Sustainability: The balanced approach to modern uranium mining

Abstract

In recent times the world has searched for increased sources of energy to support improving lifestyles and increased development, whilst also seeking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate possible effects of fossil fuels on climate. Consequently, nuclear power has come back onto the agenda frequently as Governments plan future energy strategies. A further consequence has been an increased level of activity in the mining of uranium. Always a sensitive topic uranium mining projects are regarded with suspicion by stakeholders who point at the legacy sites from former operations as evidence that mining is not “environmentally sustainable”. However, modern operations are now obliged to take an holistic approach to project development with “sustainability” as a key concept; although the idea is better expressed as “balanced” development since mining is, by its very nature, detrimental to the environment but this need not mean there is a permanent loss of use of the land. This modern balanced, approach requires that social, economic and environmental factors be considered in unison. This paper looks at a selection of past legacies and then provides an overview of modern “balanced” outcomes in the modern uranium mining industry.