Disgraced Uranium Miner Opens Alice Shop
Natalie Wasley
Beyond Nuclear Initiative
Cameco, the Canadian uranium mining company troubled by a string of recent uranium-related accidents, has recently opened an office in Alice Springs.
In March this year, a Cameco/Paladin joint venture was granted the opportunity to apply for an exploration licence at known uranium deposits Angela and Pamela, just 25km south of Alice Springs. A decision regarding the exploration application is expected from the NT Government in early August.
“Opening an office in Alice Springs is a public relations exercise to manage community concern. There has been clear and sustained opposition to this project since it was announced, with 950 people petitioning the NT government to not grant the licence”, stated Natalie Wasley, Beyond Nuclear Initiative campaigner and member of the Alice Springs Angela Pamela (ASAP) collective.
Jimmy Cocking, Alice Springs Environment Centre coordinator and ASAP member added, “Cameco has responded to resident’s concerns by placing a company spin doctor in town, and have even hired a PR company to manage their community engagement. However, people have done their own research, and Cameco’s record of mine mismanagement has many residents gravely concerned about this company operating a uranium project in our region”.
A recent controversy embroiling Cameco resulted in a 1.4 million USD settlement with the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality. This was in relation to non-compliance issues at the state’s Smith Ranch Highlands mine. Listed environmental regulations breaches included pace of groundwater restoration, mine permit documentation, site reclamation schedules, spills and its reclamation cost estimates. (see attached documentation)
In recent years the company has also been implicated in a number of other incidents, including;
• In May this year, it was discovered during soil decontamination at the suspended Port Hope uranium processing facility in Canada that egress from degraded holding floors had contaminated the harbour surrounding the facility, which flows into Lake Ontario.
• In October 2006 there was a major flooding incident at Cameco's Cigar Lake mine.
• A misjudgement relating to the flow of groundwater in adjacent rock, as well as failure to respond to specific government instructions regarding pumping equipment, caused a flood during tunnel blasting. This accident has delayed the opening of Cigar Lake (the world's second largest uranium holdings) until at least 2011. Many industry figures are speculating the mine may never open.
Cameco CEO Jerry Grandey admits the uncertainties of groundwater geology. ``Management's about taking risks -- calculated risks.'' he said of the Cigar Lake Incident. ``We thought we were on the safe side of that calculation,'' he says. ``And we were wrong.'' (1)
Jimmy Cocking added; “ASAP does not believe Cameco should be setting up to take risks in our community. Many residents are concerned about potential impacts on the thriving tourism and pastoral ventures in the region, and also the wind borne and transport risks that a project so close to town would pose”.
“Long after the company has packed up and left, there will be environmental and social impacts for our community to manage. The ASAP collective strongly encourages the NT and Federal Governments to reject the Cameco/Paladin application and promote Alice Springs as a solar, not a nuclear city”, Natalie Wasley concluded.
In March this year, a Cameco/Paladin joint venture was granted the opportunity to apply for an exploration licence at known uranium deposits Angela and Pamela, just 25km south of Alice Springs. A decision regarding the exploration application is expected from the NT Government in early August.
“Opening an office in Alice Springs is a public relations exercise to manage community concern. There has been clear and sustained opposition to this project since it was announced, with 950 people petitioning the NT government to not grant the licence”, stated Natalie Wasley, Beyond Nuclear Initiative campaigner and member of the Alice Springs Angela Pamela (ASAP) collective.
Jimmy Cocking, Alice Springs Environment Centre coordinator and ASAP member added, “Cameco has responded to resident’s concerns by placing a company spin doctor in town, and have even hired a PR company to manage their community engagement. However, people have done their own research, and Cameco’s record of mine mismanagement has many residents gravely concerned about this company operating a uranium project in our region”.
A recent controversy embroiling Cameco resulted in a 1.4 million USD settlement with the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality. This was in relation to non-compliance issues at the state’s Smith Ranch Highlands mine. Listed environmental regulations breaches included pace of groundwater restoration, mine permit documentation, site reclamation schedules, spills and its reclamation cost estimates. (see attached documentation)
In recent years the company has also been implicated in a number of other incidents, including;
• In May this year, it was discovered during soil decontamination at the suspended Port Hope uranium processing facility in Canada that egress from degraded holding floors had contaminated the harbour surrounding the facility, which flows into Lake Ontario.
• In October 2006 there was a major flooding incident at Cameco's Cigar Lake mine.
• A misjudgement relating to the flow of groundwater in adjacent rock, as well as failure to respond to specific government instructions regarding pumping equipment, caused a flood during tunnel blasting. This accident has delayed the opening of Cigar Lake (the world's second largest uranium holdings) until at least 2011. Many industry figures are speculating the mine may never open.
Cameco CEO Jerry Grandey admits the uncertainties of groundwater geology. ``Management's about taking risks -- calculated risks.'' he said of the Cigar Lake Incident. ``We thought we were on the safe side of that calculation,'' he says. ``And we were wrong.'' (1)
Jimmy Cocking added; “ASAP does not believe Cameco should be setting up to take risks in our community. Many residents are concerned about potential impacts on the thriving tourism and pastoral ventures in the region, and also the wind borne and transport risks that a project so close to town would pose”.
“Long after the company has packed up and left, there will be environmental and social impacts for our community to manage. The ASAP collective strongly encourages the NT and Federal Governments to reject the Cameco/Paladin application and promote Alice Springs as a solar, not a nuclear city”, Natalie Wasley concluded.