Uranium Mining – The Front End of the

Nuclear Fuel Chain 

Miles Goldstick (milesg@nonuclear.se), 6 December 2011 

Prepared for the International ConferenceNuclear Power

– Challenges for the Environment, Health, Economy and LegislationVilnius, 6-8 December 2011

Contents

The Nuclear Fuel Chain

Uranium Exploration

Radioactivity

Cancer Among Uranium Miners

Large Volume of Wastes

Contamination of the Surrounding Environment

For More Information

The Nuclear Fuel Chain

Uranium Exploration

Uranium Exploration

Uranium-238 Decay SeriesDecay Product

Symbol Element Main Radiation

Physical Half-Life

  U-238 Uranium-238 alpha 4,460,000,000 years

1 Th-234 Thorium-234 beta 24.1 days

2 Pa-234 Protactinium-234 beta 1.17 minutes

3 U-234 Uranium-234 alpha 247,000 years

4 Th-230 Thorium-230 alpha 80,000 years

5 Ra-226 Radium-226 alpha 1,602 years

6 Rn-222 Radon-222 alpha 3.82 days

7 Po-218 Polonium-218 alpha 3.05 minutes

8 Pb-214 Lead-214 beta 27 minutes

9 Bi-214 Bismuth-214 beta 19.7 minutes

10 Po-214 Polonium-214 alpha 1 microsecond

11 Pb-210 Lead-210 beta 22.3 years

12 Bi-210 Bismuth-210 beta 5.01 days

13 Po-210 Polonium-210 alpha 138.4 days

14 Pb-206 Lead-206 stable stable

(Red = radon daughters)

Uranium miners can die of cancer and contract serious lung diseases as a direct result of working in uranium mines.

Source: www.etu.asn.au/newsandevents/etunews_archive.html (2011-12-02)

US Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA)

RECA was adopted by the US Congress in 1990. In 2000 it was amended in to include uranium mill and ore workers.

Source: www.justice.gov/civil/common/reca.html (2011-12-02)

Source: www.justice.gov/civil/common/reca.html (2011-12-02)

Billboard along the highway outside Grants, New Mexico, USA, Sept. 2011.

Billboard along the highway outside Grants, New Mexico, USA, Sept. 2011.

Billboard along the highway outside Grants, New Mexico, USA, Sept. 2011.

Uranium mining rapidly produces large volumes of liquid and solid waste, which remain hazardous forever.

Rabbit Lake open pit uranium mine and mill, Northern Saskatchewan, Canada.

An admirable wonder of engineering achievement, or a despicable method of destruction

and source of contamination?

Waste outlet pipe at the Beaverlodge uranium mill,

Northern Saskatchewan, Canada.

Uranium mining has a catastrophic effect on the immediate surrounding environment and contaminates the downstream area.

1997 Water Quality at Sample Point 2.3.3 (final point of control) and Health Canada's Drinking Water Quality Limits  

  Health Canada (mg/L)*

Sample Point 2.3.3 (mg/L)**

Sample Point 2.3.3Maximum (mg/L)**

Arsenic 0.025 (interim MAC) 0.310 (mean March 1997) 0.410

Lead 0.01 (MAC)   0.032

Total Uranium

0.1 (ADI) 1.721 (mean June 1997) 2.950

 MAC = maximum accepted concentrationADI = acceptable daily intake* Health Canada. 1996. Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality ** Mean March and June values from Rabbit Lake Operation: 1997 Environmental Annual Report, Table 2.1.1; maximum values from Rabbit Lake Operation: 1997 Annual Report, Operating section, Table 7.1.1.

LeadAmount dangerous to aquatic life = 30 ppb = 0.03 mg/L.Source: United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA).

Note: "mean" = half above and half below!

Radioactivity released from uranium mines accumulates in plants and animals downstream to levels thousands of times the surrounding water concentration.

This contamination can eventually find its way to people.

The longnose sucker (Catostomus catostomus) above was caught in the summer of 1982 downstream from the Beaverlodge mine at Uranium City. The fish is totally blind. The eyes have no pupils at all. The mouth of the sucker is especially adapted for eating off the bottom, where it spends most of its time. Since radioactive particles are heavier than water they quickly settle out and accumulate in the bottom sediment of streams and lakes. Thus, bottom feeding fish such as suckers suffer more from the effects of radiation than other species.

# Time Period Characterised By Actions

1 pre-early 1960s lack of awareness and concern

direct dumping, no worker protection, no public involvement

2 early 1960s – early 1970s

concern regulation, monitoring, EIAs, some measures to limit the spread of contamination (e.g. dams and other retention barriers)

3 early 1970s – mid-1980s

intolerance more measures to limit the spread of contamination (lined settling ponds and dust filters), public hearings and government commissions, some new projects and expansion not given government approval

4 1980s --> advanced intolerance improvements to settling ponds and filter systems, more new projects and expansion not given government approval, some closures

5 ??? sustainability closure of all mines and reclamation

Periods of Uranium Mine Management

Some Problems and Hazards of Uranium Mining

·  Uranium mining is taking place in disregard of native land claims and aboriginal rights.

·  Uranium is used to make nuclear weapons and is turned into the highly toxic plutonium in nuclear reactors. ·  Uranium miners can die of cancer and contract serious lung diseases as a direct result of working in uranium mines. ·  Uranium mining rapidly produces large volumes of liquid and solid waste, which remain hazardous forever. ·  Uranium mining has a catastrophic effect on the immediate surrounding environment and contaminates the downstream area. ·  Radioactivity released from uranium mines accumulates in plants and animals downstream to levels thousands of

times the surrounding water concentration. This contamination can eventually find its way to people.

For More InformationWorld Information Service on Energy (WISE) Uranium Project: www.wise-uranium.org

Post ’71 Uranium Exposure: www.post71exposure.org

www.nonuclear.se: environmental views on energy

A road sign in Northern Saskatchewan, Canada.