FAQ – JBC against Uranium

Does the province, country or world really need uranium?

Thu, 18 Sep 2014 22:44:27 +0000

Provincially, Quebec closed its last remaining nuclear generating station, Gentilly-2, at the end of 2012. As such, nuclear energy cannot be generated in Quebec. There is therefore no need for uranium in Quebec for energy production purposes.

Globally, the need for uranium is questionable. World energy needs are predicted to rise significantly over the next two decades as the population grows and as more of the population starts using energy-consuming equipment. However, while global energy consumption is increasing, technological innovation is resulting in increased energy efficiency. For instance, wasteful incandescent light bulbs require ten times more energy that modern LED bulbs. Further, not only are we making new discoveries of natural gas and oil and bringing untapped reserves into production, we are also seeing an increase in renewable energy use, such as wind and hydroelectric power, which will help meet our future energy needs. The province of Quebec has invested heavily in both forms of wind and hydroelectric power. Finally, the market for uranium in the United States, the world’s largest uranium market, has been contracting for a number of years, which has severely depressed the price of uranium. As a result, the future market for uranium remains uncertain at best.

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Is nuclear energy better for climate change compared to other forms of energy?

Thu, 18 Sep 2014 22:43:22 +0000

To determine the greenhouse gas emissions associated with nuclear energy, we must consider the full lifecycle of nuclear energy production, from mineral extraction to refining to transportation and distribution. There can be huge variances due to local factors, including where the ore is located and where the yellowcake is ultimately transported. The carbon emissions associated with nuclear energy are somewhat lower than fossil fuels but higher than many renewables, particularly when the uranium used for nuclear power generation is enriched using gaseous diffusion. In fact, studies indicate that renewables such as wind power and concentrating solar power offer significant potential for carbon emissions reductions and demonstrate lower life cycle greenhouse gas emissions than nuclear power.

U4Uranium? (pt 4/7): Nuclear Energy and Climate Change

Pohakuloa: Now that you know, do you care?

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What would the uranium produced be used for?

Thu, 18 Sep 2014 22:42:28 +0000

The yellowcake would be shipped to several uranium processing facilities in Ontario for fuel fabrication (conversion to uranium dioxide and uranium hexafluoride). Uranium dioxide can be used in Canadian CANDU nuclear power plants, which supply about 15% of the electricity in Canada. Uranium hexafluoride is exported and used to create enriched uranium fuel for light-water reactors in the United States and elsewhere. Overall, 85% of Canadian uranium is exported to the United States, the European Union and Japan (as of 2007).

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What does uranium look like and how radioactive is it?

Thu, 18 Sep 2014 22:41:44 +0000

The uranium oxide produced by the mine site milling facility is a yellow powder known as yellowcake. Uranium oxide is not very radioactive since it does not contain its more radioactive decay products that remain in the tailings at the mine site. However, it must of course be contained and transported with particular care and its chemical toxicity is high.

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What catastrophic events could occur?

Thu, 18 Sep 2014 22:40:32 +0000

There are a number of low probability but high impact events that could occur. The severity of impact will depend on site-specific factors, such as the proximity of local communities or valuable water resources, and the controls in place. Here are some examples:

• a mine collapse;
• equipment failures or releases of radioactive and toxic elements due to human error or technological failure;
• extreme weather events, with or without flooding, that could affect the engineering controls leading to a release into the environment;
• a release of a large quantity of fuel or chemical reagent stored on-site; and
• a fire or an explosion related to the on-site propane.

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Could an underground mine collapse?

Thu, 18 Sep 2014 22:39:14 +0000

The ore is extracted using drilling and blasting with explosives. Therefore there is always the risk of mine collapse, even if the probability is low. In the interest of getting miners out of the mine as quickly as possible, the usual safety procedures in place to prevent radioactive contamination may be overlooked. Major earthquakes could also cause the mine to collapse.

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What would happen if there were an accident at the milling facility?

Thu, 18 Sep 2014 22:38:16 +0000

A dust or slurry release of milled ore from the milling facility could be very dangerous since the ore being processed contains a high concentration of radioactive elements and harsh chemicals. Radon gas would be present and could become concentrated if the release occurs in an enclosed unvented area.

The chemical reagents used to extract and concentrate the uranium might also have human and ecological effects if they were released into the environment.

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What about the long term?

Thu, 18 Sep 2014 22:35:41 +0000

Tailings containing radioactive elements, depending on the isotope type, will be radioactive for tens of thousands of years. The chemical toxicity of the tailings will be even more long-term as the stable chemical metals do not degrade further. Can society take responsibility for the long-term stewardship of the contaminants that it made more mobile through its mining and milling activities? How will local communities feel about restricting land use for future generations?

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Who pays for the decommissioning? Who manages leaks after the mine has been closed?

Thu, 18 Sep 2014 22:34:39 +0000

Under current regulations, the proponent of the mine is held responsible for its decommissioning and must provide financial guarantees (put money aside) for the closure of each stage of the mine. However since the detailed environmental assessment for the decommissioning work is not done until it becomes time to apply for a license to decommission the mine, there is significant uncertainty that the financial guarantees set up at the time of granting the mine’s operating license will be sufficient for the closure plan.

Under current law, after a uranium mine has been decommissioned and a license to abandon has been issued, the long-term stewardship of the mine including on-going environmental monitoring, becomes the responsibility of the government, and the proponent can no longer be held responsible for events at the closed site.

The cost of cleaning up and restoring unlawfully abandoned mine sites in Eeyou Istchee has been historically expensive for governments. Such negative economic repercussions do no not help the social acceptability of mining projects which are already controversial in nature.

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Have any tailings management areas been successfully decommissioned in Canada?

Thu, 18 Sep 2014 22:33:44 +0000

There are few Canadian uranium tailings management areas (tailings ponds) that have been subject to licensed decommissioning plans under the modern federal regulatory regime and there is lack of experience to confirm best practice on how to meet today’s standards. There are examples of uranium tailings management areas being decommissioned by governments or their agencies following unlawfully abandonment by bankrupt proponents, but these are often sites where harm has already occurred and further harm is being prevented. No uranium mine in Canada has managed to successfully complete the decommissioning process and been issued a license to abandon the mine.

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