FINAL REPORT ON ABANDONED MINES

Released on October 18, 2004

Saskatchewan Environment has released the third component of the Abandoned Mines Assessment Program Report examining environmental and public safety at abandoned mines in northern Saskatchewan. Most of the abandoned mine sites examined pose no immediate public safety or environmental risk, however there are some sites with open shafts, deteriorated buildings or exposed tailings that are of concern.

"Saskatchewan Environment has assessed all of these sites with the goal of protecting public safety and the environment," Environment Minister David Forbes said. "We have already taken action at some sites, including the posting of warning signs, and will continue to work toward remediation of other sites."

This report concludes a three-year survey of abandoned uranium and metal mines in Saskatchewan. Altogether 75 former mine sites were examined, representing all known abandoned mines in the north. Twenty-six sites were examined in the first report released in 2001; 21 sites were examined in the second report released in 2002 and the third and final report examines 28 sites and focuses on former mine sites in the Creighton area. The third report also includes a full listing of all the sites reviewed.

Sites earlier identified as requiring clean-up include former uranium sites at Gunnar and Lorado near Uranium City, which have exposed tailings. The Gunnar site also has remaining mine structures that need to be addressed.

Saskatchewan Environment is responsible for dealing with the situations facing abandoned precious and base metal mines; Saskatchewan Northern Affairs is leading the provincial strategy to confirm federal participation in the clean-up of abandoned uranium mines.

Under current legislation, mines can no longer be abandoned in Saskatchewan. Companies are required to set aside enough money for site clean-up before they can start mining and to decommission the sites when the mining operation is finished. In the 1950s and 1960s, many mining companies were not required to decommission their operations and they simply abandoned their mines when the ore ran out. Although provincial legislation does require the responsible company to clean up sites such as these, most of those companies do not exist today and so the job of cleaning up their orphaned sites has fallen to governments.

The three reports cost a total $150,000 which was provided through the province's Centenary Fund. The Centenary Fund was established in 2000 to invest in capital projects that celebrate the province's centennial in 2005. The mine inspections were carried out with some funding from Saskatchewan Northern Affairs.

This report can be found on the Saskatchewan Environment web site at
www.se.gov.sk.ca/environment/protection/land/land.asp.

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For More Information, Contact:

Brent Hamilton Environment La Ronge Phone: (306) 425-4483