Government of Canada Policy on Radioactive Waste and Legacy Uranium Mines Tom Calvert Uranium and Radioactive Waste Division Natural Resources Canada May 1, 2014

1: HISTORICAL CONTEXT Port Radium ~1957 2

Responsibility for Mineral Resources in Canada  Since 1930, all ten Canadian provinces responsible for mineral resources within their boundaries.  Prior to 2003, federal government responsible for mineral resources in the three territories.  Responsibilities for resources have been transferred to the territorial governments in the Yukon Territory (2003) and Northwest Territories (2014) and will be transferred in Nunavut. 3

Second World War  1942: the federal government requested Eldorado Gold Mines Limited to re-open its radium mine on Great Bear Lake, Northwest Territories and its refinery in Port Hope, Ontario to supply uranium for the US-UK-Canada Manhattan Project (world’s first nuclear bomb).  1943: The federal government and most provincial governments banned uranium exploration and mining by private companies. (uranium is a strategic commodity).  1944: The federal government purchased Eldorado Gold Mines Limited to create the federal Crown corporation (publically-owned company) Eldorado Mining and Refining Limited. 4

Post War Period  1946: The federal government created the Atomic Energy Control Board (AECB).  1948: Private exploration and mining was allowed but subject to AECB regulations:  Permits were required for advanced exploration and for the production of uranium.  The permits required companies to report resources and production only to the government (kept secret).  All uranium had to be sold through Eldorado.  The provincial governments remained responsible for regulating uranium mining within the provinces. 5

Cold War Uranium Mining Boom,  : Private companies discover many low-grade uranium deposits, though most are not economic due to high cost / low prices.  : The US government offered special- price five-year contracts for uranium, creating an incentive for private companies to develop low- grade uranium deposits.  Eldorado supplied the uranium from the private companies to the US government at cost and did not profit from these contracts. 6

Cold War Uranium Mining Boom,  1953: Eldorado’s Beaverlodge mine opens.  : 23 privately-owned mines open.  1956: US demand met - no additional contracts.  1956: Restrictions on publishing uranium resources and production were removed.  1957: Contract to supply UK government.  1958: Requirement to market all uranium through Eldorado was relaxed. Limited quantities of uranium could be sold to friendly countries for research purposes. 7

Cold War Uranium Mining Boom,  1961: With no new US contracts, only 8 uranium mines remain operating compared to 25 in  1962: Requirement to market uranium production through Eldorado ends.  1963: An additional contract with the UK government and a federal government stockpile program allows 4 of the remaining mines to operate beyond All other mines closed.  1965: All future uranium sales must be for peaceful purposes only (federal policy). 8

Second Uranium Mining Boom,  1974: Formation of the Saskatchewan provincial Crown corporation Saskatchewan Mining Development Corporation (SMDC) which was involved in uranium exploration and mining.  : New mines open in Ontario and Saskatchewan (nuclear power contracts).  1977: AECB developed regulations for uranium mining activities, including tailings management.  1981: Eldorado purchased Rabbit Lake mine.  1982: Eldorado’s Beaverlodge mine is closed. 9

1988 to Present  1988: Eldorado and SMDC were privatized and merged to form Cameco Corporation.  1988: AECB requires companies to provide decommissioning plans for uranium mines.  1996: AECB requires companies to provide financial assurances for the costs of decommissioning.  1996: Last operating uranium mine in Ontario closes. Saskatchewan becomes sole producer. 10

2: FEDERAL POLICY Eldorado Refinery Port Hope, Ontario,

Federal Policy Radioactive Waste Policy Framework (1996)  Waste owners:  responsible for managing their waste  responsible for developing and implementing long-term solutions  Federal role:  ensure long-term waste management carried out in a safe, environmentally-sound, comprehensive, cost-effective manner  develop policy, regulate, and oversee waste owners’ compliance with legal, financial, and operational requirements 12

Federal Policy Nuclear Safety and Control Act (2000)  Waste producers/owners must be licensed  Established the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) to replace the Atomic Energy Control Board (AECB) 13

Federal Policy: Application  Under the terms of the 1988 privatization of Eldorado, the federal government has accepted financial responsibility for legacy sites at Beaverlodge, Saskatchewan and Port Hope, Ontario.  The federal government also has responsibility for abandoned mines in the three territories. (i.e. Port Radium and Rayrock mines, Northwest Territories).  All other uranium mine sites in Canada are the responsibility of the current owners (private company or the province ). 14

3: POLICY INITIATIVES FOR NON- FEDERAL SITES Gunnar Mine,

Federal – Provincial Agreements  Policy initiatives allow the federal government to voluntarily take action that is not required by federal legislation or is not strictly within federal jurisdiction.  The Government of Canada has entered into agreements with the provincial governments of Ontario and Saskatchewan to assist in the remediation of legacy uranium mines located on non-federal lands. 16

1995 Canada – Ontario Memorandum of Agreement  : 17 uranium mines operated in Ontario, producing 176 million tonnes of tailings, 85% of Canada’s total.  Both the provincial government (since 1955) and the federal government (since 1977) had a role in regulating the operation of these mines.  1988: The federal government began requiring decommissioning plans for uranium mines. 17

1995 Canada – Ontario Memorandum of Agreement  1991: The Ontario government began requiring mining companies to provide financial assurances for the costs of decommissioning mines (including uranium mines).  Some companies had difficulty providing these financial assurances.  1995: The governments of Canada and Ontario entered into a “safety net” agreement to share costs if an owner was unable to finance the decommissioning of a uranium mine. 18

1995 Canada – Ontario Memorandum of Agreement  All sites in Ontario have now been decommissioned by the owners without government funding.  Since 1996, the federal government has also required that companies provide a financial assurance for decommissioning.  As a result, it is unlikely that there will be a need to implement the shared-cost funding provisions provided in the agreement. 19

Shared Responsibility Contaminated Sites Framework  Federal funds have been allocated for the years 2005 to 2020 to contribute to the cost of remediating contaminated sites located on non-federal land.  To qualify for funding, the contamination must be partly a result of federal government activities or security efforts.  The Framework is not specific to uranium mines. Industrial sites (i.e. Sydney Tar Ponds) have received most of the funds. 20

Shared Responsibility Contaminated Sites Framework  Proposals for funding require an analysis of the potential remediation options, a remediation plan, and the total cost.  A Memorandum of Agreement is negotiated with the proponent if the proposal is accepted.  2006: Canada – Saskatchewan Memorandum of Agreement was signed to provide funding to remediate Cold War legacy uranium mines in Saskatchewan. 21

2006 Canada – Saskatchewan Memorandum of Agreement  The Gunnar uranium mine was closed in 1964 in accordance with the provincial regulatory requirements of the time.  The company that operated the Gunnar mine no longer exists and the province of Saskatchewan is now the custodian of the site.  Under the agreement, the federal government is providing $12.3 million to assist with the remediation of the Gunnar mine site. 22

4: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Bicroft Uranium Mine, Ontario 23

Natural Resources Canada: Science and Technology Expertise  Environmental hydrogeochemistry  Acid rock/mine drainage, metals leaching  Geology and mineralogy  Surface and groundwater hydrology  Mine site assessment, rehabilitation and decommissioning  Effluent treatment and monitoring  Environmental toxicity and risk assessment  Cold-climate research. 24

Natural Resources Canada: Uranium Mine Rehabilitation Research  Mine environmental research since the late 1960s, including uranium mining.  Establishment of the National Uranium Tailings Program (NUTP) in the early 1980s.  Establishment of the Mine Environmental Neutral Drainage (MEND) Program in the late 1980s. 25

National Uranium Tailings Program (NUTP)  Detailed characterization of inactive uranium mine tailings in Ontario (Elliot Lake) and Saskatchewan (Gunnar mine).  Development of site characterization and reclamation techniques.  Development of contaminants migration models which have been widely adopted  Results of NUTP were incorporated into the MEND program. 26

Mine Environmental Neutral Drainage (MEND) Program  Established in the late 1980s by Natural Resources Canada in partnership with industry.  Research on acid rock/mine drainage and metal leaching from mines, waste rock and tailings.  Included extensive research of uranium tailings at Elliot Lake. 27

Mine Environmental Neutral Drainage (MEND) Program  Development of technologies for mine site assessment, rehabilitation, and decommissioning in:  Prediction and modelling  Prevention and control  Waste disposal  Effluent treatment and monitoring  Verification. 28

Mine Environmental Neutral Drainage (MEND) Program  The mining industry has widely adopted the MEND Program’s mine site assessment, mine decommissioning and mine management technologies.  Over 200 mine environmental related research reports and documents available at 29

5. Conclusions  Direct federal participation in uranium mining ended in 1988 with the privatization of Eldorado.  Federal regulation was originally focussed on the security issues regarding uranium as a strategic military commodity. The provinces and territories were responsible for regulating uranium mining before  Federal regulation now includes all aspects of uranium mining from advanced exploration to mine decommissioning. 30

Conclusions  Federal Radioactive Waste Policy Framework stipulates that waste owners are to be responsible for their wastes.  The federal government has financial responsibility for legacy sites that were operated by Eldorado, as well as for abandoned mine sites located in the three territories.  The federal government provides scientific research and expertise to support environmentally-sound and cost-effective mine decommissioning. 31

THANK YOU  Questions? 32 Eldorado Mine and Mill Beaverlodge, Saskatchewan