History
Uranium in Saskatchewan
Northern Saskatchewan first became known for its mineral wealth in 1859, when prospectors en route to the Cariboo gold rush discovered there was gold in the North Saskatchewan River.
Nearly a century later, in the 1930s, geologists discovered uranium deposits in northern Saskatchewan. The discovery led to further exploration and mining activity, and to the development of Uranium City. High-grade uranium deposits were discovered in the Athabasca Basin area in 1968.
Today, Saskatchewan produces approximately one-third of the world’s uranium—providing fuel for nuclear power reactors that generate nearly 20 per cent of the world’s electricity. It is also used in medical diagnosis, food preservation, agricultural production and for manufacturing. The industry is responsible for approximately 5,000 jobs in Saskatchewan.
History of Mining Regulation
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Open pit at Gunnary 1956 |
Exploration and mining weren’t always regulated to the extent they are today. In decades past, exploration sites and mining operations were abandoned with little consideration—by today’s standards—to environmental protection or aesthetics. Companies weren’t required to post financial assurances, as they do today, to ensure decommissioning is considered before a mining project can begin. As a result, many pre-1980s sites were abandoned without any significant closure or cleanup activities.
In the late 1980s, Saskatchewan Environment and Public Safety established the Abandoned Mines Remedial Action Program. Abandoned mines were identified and some remediation work performed.
Now, stricter environmental regulations—and in some cases, degradation of the original remediation work—make it necessary to revisit these sites to perform additional remediation and cleanup.
