mackenzie River Basin Drainage .............................................................................................. 24 Figure 5: Mercury related fish consumption advisories ......................................................................... 25 Figure 6: Map of Saksatchewan .............................................................................................................. 26 5.2 Athabascan Human Populations and threats to Food Security ................................................... 27 5.3 First Nations and Métis Communities at Cameco’s sites ............................................................. 27 6. Key Lake Application ................................................................................................................... 28 6.1 Trouble in the Air ......................................................................................................................... 28 6.2 Trouble in the Water .................................................................................................................... 28 6.3 Trouble in the Food ...................................................................................................................... 29 6.4 CNSC Concerns re Aging Management ........................................................................................ 29 SCC submission on the proposed Cameco expansion of the world’s largest uranium mines and mills. page 3 of 3 6.5 What does Cameco Say? .............................................................................................................. 30 Figure 7: The following illustration provides a conceptual model of the operations environmental interactions. ............................................................................................................................................ 30 6.6 Air Emissions ................................................................................................................................ 31 6.6.1 Sampling of Yellowcake Calciner Stack ................................................................................... 32 Figure 8: Emissions of Uranium and Lead – Comparison between June 2010 and September 2011 .... 32 6.6.2 Radon Measurements ............................................................................................................. 32 a. Radiation Deposition to plants ........................................................................................................ 33 b. Uptake by animals ........................................................................................................................... 33 6.7 Water Releases ............................................................................................................................. 33 6.7.1 Regional Drainage Areas ......................................................................................................... 33 Figure 9: Key Lake drainage system through Wheeler River to Wollaston Lake .................................... 34 6.7.2 Liquid Effluent to David Creek ................................................................................................ 34 6.7.3 Mill Effluent Quality at Wolf Lake ........................................................................................... 35 6.7.4 Dewatering to Horsefly Lake ................................................................................................... 35 6.7.5 Deilmann Tailings Releases ..................................................................................................... 35 6.7.5.1 Raise Water ................................................................................................................................ 36 6.7.5.2 Deilmann Dewatering Wells ...................................................................................................... 37 6.7.6 Above Ground Tailings Management Facility ......................................................................... 37 6.7.7 Gaertner Pit Water Quality ..................................................................................................... 37 6.7.8 Waste Rock Management ....................................................................................................... 37 6.7.9 Groundwater Monitoring Results ........................................................................................... 38 6.7.10 Cumulative Impacts and Standard Setting ............................................................................. 38 7. McArthur River Application ........................................................................................................ 39 7.1 Mining Method ............................................................................................................................. 39 Figure 10: Processing of McArthur mineral reserves .............................................................................. 40 SCC submission on the proposed Cameco expansion of the world’s largest uranium mines and mills. page 4 of 4 7.2 Trouble in the Air ......................................................................................................................... 40 7.3 Trouble in the Water .................................................................................................................... 41 Figure 11: McArthur River Site ................................................................................................................ 41 7.4 Trouble in the Food ...................................................................................................................... 42 7.5 What does Cameco Say? .............................................................................................................. 42 I. Mine