Uranium mining in Canada

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A miner hauling a car of silver radium ore, 340 feet below the surface, Eldorado Mine of Great Bear Lake circa 1930

Canada is the world's second-largest producer of uranium, behind Kazakhstan.[1] In 2009, 20% of the world's primary uranium production came from mines in Canada.[2] 14.5% of the world production came from one mine, McArthur River.[3] Currently, the only producing area in Canada is northern Saskatchewan, although other areas have had active mines in the past.[4]

History[edit]

Discovery of uranium[edit]

Canada's first recorded discovery of uranium was likely in 1847, when pitchblende, a major uranium-bearing mineral, was found at Theano Point, Lake Superior by B. A. Stanard, and described by geologist J. L. LeConte in the American Journal of Science.[5][6] In 1948, the location was re-discovered by Bob Campbell, and developed in 1949 by Camray Mines Ltd. A 45 metre shaft was sunk and 150 metres of drifting was done. The mine was not profitable and was abandoned before going into full production.[7][8]

Canada's first commercially important uranium discovery was in 1930, when prospector Gilbert LaBine discovered pitchblende on the shores of the Great Bear Lake in the Northwest Territories.[9][10] This discovery led Labine's company, Eldorado Gold Mines Limited, to develop the Eldorado Mine at Port Radium, Northwest Territories, in 1932 and a refinery to extract radium from the ore in Port Hope, Ontario, the following year.[4][11]

Post World War II demand[edit]

During World War II, the demand for uranium exploded as the United States and its allies, Britain and Canada, began the Manhattan Project to produce the first atomic weapons. As a result, in 1943, the Government of Canada expropriated the assets of Eldorado and formed a federal crown corporation, Eldorado Mining and Refining Limited, to oversee Canadian uranium assets. Exploration for uranium was restricted to Eldorado and the Geological Survey of Canada.[4][10][11]

Uraninite in pegmatite rock, from Ontario

The ban on private prospecting was lifted in 1947.[11][12] This led to an exploration boom that quickly resulted in the discovery of mines in the Northwest Territories (Rayrock), Ontario (Bancroft and Elliot Lake), and Saskatchewan (Uranium City). By 1956, thousands of radioactive occurrences had been noted, and by 1959, 23 mines were in operation in five districts.[4][10][11] In 1959, Canadian uranium exports were valued at $330 million, more than for any other mineral exported from Canada that year.[11][12] In the early 1960s, military demand for uranium declined, and in 1965, Canada imposed a policy of only selling uranium for peaceful purposes.[4] This period marked the end of the first uranium boom and saw the number of operating mines drop to four. To assist the domestic uranium industry, the federal government initiated a stockpiling program to purchase uranium. This program ended in 1974, when demand for uranium for power generation was sufficient to support the industry.[4][11]

Mine safety[edit]

The Miner's Memorial, Elliot Lake

Poor working conditions in Elliot Lake mines led to the 1974 Elliot Lake miners strike,[13] which prompted the government to initiate the Royal Commission on the Health and Safety of Workers in Mines.[14] Recommendations from the Royal Commission influenced occupational safety legislation for mines and other industries to this day.[13]

Uranium mining by province[edit]

Nova Scotia[edit]

A moratorium on uranium exploration was declared in the province of Nova Scotia in 1984. This moratorium expired on January 1, 1995.[10] However, Nova Scotia has since enacted legislation making uranium exploration and mining illegal.

Quebec[edit]

On March 28, 2013, Quebec became the third province in Canada to impose a moratorium on uranium development. This ban appears to be temporary.[15][16]

Ontario[edit]

Main articles: Uranium mining in the Bancroft area and Uranium mining in the Elliot Lake area
Caterpillar tractor with a bulldozer at Faraday Mine, bear Bancroft, 1956

Uranium was first discovered in the area of Cardiff, Ontario, in 1922 by W. M. Richardson[17] at a location first called "the Richardson deposit" and later known as "the Fission property".[18] Between 1929 and 1931,[18] attempts were made to extract radon from the uranium ore.[19]

In 1943,[18] in the aftermath of World War II, as global interest in mining uranium escalated,[19] the government sent geologists, who concluded at the time that they were not viable due to accessibility, size and uranium concentration.[18]

1948 saw an increase in private staking for uranium in Ontario, but due to the difficulties in extracting uranium from lower grade ore, none developed into mines. In 1953 "intelligence prospecting and excellent preliminary explorations" by G. W. Burns and R. J. Steele discovered the Central Lake deposits (which later were developed into Bicroft Mine) and Arthur Shore (whose prospect became the Faraday Mine) led the way successful prospecting.[18]

Messrs. Burns, Steele and Shore were three of one hundred area prospects were established in the Bancroft area between 1953 and 1956.[17] At the same time, another ten mines were started in the Elliot Lake area.[20]

class=notpageimage|
Major uranium mines and deposits in Ontario

Active mine
Deposit/possible future minesite
Closed mines/plants

City/town

Decommissioned mines at Elliot Lake and Agnew Lake area[edit]

Decommissioned mines in Bancroft area[edit]

Saskatchewan[edit]

class=notpageimage|
Major uranium mines and deposits in Saskatchewan

Active mine
Deposit/possible future minesite
Closed mines/plants

City/town

Past producers[edit]

Beaverlodge district

Current Mines[edit]

British Columbia[edit]

In 1980 the province of British Columbia introduced a seven-year ban on uranium mining and exploration, which was not renewed.[10] In 2008, the government established a "no registration reserve" under the Mineral Tenure Act for uranium and thorium. This excludes uranium and thorium from any mineral licences in the province. The government has also stated that they will "ensure that all uranium deposits will remain undeveloped".[21]

Northwest Territories[edit]

Past Producers[edit]

Tailings[edit]

In 2016, there were 217,817,839 tonnes of uranium tailings in Canada. About 201 million tonnes were located at decommissioned uranium mining sites and about 17 million tonnes were located at active sites. The inventory or uranium tailings were held as follows:

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Uranium | Uranium for Nuclear Power | Education|World Nuclear Association". 2013-02-24. Archived from the original on 2013-02-24. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
  2. ^ "World Uranium Mining". World Nuclear Association. Archived from the original on 2009-06-18. Retrieved 2010-08-17.
  3. ^ "Uranium in Canada". World Nuclear Association. Archived from the original on 2010-08-24. Retrieved 2010-08-17.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "History of Uranium Mining in Canada". Canadian Nuclear Association. Archived from the original on 2012-02-16. Retrieved 2010-08-31.
  5. ^ https://www.sootoday.com/columns/remember-this/the-great-alona-bay-uranium-rush-of-1948-2064698. From Sault Ste. Marie Library Archives, 2 February 2020. Accessed 24 December 2023
  6. ^ https://www.geologyontario.mndm.gov.on.ca/mndmfiles/mdi/data/records/MDI41N02NE00006.html. Abandoned Mine Inventory Record 07949 - Geology Ontario. 2 May 2011. Accessed 24 December 2023
  7. ^ https://www.geologyontario.mndm.gov.on.ca/mndmfiles/mdi/data/records/MDI41N02NE00006.html. Ontario Mineral Inventory Record MDI41N02NE00006. 15 September 2022. Accessed 24 December 2023
  8. ^ Chisholme, Barbara and Gutsche, Andrea. Superior: Under the Shadow of the Gods. A Guide to the History of Lake Superior's Canadian Shore. Lynx Images Inc., 1998, p. 45.
  9. ^ "Historical Timeline of the Northwest Territories: 1930 Eldorado Mine". Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 2011-07-19. Retrieved 2010-09-03.
  10. ^ a b c d e "Uranium Mining in Canada – Past and Present" (PDF). MiningWatch Canada. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-19. Retrieved 2010-08-31.
  11. ^ a b c d e f "Brief History of Uranium Mining in Canada". World Nuclear Association. Archived from the original on 2010-08-24. Retrieved 2010-08-31.
  12. ^ a b "Uranium in Canada". World Nuclear Association. August 2010. Archived from the original on 2010-08-24. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
  13. ^ a b "Elliot Lake wildcat strike led to key law". thesudburystar. Retrieved 2021-12-30.
  14. ^ "Milestones: safer workplaces | Canadian Public Health Association". www.cpha.ca. Retrieved 2021-12-30.
  15. ^ "Quebec imposes moratorium on uranium exploration and mining". Mining Weekly. 2013-03-28. Retrieved 2014-06-13.
  16. ^ "Quebec becomes third province to impose uranium moratorium". Mining.com. 2013-04-04. Retrieved 2014-06-13.
  17. ^ a b Reynolds, Nila (1979). Bancroft. A Bonanza of Memories. The Bancroft Centennial Committee. pp. 184–193, 223.
  18. ^ a b c d e A.H. Lang, J. W. Griffith, H. R Steacy (1962). Canadian Deposits of Uranium and Thorium (PDF). Yukon University: Geological Survey of Canada - Department of Mines and Technical Surveys. p. 175.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  19. ^ a b "Radioactive and toxic wastes from the Bancroft unranium sites. Where are we going and who is in charge?" (PDF). Canadian Institute for Radiation Safety. 1 May 1987.
  20. ^ "Uranium mines and mills waste". Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. 2014-02-03. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
  21. ^ "Government Confirms Position on Uranium Development". Government of British Columbia. 2008-04-24. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
  22. ^ "Revocation of the Current Licence for the Madawaska Mine" (PDF). 28 July 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 November 2013.
  23. ^ "Inventory of RADIOACTIVE WASTE in CANADA" (PDF). Natural Resources Canada. 2016.

External links[edit]

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