As a geologist myself having overseen numerous campaigns drilling first exploration and then environmental characterization, I can respond to the article by Mr. Patrick Lagacé published in the Cyberpresse August 5, 2009 regarding the proposal to operate a uranium mine on the lower North Shore.
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/opinions/chroniqueurs/patrick-lagace/200908/05/01-890102-de-tchernobyl-a-sept-iles.php
The biggest uranium mine in the world is in Saskatchewan. It is also considered the safest. Why? Because all steps are automated extraction of uranium. Humans do not come into contact with the ore. The argument to create hundreds of quality jobs for an economically depressed area does not take the road for this industry where there are few humans and lots of robots. Moreover, the rich deposits of Saskatchewan are nothing like those of Lake Kachiwiss on the Lower North Shore that are of type "low and high tonnage. These deposits are more difficult to extract and extraction methods require more expensive and more polluting than those used for deposits richer content.
The only way to make these deposits at low cost levels is that the price of uranium is high. At present although it has declined recently. The mine operator must, in this economic environment, succeed in externalizing operating costs as much as possible. What does that mean concretely? The operator Mining is trying by every means to pay for its mining project by a third party: for example, pay the lowest possible mining royalties to the government, obtain grants and tax credits for exploration activities, n assume that part of the costs related to environmental remediation of mine sites and allow the public health system pay for health. If the miner can take advantage of existing infrastructure such as a train carrying ore from the project costs will be lower and if it succeeds to accept a proposed open-pit mine is less costly but environmentally devastating, so profits will be even higher.
I like Mr. Lagacé watched the amateur video of concerned citizens from Sept-Iles denouncing certain practices of the uranium exploration company Terra Ventures. The latter owns the mineral rights of the Lac Kachiwiss. In the video, a man down a wire with a lead up to 30 feet deep into the casing of an exploration well completed by Terra Ventures. The demonstration with the wire indicates that the exploratory well has not been saddled with the surface a concrete plug.
According to rules of basic precautions, the upper part of an exploration well is expected to be saddled with a layer of bentonite (swelling clay) by a concrete plug to prevent potential migration of contaminants from the surface to the groundwater. In this case, it is certain that it was not done. Unfortunately, the mining company is not required by law to take these simple precautions. Requires concentrations of about 1% U3O8 for drilling requires special precautions. On the Coast North, these concentrations are of the order of less than 0.02% U3O8. One may wonder how many other basic precautionary rules are ignored by Terra Ventures and other mining companies in exploration campaigns. The industry represented by the Canadian Association of Prospectors and Developers, has developed its own code of conduct that may follow or not is no obligation.
In using the technique of diamond drilling, a lot of water must be used to drill rock. Where does this water? Is she recovered well or simply dismissed without treatment in the environment? Currently, no law governs the well water used as part of a campaign of mineral exploration. This activity is exempt from the Act on the quality of the environment because it is already subject to the Mining Act. But the Mining Act is not designed to protect the environment. Recover contaminated water drilling and proper disposal is a far more expensive than putting a concrete cap on an exploration well ... and it does not appear if it is poorly done or not done at all. Pull on your own conclusion.
The Auditor General has slammed the lack of environmental control of mining projects in Quebec. Indeed, in Quebec, when a mineral exploration company was facing a negligent attitude to the elementary rules of precaution, one can take away his license to prevent him from continuing his actions are reprehensible but certainly not illegal. According
the Fraser Institute, Quebec was in 2008, the best place in the world for mining exploration companies. Why? Here are the reasons touted by the Association of Exploration Mining Quebec
The biggest uranium mine in the world is in Saskatchewan. It is also considered the safest. Why? Because all steps are automated extraction of uranium. Humans do not come into contact with the ore. The argument to create hundreds of quality jobs for an economically depressed area does not take the road for this industry where there are few humans and lots of robots. Moreover, the rich deposits of Saskatchewan are nothing like those of Lake Kachiwiss on the Lower North Shore that are of type "low and high tonnage. These deposits are more difficult to extract and extraction methods require more expensive and more polluting than those used for deposits richer content.
The only way to make these deposits at low cost levels is that the price of uranium is high. At present although it has declined recently. The mine operator must, in this economic environment, succeed in externalizing operating costs as much as possible. What does that mean concretely? The operator Mining is trying by every means to pay for its mining project by a third party: for example, pay the lowest possible mining royalties to the government, obtain grants and tax credits for exploration activities, n assume that part of the costs related to environmental remediation of mine sites and allow the public health system pay for health. If the miner can take advantage of existing infrastructure such as a train carrying ore from the project costs will be lower and if it succeeds to accept a proposed open-pit mine is less costly but environmentally devastating, so profits will be even higher.
I like Mr. Lagacé watched the amateur video of concerned citizens from Sept-Iles denouncing certain practices of the uranium exploration company Terra Ventures. The latter owns the mineral rights of the Lac Kachiwiss. In the video, a man down a wire with a lead up to 30 feet deep into the casing of an exploration well completed by Terra Ventures. The demonstration with the wire indicates that the exploratory well has not been saddled with the surface a concrete plug.
According to rules of basic precautions, the upper part of an exploration well is expected to be saddled with a layer of bentonite (swelling clay) by a concrete plug to prevent potential migration of contaminants from the surface to the groundwater. In this case, it is certain that it was not done. Unfortunately, the mining company is not required by law to take these simple precautions. Requires concentrations of about 1% U3O8 for drilling requires special precautions. On the Coast North, these concentrations are of the order of less than 0.02% U3O8. One may wonder how many other basic precautionary rules are ignored by Terra Ventures and other mining companies in exploration campaigns. The industry represented by the Canadian Association of Prospectors and Developers, has developed its own code of conduct that may follow or not is no obligation.
In using the technique of diamond drilling, a lot of water must be used to drill rock. Where does this water? Is she recovered well or simply dismissed without treatment in the environment? Currently, no law governs the well water used as part of a campaign of mineral exploration. This activity is exempt from the Act on the quality of the environment because it is already subject to the Mining Act. But the Mining Act is not designed to protect the environment. Recover contaminated water drilling and proper disposal is a far more expensive than putting a concrete cap on an exploration well ... and it does not appear if it is poorly done or not done at all. Pull on your own conclusion.
The Auditor General has slammed the lack of environmental control of mining projects in Quebec. Indeed, in Quebec, when a mineral exploration company was facing a negligent attitude to the elementary rules of precaution, one can take away his license to prevent him from continuing his actions are reprehensible but certainly not illegal. According
the Fraser Institute, Quebec was in 2008, the best place in the world for mining exploration companies. Why? Here are the reasons touted by the Association of Exploration Mining Quebec
-modern legislation, stable and pro-government development (see Québec Mineral Strategy);
-Aboriginal land claims settled over much of the territory geologically favorable tax-
extremely attractive:
deduction for the investor up to 150% in the flow-through financing;
refundable tax credits for companies exploring in Quebec;
net costs for a junior or an investor who spent $ 100 Exploration: $ 33!
The Association does not boast rich deposits of potential but rather how we are generous to the mining industry in Quebec.
Let these exploration companies who disregard our health and the environment for their portfolios and to the detriment of ours. Require strict regulations for mineral exploration activities in Quebec.
This article was also published in http://www.gaiapresse.ca/fr/articles/article.php?id=10107
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