Saskatchewan’s NDP reverses uranium policy

The government of Saskatchewan has given the green light to uranium mining.

That was the important news to have come out of the provincial New Democratic Party’s fractious convention staged recently at Saskatoon. (It was “fractious” because the party has been opposed to uranium mining on ideological grounds for years.)

Proponents consider uranium mining to be environmentally dangerous, economically unsound and immoral — the product can be used in the manufacture of weapons. A vote on the long-standing NDP policy was called for. The policy recommended a moratorium on new uranium mines in northern Saskatchewan and an eventual phaseout of existing mines.

Delegates voted 60% against the moratorium.

“The NDP needs to create wealth before it can redistribute it,” said Roy Romanow, the party’s leader and head of government.

The province produced 20% of the world’s uranium in 1991 from a number of the world’s richest orebodies. The currently producing mines will be depleted by 1997 and the mining companies had been in a state of suspended animation, awaiting confirmation of the party’s declared policy.

Now, the companies can go ahead. In 1993, a federal-provincial environmental board will be reviewing applications for five new mines.

The main companies active in the field are Cameco (TSE), Uranerz, Amok and Cogema Canada. There are half a dozen others and joint venture mine development is the rule.

Meanwhile, a proposed exploration program for one of northern Saskatchewan’s prime uranium prospects will shortly come under public review. The prospect is the McArthur River deposit owned by Cameco (54%), Uranerz (29.8%), Interuranium Canada (9.1%) and Cogema (7.1%).

Reserves delineated by surface drilling are 2.6 million tons grading 5% uranium oxide. Detailed definition of the reserves will follow underground development and drilling, all of which are part of the program awaiting environmental approval.

The orebody is 5,900 ft. long in the form of an elongated tube possessing an elliptical cross-section. It is practically horizontal in disposition and lies at a depth of 1,640-1,850 ft. Most of the ore is in the Athabasca sandstone. Unlike other deposits in the area, for example Cigar Lake, it is not enveloped by intensive clay alteration nor does it carry the frequently encountered nickel-arsenide minerals.

McArthur’s mineral assemblage points toward conventional milling and little new equipment will be required for the Key Lake mill where the ore will be milled (assuming the mine goes into production). Key Lake is 42 miles from McArthur.

The company’s application has been referred to the Canada-Saskatchewan uranium mine development panel for public review by the Atomic Energy Control Board and the Saskatchewan government.

Submissions are to be made to the panel by Jan. 15, 1993, and public hearings will be held within 45 days. If, after public review, the government or Cameco decides not to proceed with the project, the exploration site will be decommissioned and reclaimed.