"The French Nuclear Medusa," Beyond Nuclear Bulletin, June 19, 2008.

Areva is dramatically increasing its uranium mining activities in Kazakhstan, a country whose notorious nuclear history includes nuclear weapons tests inflicted on unprotected populations that continue to cause birth defects today. Areva plans to mine 4,000 tonnes of uranium a year, up from 1,000 tonnes. However, according to The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, “Kazakhstan is unprepared for the environmental impact an increase in uranium mining would cause, and the country lacks adequate regulations governing the rehabilitation of land used by mining enterprises.” Furthermore, Kazakhstan is reputedly rife with corruption and, asserts the Bulletin, the “threat that crooked officials could undermine the country's nonproliferation policies by making lucrative side deals with rogue countries or terrorist groups remains.”Recommend this Post

More =>

Sphere: Related Content

NDP MP takes strong stand against unethical weapons, June 12, 2008.

Press Release

BC Southern Interior MP tabled a motion on abolishing depleted uranium arms

OTTAWA - NDP MP Alex Atamanenko (BC Southern Interior) - tabled a motion (M-509) on Wednesday calling on the government to take a leading role in helping to abolish the use of depleted uranium (DU) in armaments and munitions. The motion also calls for the government to cease the deployment of our military and civilian personnel in regions where these weapons have been or will be used.

"The Canadian government must take strong and decisive action to help rid the world of this environmental and toxic health hazard. Long lasting and often deadly effects on soldiers and innocent civilians alike have been well documented," said Atamanenko. "Our military does not use depleted uranium weapons and we should not be deploying our soldiers to fight with armies who do."

Atamanenko's motion comes on the heels of a far-reaching resolution that was passed on May 22, 2008, by the European Parliament towards an EU and NATO-wide moratorium and global ban.

Atamanenko says depleted uranium weapons, much like cluster bombs and landmines, have an indiscriminate effect on civilian populations long after they are used in combat. He suggests this runs counter to the basic rules and principles that are already enshrined in international, humanitarian and environmental laws. Currently there are 18 countries that use depleted uranium weapons in their arsenals. Under international law they are considered weapons of mass destruction. Statutes and regulations under the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) prohibit the use of Canadian uranium in DU weapons.

"It is unacceptable that we would contravene our own laws and agreements by failing to ensure that our uranium is only used for peaceful purposes. I'm deeply concerned about the dangers of depleted uranium, and I strongly support my colleague, Alex Atamanenko's motion," added NDP Defence Critic, Dawn Black (Burnaby New Westminster)


-30-

For more information:

Office of Alex Atamanenko, MP
1- 613-996-8036Recommend this Post

More =>

Sphere: Related Content

Nilova Roy Chaudhury, "No NPT, no uranium: Australia," Hindustan Times,

[This, or something like it, is the position the Canadian government should have taken on the US-Indian nuclear deal. But the press here can scarcely be bothered to report on it. The article below, first posted on January 14, 2008, is being run again on June 9, 2008 (tomorrow). An article published yesterday, by the same paper, points out that India itself has identified enough undeveloped uranium reserves "to run all of India’s current and planned nuclear power plants for their entire lifetime of 40 years. In the context of the bitter political debate in India over taking N-fuel from the US, the irony is inescapable." -jlt]

On the eve of the crucial fourth and probably decisive round of talks on an India-specific set of safeguards with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), India suffered a setback when the Australian government refused to sell it uranium. The new Labour government categorically told India there could be no sale of uranium to a country that was not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Australia is a member of the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), from which India would have to get a waiver if it seeks to operationalise the civil nuclear agreement with the United States and begin nuclear commerce.

Read the rest here =>Recommend this Post

More =>

Sphere: Related Content

"European Parliament passes far reaching DU resolution in landslide vote," ICBUW, May 22, 2008.

The European Parliament has passed its fourth and most far-reaching resolution yet against the use of uranium weapons. MEPs have called for an EU and NATO-wide moratorium and global ban.

The resolution reflects an increasingly outspoken position from the European Parliament on the issue of uranium weapons. It begins with a call for EU member states to submit reports on DU to the UN Secretary General in line with last year's General Assembly resolution and classifies DU along with cluster bombs and landmines as inhumane. In response to the wealth of new information on DU's threat to health, it then requests that the European Council and Commission launch studies into areas where DU has been used.

Read more about the EU resolution here =>Recommend this Post

More =>

Sphere: Related Content

New Book on DU and International Law Calls for a Precautionary Approach, ICBUW, April 29, 2008.

Recommended by International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons

This June sees the long-awaited publication of Depleted Uranium Weapons and International Law: A Precautionary Approach, edited by Avril McDonald, Jann K. Kleffner and Brigit C. A. Toebes.

This book provides an in-depth analysis of the international legal aspects of the use of depleted uranium (DU) ammunition and armour. The military use of DU has been surrounded by considerable controversy, mainly as regards the health and environmental risks that such use entails.

The debate about DU has thus far been highly polarised, with one end of the spectrum rejecting any risk whatsoever and the other end suggesting that the use of DU leads to severe health and environmental consequences, including Gulf-War syndrome, whenever it is used.

Rather than settling these controversies, the book takes as a starting point a precautionary approach in light of the considerable remaining scientific uncertainties. It examines various principles and rules of international law, which would be at play if the health and environmental concerns regarding the use of DU were to materialise.

Hardcover: 340 pages
Publisher: Asser Press (30 Jun 2008)
Language English
ISBN-10: 906704265X
ISBN-13: 978-9067042659

See also Report and presentations from 'Towards a Uranium Weapons Treaty' Workshop, Geneva, April 2008.Recommend this Post

More =>

Sphere: Related Content

Wade Boese, "US Joins Others Seeking Nuclear Export Criteria," Arms Control Today, May 08.

The United States recently gave up its campaign to convince other nuclear suppliers to prohibit certain sensitive nuclear exports. It has now joined an alternative effort to adopt criteria to strictly limit such transactions, although Canada and a few other countries have objected to some aspects of the initiative.

A week after the Feb. 4, 2004, revelation of the Abdul Qadeer Khan nuclear black-market network, President George W. Bush proposed several initiatives to curb the spread of nuclear material and technology. (See ACT, March 2004.) One of those proposals urged suppliers not to transfer uranium-enrichment and plutonium reprocessing technologies to states without existing facilities for those purposes. Both capabilities can be used to produce nuclear fuel as well as nuclear weapons, but Bush argued that “enrichment and reprocessing are not necessary for nations seeking to harness nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.”

Although not all of them are currently operating, enrichment and/or reprocessing facilities exist in 15 countries: Argentina, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Iran, Israel, Japan, the Netherlands, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Of those states, Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Japan, and the Netherlands have not developed nuclear weapons or are not under suspicion of covertly pursuing such arms.

[...]

Canada, as well as South Africa reportedly to a lesser extent, have objected to the black box approach, arguing that it conflicts with an NPT provision allowing countries to acquire and develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. Both countries have significant uranium deposits and are eyeing the option of trying to profit more from developing the capacity to enrich the uranium for sale as nuclear fuel rather than simply exporting uranium.

...Canada’s well-known opposition to the US black box approach casts doubt on whether it will again support extending the moratorium [by the G8 on enrichment and reprocessing technology transfer.]

Read the whole article =>Recommend this Post

More =>

Sphere: Related Content

Earth Day opportunity to learn more on the Uranium Issue, April 22, 2008.

In Ontario, the Citizen's Coalition Against Mining Uranium, used the occasion of Earth Day, April 22, to take its Citizens Inquiry into the Impacts of the Uranium Cycle to the Rideau Park United Church in Ottawa.

Wolfe Erlichman of the sponsoring coalition explained that "We had been asking the government to hold an inquiry into uranium mining and they failed to respond. ... Fifteen councils from Kingston and Haliburton, through to Ottawa, passed resolutions supporting a moratorium on uranium exploration and mining and a public inquiry into the mining act; many thousands of people have written letters and dozens of organizations have made appeals. In the absence of action by the government, we are holding this Inquiry and have invited the Premier and his Ministers to attend to hear what people have to contribute." Recommend this Post

More =>

Sphere: Related Content

"Government confirms position on uranium development," April 24, 2008.

Press Release

VICTORIA – The Province will not support the exploration and development of uranium in British Columbia and is establishing a “no registration reserve” under the Mineral Tenure Act for uranium and thorium, Minister of State for Mining Kevin Krueger announced today.

“By confirming our position on these radioactive minerals, we are providing certainty and clarity to the mining industry,” said Krueger. “B.C. is an attractive place for mining exploration and investment, and we are committed to fostering a healthy, productive industry.”

The “no registration reserve” will ensure any future claims do not include the rights to uranium. Government will also ensure that all uranium deposits will remain undeveloped. These changes support the BC Energy Plan commitment of no nuclear power.

Uranium is present in many areas of the province and can be encountered while exploring for other mineral resources. Therefore, the Province will also amend the Health, Safety and Reclamation Code concerning exploration for minerals where uranium or thorium are incidentally encountered. The amendments are designed to enhance the protection of workers and the public during exploration-related activities. The amendments also ensure that B.C.’s standards for exploration are consistent with national standards and guidelines.

Today, there is no uranium mining in the province. Development and mining of uranium in Canada is regulated by the federal government through the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. The only uranium mines operating in Canada are in Saskatchewan.

Media contact:

Jake Jacobs
Public Affairs Officer
Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources
250 952-0628
250 213-6934 (cell)Recommend this Post

More =>

Sphere: Related Content

Neil King Jr, "US ends effort to ban sale of enrichment technology," Wall Street Journal, April 19,2008.

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration has given up its push for an international ban on sales of uranium-enrichment technology to nonnuclear states, a move that will complicate its nuclear diplomacy toward both Iran and India, and could open the way for a wave of new entrants into the enrichment club.

The concession was made under heavy pressure from Canada, which wants the right to build uranium-enrichment plants to export the lucrative enriched fuel for nuclear-power plants. It marks an about-face for President Bush, who called in February 2004 for a ban on new countries becoming enrichment powers. The U.S. then persuaded Canada and other reluctant members of the Group of Eight top industrialized countries to agree to a nuclear-sales moratorium, a ban the group has renewed every year since....

The policy shift within the administration comes after lengthy debate between the White House and the State Department over how to accommodate Canada's quest to become an enrichment state. Canada produces, and then exports in raw form, more than a quarter of the world's uranium....

To read the whole =>Recommend this Post

More =>

Sphere: Related Content

"Navajos won't allow uranium mining, President tells Congressional subcommittee," March 30, 2008.

NAVAJO PRESIDENT JOE SHIRLEY, JR., TELLS CONGRESSIONAL SUBCOMMITTEE
NATION WILL NOT WATCH ANOTHER GENERATION HARMED BY URANIUM MINING

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley, Jr., told a Congressional subcommittee here Friday that the Navajo Nation remains opposed to uranium mining on or near its land, and will take whatever action necessary to prevent it.

"It is unconscionable to me that the federal government would consider allowing uranium mining to be restarted anywhere near the Navajo Nation when we are still suffering from previous mining activities," he said. "In response to attempts to renew uranium mining, the Navajo Nation Council passed, and I signed into law, the Diné Natural Resources Protection Act. This law places a ban on all uranium mining both within the Navajo Nation boundary, and within Navajo Indian Country."

Testifying at a joint oversight hearing before the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands at the Flagstaff City Council Chambers, President Shirley said Navajos "do not want to not sit by, ignorant of the effects of uranium mining, only to watch another generation of mothers and fathers die."

"We are doing everything we can to speak out and do something about it," he said. "We do not want a new generation of babies born with birth defects. We will not allow our people to live with cancers and other disorders as faceless companies make profits only to declare bankruptcy and then walk away from the damage they have caused, regardless of the bond they have in place."

The hearing was held to gather testimony on "Community Impacts of Proposed Uranium Mining Near Grand Canyon National Park." In December 2007, the U.S. Forest Service authorized VANE Minerals, LLC, to conduct exploratory drilling for uranium three miles south of Grand Canyon National Park. The Park Service used Categorical Exclusion Category 8 to approve the drilling, which covers short-term investigations and which had limited public involvement. Consultation with tribes amounted to sending a letter.

On March 6, Subcommittee Chairman Congressman Raul Grijalva wrote to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer to ask that the Forest Service re-initiate the process "to ensure a more rigorous public involvement and environmental analysis process."

About 200 people filled the council chamber at the Flagstaff City Hall. Also presenting testimony during the first morning panel with President Shirley was Kaibab Paiute Tribal Chairwoman Ono Segundo and Havasupai Tribal Chairman Don Watahomigie. Both also testified that their tribes are opposed to renewed uranium mining in and around the Grand Canyon region.

Appearing with Congressman Grijalva was Arizona Congressman Ed Pastor and California Congresswoman Grace Napolitano.

President Shirley said that as the Cold War raged more than 50 years ago, the United States government began a massive effort to mine and process uranium ore for use in the country's nuclear weapons programs. Much of that uranium was mined on or near Navajo lands by Navajo hands.

"Today, the legacy of uranium mining continues to devastate both the people and the land," he said. "The workers, their families, and their neighbors suffer increased incidences of cancers and other medical disorders caused by their exposure to uranium. Fathers and sons who went to work in the mines and the processing facilities brought uranium dust into their homes to unknowingly expose their families to radiation."

"The mines, many simply abandoned, have left open open scars in the ground with leaking radioactive waste. The companies that processed the uranium ore dumped their waste in open – and in some cases unauthorized – pits, exposing both the soil and the water to radiation."

Asked by Congressman Pastor whether the Navajo Nation sees any benefits to come from uranium mining, President Shirley the opposite has been true in the past.

"Many of my people have died. Many of my medicine people have died, Congressman," he said. "And as a result, our culture has gone away, some of it. Some of the medicine people with the knowledge they have, when they go on, it's just like a library has gone on. You lose a lot of culture. That has happened to my people."

He said the tragedy of uranium's legacy extends not only to those who worked in the mines but to those who worked and lived near the mines that also experienced devastating illnesses. Decades later, families who live in those same areas continue to experience health problems.

"The remnants of uranium activity continue to pollute our land, our water, and our lives," he said. "It would be unforgivable to allow this cycle to continue for another generation."

He explained that in recent years, many companies have approached the Navajo Nation with promises of riches.

"They have promised us newer and cleaner methods of mining that they say will not harm the land, the water, or the people," he said. "We have repeatedly declined their offers."

He said the Nation has been told that in situ leach mining is a process that injects a solution into the ground to separate the ore from the surrounding rock.

"These companies claim the process is harmless," President Shirley said. "The science on this process is, at best, inconclusive, and, at worst, points to increased radioactive contaminants in the groundwater after the mining operations cease."

He said he cannot believe the claims of safety "when history and science establish a different record."

"The Navajo people have been consistently lied to by companies and government officials concerning the effects of various mining activities. Unfortunately, the true cost of these activities is understood only later when the companies have stolen away with their profits leaving the Navajo people to bear the health burdens."

Asked by whether he was contacted by the Forest Service about allowing VANE to conduct exploratory drilling near the Grand Canyon, President Shirley said no. He added that any Navajo official or division director who may have been contacted would have given the Forest Service the same answer.

"Every testimony coming from the Navajo Nation, whether it's through me, any of our council delegates, any of our legislators, it's no, we do not want the further mining of the uranium ore on Navajoland or on land contiguous to Navajoland," he said. "So if there's any conversation that took place with any of the U.S. Forest representatives, that's what they've heard."

"We just don't want it," he said. "We have a law in place, and that's the Diné Natural Resources Protection Act that says no way will we allow, no way will the Navajo Nation or any of its departments or any of its staff allow the further mining of uranium ore on Navajo land."

# # #
PHOTOS, AUDIO AVAILABLE

CONTACT
George Hardeen, Communications Director
Office of the President & Vice President
The Navajo Nation
DESK 928-871-7917
CELL 928-309-8532
pressoffice@opvp.org

Alfred Meyer, Program Director
Alliance for Nuclear Accountability
322 4th Street NE
Washington, DC 20002

202-544-0217
202-544-6143 fax
www.ananuclear.org
ameyerananuclear.org

Recommend this Post

More =>

Sphere: Related Content

Citizen's Inquiry on the Impacts of the Uranium Cycle

The Citizen's Inquiry is a project of the Community Coalition Against Mining Uranium (CCAMU). It originated as a response to the proposed exploration for and development of a uranium mine north of Sharbot Lake and upriver of Ottawa. The local First Nation communities have taken action to stop the drilling on their ancestral lands.

Presentations can include written; electronic; audio and video formats; poems, plays, skits, and songs. Presentations will be limited to 10 minutes and will be documented.

Scope of the Inquiry: “Getting to Know Uranium”

CCAMU suggests the following themes as guidelines for presentations and submissions.

Uranium Cycle

Claim staking
Exploration
Mining
Transportation
Processing
Waste

Uses: Power Generation, Weapons, Medical

Resource Management and the Alternatives

Economics
Medical
Resource Limitation

Alternative Energy

Within each theme, the following subjects could be addressed:
• Public and Environmental Health & Safety
• Social Responsibility
• Economics
• Political Responsibility
• Self Determination of a Community

Registration

You must register to make a presentation. The deadline for registration is:

Mar 18 for Sharbot Lake

March 25th for Kingston

April 1st for Peterborough

April 8th for Ottawa

To register on-line, click here. Or,

email: info@uraniumcitizensinquiry.com
Phone: 613-259-9988
fax: 613-259-5022
mail: 2799 McDonald's Corners Rd, R.R.#3 Lanark, K0G 1K0

Registrations will be acknowledged prior to the scheduled date of the location requested and will confirm your participation during the afternoon or evening session.

Locations & Dates

When: 1-5 p.m., 6-9 p.m. daily

Where: The Citizens Inquiry will be held in four locations in eastern
Ontario.

Information regarding venues and dates will be announced soon:

Sharbot Lake Public Hearings:
beginning April 1st, 2008
St.Andrew Anglican Church
1028 Elizabeth Street

Kingston Public Hearings:
beginning April 8th, 2008
Queen St. United Church
Corner of Queen and Clergy Streets

Peterborough Public Hearings:
beginning April 15th, 2008
Sadlier House
751 George St. N.

Ottawa Public Hearings:
beginning April 22, 2008
Rideau Park United Church
2203 Alta Vista Drive K1H 7L9
Located one block north of Kilborn Ave.
on the east side of Alta Vista Drive.
http://www.rideaupark.ca/location.htm

Contact Information

• email: info@uraniumcitizensinquiry.com
• Phone: 613-259-9988
• fax: 613-259-5022
• mail: 2799 McDonald’s Corners Rd, R.R.#3 Lanark, K0G 1K0Recommend this Post

More =>

Sphere: Related Content

Sandeep Dikshit, "Australia: difficult to supply uranium," The Hindu, January 17, 2008.

In an interview to a TV channel, Australian Trade Minister Simon Crean said Canberra supplying uranium to India was “an issue that the government still has to take.”

[...]

The previous government had assured India that it would supply uranium provided it was cleared by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the NSG. The Australian government’s revised approach was spelt out to [Manmohan Singh's Special Envoy, Shyam] Saran when he called on Australian Foreign Minister earlier this week.

“India is not a nation state that is a party to the NPT. I don’t think there’s any expectation that India will become a member. And so I simply underlined and reinforced the Labor Party’s and the government’s longstanding position. It didn’t come as any surprise to Mr. Saran,” said Mr. Smith

Read the whole article.Recommend this Post

More =>

Sphere: Related Content

"Ontario grandmother fasts to stop uranium mining," Community Coalition Against Mining Uranium, December 8, 2007

Who: Donna Dillman, grandmother who has refused food for 63 days in an effort to stop uranium drilling in Eastern Ontario.

What: If Premier McGuinty has not called a moratorium or an inquiry by Tues., noon, Dillman will cut all nourishment and go to water only.

Why: Once disturbed, uranium is a serious risk to those downstream (in this case her children and grandchildren, and people living in Ottawa) and those not yet born. When dealing with one of the most serious matters on the planet, drastic measures become necessary.

Where: Dillman will remain at the legislature every day until it recesses.
_________________________________________________________________

Having waited ten days for Premier McGuinty to get back to her on the question of exports, Donna Dillman, who has been refusing food for 63 days, has now formally requested a meeting with the Premier. "He committed to supplying a response to my inquiry about why we have to put the health of a million people at risk, upstream of Ottawa, when we currently export most of the uranium mined in Canada," Dillman said in a speech at the Climate Change rally on Saturday.

The 53 year-old grandmother, from near the Sharbot Lake uranium drilling site, continued, "I’d hoped it would not come to this, but, as I speak, diamond drills are being readied to penetrate the ground for uranium ore samples upriver of my children and grandchildren. When that happens, radon gas, the second highest cause of lung cancer, will be released into the air."

"When dealing with one of the most serious matters on the planet, drastic measures become necessary. All through this, I have reserved the right to make a new decision every day. Unless I hear, by Tues at noon, that the Premier is calling a public inquiry that would lead to a moratorium, it is my intention to move this protest to water only. In short, I will take no nourishment until such time as the necessary steps are taken to resolve this matter”, she said, to applause from the large crowd gathered around her at Queen’s Park.

URGENT REQUEST!

Donna Dillman is into her third month without food in support of a moratorium and inquiry into exploration and mining of uranium in eastern Ontario. As you may know, she moved to Queen’s Park in late November in order to speak with the Premier and other politicians and to gain more media coverage than was the case when she was living on the side of the road at the exploration site.

It is critical that this grandmother returns home safely for Christmas.

She has been successful in her efforts to draw attention to this issue and in the last four days before the legislature recesses for the holidays, we are calling for everyone’s assistance. One last letter, to help the premier understand that there are an incredible number of people who care about those not yet born and about the planet on which we depend.

It is important that you take the time now to communicate your concerns to Premier McGuinty because the House breaks for Christmas on December 13 and doesn't return until February 2008.

Please call, (email or fax) Premier McGuinty early this coming week:

Queen's Park
Room 281, Main Legislative Building
Toronto ON M7A 1A4

Tel 416-325-1941
Fax 416-325-3745

To email McGuinty go to this webpage to send an electronic message…
http://www.premier.gov.on.ca/feedback/default.asp

Lynn Daniluk
Uranium News
http://www.ccamu.ca





Recommend this Post

More =>

Sphere: Related Content

Canadian government signs on to Global Nuclear Energy Partnership

The British-based Mines and Communities reports that the Harper government has joined Howard's Australia in signing on to Bush's Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (Nov 29 07).

Frank Barnaby and James Kemp of the Oxford Research Group address GNEP at some length in their well-documented briefing paper entitled “Too hot to handle? The future of civil nuclear power.”

GNEP is a proposal by the Bush Administration for a nuclear fuel services program to supply developing nations with “reliable access to nuclear fuel in exchange for a commitment to forego the development of uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing technologies.” It sounds like a variation on the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty) which the Bush revisionists see as a failure.

Nuclear-weapon powers would sell reactors and fuel to non-nuclear-weapon powers. They would take back the spent fuel elements from the reactors, reprocess them and dispose of the waste. (Barnaby and Kemp 12)

The purpose of GNEP is to encourage increased use of nuclear power for generating electricity (sometimes called the nuclear renaissance), to reduce dependence on foreign oil, to reduce CO2 emissions, to slow the pace of global warming, and to reduce the risk of nuclear proliferation.

But more nuclear electricity will have little impact on America’s use of foreign oil because so little of American electricity comes from oil fired stations in the first place. Only 3% of America’s electricity is generated by oil fired power stations and this is expected to decline even without nuclear power.

Jimmy Carter banned American reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel in 1977 because of concerns that the plutonium separated from civil reactor fuel elements could be used to fabricate nuclear weapons. Matthew Bunn of Harvard University still believes reprocessing would undermine current US efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation.

Richard L. Garwin, IBM Fellow Emeritus and an expert in nuclear-weapon technology, argues that GNEP would make it easier for terrorists to get the fissile material needed to fabricate nuclear weapons.

He points out that plutonium only comprises about 1% of the material in highly radioactive spent fuel. A terrorist would need to reprocess a large amount to get a little bit of much less radioactive plutonium. Spent fuel is so radioactive that cannot be handled without remote-handling equipment and so is considered self-protecting.

GNEP's reprocessed fuel contains a higher percentage of plutonium concentrated in much less radioactive material. According to recent Department of Energy (DOE) studies, the GNEP fuel would have only about 1/2000 of the penetrating radiation contained in spent fuel, so it would be much less dangerous to handle.

This means that reprocessing considerably increases the risk nuclear material for nuclear weapons can be stolen, therefore, increases the risk of nuclear terrorism.

Furthermore, Steve Fetter, at the University of Maryland, points out that reprocessing does not remove the need for a permanent repository for high-level radioactive waste. It just puts the highly radioactive part in a different pile.

Canada’s decision brings the total number of GNEP partners to 18. The other partners are Australia, Bulgaria, China, France, Ghana, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Ukraine, and the United States.

This article is published by James Terral under a Creative Commons licence. You may republish it, wholly or in part, free of charge with attribution for non-commercial purposes following these guidelines. Commercial media must contact me for permission and fees. Some postings on this site are published under different terms.

Recommend this Post

More =>

Sphere: Related Content

Uranium News, November 2, 2007.

IN THIS ISSUE:

1) CORRECTION REGARDING SHEILA MACDONALD'S VIDEO
2) STATEMENT OF SUPPORT FROM THE BAY OF QUINTE UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
3) UPCOMING EVENTS REMINDER
4) DONNA'S BLOG DAY 23 & 24
5) FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BLOCK ARCTIC URANIUM EXPLORATION
6) UR-ENERGY SEES GOVERNMENT DICISION AS A SET BACK BUT STATES THAT THEY HAVE LEGALLY VALID MINING CLAIMS
7) GOBAL URANIUM MARKET LOOKS FRAGILE


CORRECTION REGARDING SHEILA MACDONALD'S VIDEO

In the October 31st Uranium News, I thanked Josef Lapoint for his work on Sheila MacDonald's video "Uranium Protest Trailer: The Front Line". Turns out I made a mistake. Josef assisted Sheila in putting the video on YouTube but Sheila was the one who did the filming and editing. My apologies for the confusion this has caused!

You can see the wonderful video at…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1HKXWJR02M


STATEMENT OF SUPPORT FROM THE BAY OF QUINTE UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA

Statement of Bay of Quinte Conference of The United Church of Canada
regarding the Algonquin and Local Residents Blockade of
Uranium Prospecting near Sharbot Lake

As the regional body of the United Church of Canada representing 300 congregations, the Bay of Quinte Conference wishes to make the following statement regarding the ongoing blockade of uranium prospecting taking place since the end of June 2007 by Algonquin and non-First Nations people near Sharbot Lake.

To date, this has been a non-violent protest, and it is the desire and intention of the Algonquin and non-native protesters that it remain so and that a peaceful negotiated resolution be found. Therefore, we have written Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty asking him to:

- refrain from enforcing the court-ordered injunction to forcibly remove the Algonquin and non-native protesters;
- to consult with the Chiefs of the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation and the Shabot Obaadjiwan Algonquin First Nation;
- to take immediate action to settle the outstanding land claim by the Algonquins upon this unceded territory and to resolve this dispute peaceably;
- immediately halt all exploration and development of uranium mining on disputed lands in Eastern Ontario; and
- conduct a review and complete overhaul of the Ontario Mining Act, given that as it stands, the Act allows prospecting, claim staking and exploration without clear processes for meaningful consultation and consent from First Nations, municipalities or property owners…

In keeping with the stance of The United Church of Canada as a whole, we the Bay of Quinte Conference stand alongside the First Nations peoples, local "settlers", and their supporters both local and around the world, in opposing uranium exploration in the region on environmental, safety and legal grounds.

We commend the local members of the Ontario Provincial Police for their actions to date. At the same time, our members continue to hold this challenging confrontation in their prayers as we work towards a peaceful resolution.

The members of the delegation who met with Algonquin leaders on September 6, 2007 were Ms. Bronwen Harman, President of Bay of Quinte Conference, Rev. Rodney Smith-Merkley, Chair, Dancing the Circle of Right Relations Action Group of Conference and minister of the Elgin-Portland Pastoral Charge, Rev. Elizabeth Foster, minister of the Rideau Pastoral Charge, Mr. David Milne, united Church member and representative of the Christian Peacemakers Team, and Rev. Dr. Nan Hudson, Conference Minister, Stewardship and Mission.

For further information, visit the Bay of Quinte Conference website www.bayofquinteconference.ca, the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation website www.aafma.ca, the Community Coalition Against mining Uranium www.ccamu.ca and The Frontenac News website www.newsweb.ca.


UPCOMING EVENTS REMINDER

For further information about these events go to http://www.ccamu.ca/


NOV 7TH: THE SCIENCE OF URANIUM: INFORMATION EVENING
Dr. Gordon Edwards with be discussing his assessment on the impact that a uranium mine at Sharbot Lake could have on the City of Ottawa and surrounding regions.

NOV 9TH: ABORIGINAL FILM AND DISCUSSION NIGHT
Ardoch Algonquin First Nation is offering a film series that will take place twice monthly that will discuss Aboriginal issues, history, culture and spirituality.

NOV 10TH: CLIMB TO STOP THE MINE!
The Boiler Room Climbing Gym in Kingston, will be hosting a fundraiser for CCAMU and the First Nations.


DONNA'S BLOG DAY 23 & 24

Day 23 (10/31/07)

Into the 4th week here on the side of the road, more people are expressing their concern for my well-being. I'd like you all to know that I expect to come through this just fine, with our goal accomplished. Please be assured that, if I did not, I would quit the hunger strike today. The daily letters and calls you are making and the actions you are taking to reach and educate others are making themselves heard. As a society, when we make that kind of concerted effort we cannot NOT succeed. Our job is to keep on keeping on and I, too, intend to keep on calling attention to this issue by not eating.

Someone suggested to Mike that governments refuse to be 'held ransom.' I was surprised (yes, I've been accused of being naive at times) to hear that someone considered that this hunger strike was a form of blackmail. I don't perceive it that way and I hope that others don't and haven't. My aim is to influence the populace to act, as is our democratic right. If I'm able to influence Premier McGuinty directly, so much the better, but it is more likely going to take thousands or tens of thousands of us to accomplish this. And we are doing that.

A hunger strike is no more blackmail, in my opinion, than is the Native Blockade or a road closure for a rally. I am protesting what I think is a moral, ethical and deadly irresponsible decision by the Ontario government. Given their commitment to consult with the Natives over mining on unceded territory, it was also out of integrity and possibly illegal as well.

Longest distance visitor today was Patsy George a long time activist from Vancouver. She was in the area to receive the Order of Canada. News came that the Council of Canadians passed a resolution at their annual general meeting in Kelowna, BC in support of a moratorium on uranium mining in Canada. I've yet to see it, but I'm told that Elizabeth May put out a press release about this issue recently, and Jeff Green from the Frontenac News was here for an interview today.

In the comfort of the room temperature Dickey Moore Trailer, I weighed in with a loss of 12 lbs. Does anyone have access to a small solar panel and a battery – something just large enough to boost the battery on a lap top computer? With that I'd be able to get dial- up and that would plug me in to media and press possibilities. It would also save the people who are running back and forth with the one gig memory stick some driving, not that any of them for even one minute is complaining. Every part we play is important. Thanks again for yours.

Blessings
Donna


Day 24 (11/01/07)

Settlers, the more the merrier, are invited to join the annual Christmas party put on by the Shabot Obaadjiwan at the Catholic Church (across from Timber Mart) on Hwy 38 at Sharbot Lake on December 1st at 1 o'clock. There well be a short presentation on the sacredness of the land, followed by a feast (bring a desert if you are so inclined, but not to worry if you cannot). If you are a man, please do bring a wrapped gift marked 'man;' if a girl age ten, mark your gift 'girl - 10 years old.' 'Santa will be responsible for the distribution. This will be a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the solidarity, the friendships and the extended community that has developed here over the months.

We, at the site are waiting patiently and with anticipation for the negotiations with the governments to begin.

Special thanks today for the pair of Alpaca socks received from a somewhat local lady. They are so cozy and soft I'm almost tempted to use them to warm my hands.

I'm including the rest of the "What you can do when times get trying?" list.
Whatever you are able to accomplish is one more step in the right direction toward bringing sanity to a society that is dangerously close to the edge in terms of resource drawdown, climate disaster, pollution and waste. While the train is traveling one way and some of us are out of our seats walking in the other direction, we must get the train stopped and turned around. Enough of us, working together, can do that. We are on a roll.

At the Community Level:

* Support and invest in local initiatives/enterprises; buy locally - i.e. a 100-mile diet supports local farmers and producers; when buying from a distance, support fair trade initiatives; start a community garden; The more we do such things, the more adequate local provision will be when transportation costs become unaffordable.

* Invest in conservation, renewable energy, and in sustainable infrastructure - soil fertility; forest management; community cohesion, (festivals, craft and information fairs, block parent programs, community radio, theatre, etc.)

* Participate in your local community or intentionally bring people together to form community.

* Make your opinions known: Write letters to the editor of your local paper; expand your personal communication comfort zone to let others know that you see perpetual economic expansion (and specifically, in this case, uranium exploration and mining) as a recipe for calamity. Letting people know that you question the current direction gives them permission to question it as well, thus building support.

*Support people and organizations that are leading the way; begin discussion groups in your home, church, school or community centre and invite speakers; donate your time, your energy and/or your money to the effort.

* Develop/participate in a community currency or trading system and encourage others to do so.

At the Government Level:

* Write, email or call your MP. (For MP's contact information, call 1 (800) 622-6232 )
Let him/her know that you support:

- The Well-Being Measurement Act www.SustainWellBeing.net/WBMA.html
The WBMA measures environmental and social factors in addition to economic ones,
i.e.: unpaid work; extracted resources, both renewable and non renewable; food quality; community stability; income distribution; education; pollution levels; quality of employment; amounts of exercise & stress; participation in decision making; levels of violence and more;

- The enactment of laws/subsidies that encourage sustainable activities and discourage non-sustainable activities;

- The formulation of a more equitable tax system, which draws revenue from pollution, natural resource use and speculation, while lowering or removing taxation from local businesses and low-income jobs;

- Full cost accounting; Extended producer responsibility; Proportional Representation;
Reigning in usury and, ultimately, adopting a monetary system that is not based on debt and the consequent need for perpetual growth.

Thank and Blessings,
Donna


FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BLOCK ARCTIC URANIUM EXPLORATION

Federal minister upholds contested decision to block arctic uranium exploration
October 25, 2007 - 18:58

By: THE CANADIAN PRESS
http://www.570news.com/news/business/article.jsp?content=b1025152A

OTTAWA - The federal cabinet has upheld a recommendation by a northern environmental regulator that the mining industry fears could sterilize a large and potentially rich chunk of the Northwest Territories to future development and cripple the ability of prospectors to look for new deposits.

In a letter to the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board this week, Indian and Northern Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl said he agreed with its recommendation to block Ur-Energy's (TSX:URE) uranium exploration program on the Upper Thelon area east of Great Slave Lake.

"The responsible ministers have agreed to adopt the recommendation of the review board," Strahl wrote.

Last May, the board shocked the mining industry when it denied Ur-Energy's plan to drill up to 20 holes near the Thelon River because it threatens the spiritual and cultural well-being of the area's Akaitcho Dene.

"If implemented, the recommendation of the review board would effectively terminate mineral exploration in an important part of the N.W.T.," three industry leaders wrote to then-minister Jim Prentice after the original decision.

"This would have a very detrimental effect on the investment climate of (the) N.W.T. and the North in general."

The letter was signed by Mike Vaydik of the N.W.T. Chamber of Mines, Gordon Peeling of the Mining Association of Canada and Tony Andrews of the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada.

Individual companies working in the North also registered strong protests.

"The rationale behind the board's recommendation is such that it appears likely that no mineral exploration activities within the southeast N.W.T. will be possible," wrote Bayswater Uranium president George Leary, one of several mining CEOs who wrote to protest the board's recommendation.

Miners claimed that the board had created a de facto national park without any of the normal consultations.

However, Strahl's decision promised his department would come up with a plan for long-term land-use planning for the area by the end of November.

"It would be an action plan for developing the resources in the area," said Carolyn Relf, the department's director of minerals and petroleum development.

Relf said much work needs to be done to locate the culturally important areas and delineate the valuable ore deposits.

"There has to be some give and take," she said.

Relf added Strahl has also promised renewed efforts to settle the Akaitcho land claim.

That's the key, said Pierre Gratton of the Mining Association of Canada.

"The federal government really has to get moving on this land claim," he said.

Miners also have to work harder to understand the cultural ties aboriginals feel towards their traditional lands, said Gratton.

The Thelon Basin is considered one of the earth's last pristine wildernesses.

Residents from the community of Lutsel K'e described the area as "the place where God began" and "the heart and soul of the Dene."

However, the area drained by the Thelon River, which flows from the N.W.T. into Nunavut, has been the subject of an intense staking rush.

Dozens of companies are prodding the tundra for uranium after prices for the silvery metal grew from $7 a pound a few years ago to over $100 now. They have registered hundreds of prospecting permits, claims and mineral leases - 1,000 such dispositions on the N.W.T. side alone.

The area is also subject to an agreement between Ottawa and the Akaitcho Dene not to make any decisions on the land for five years pending the land-claim settlement. That interim land withdrawal is currently awaiting cabinet approval.

As well, part of the region has been singled out by Environment Minister John Baird for the creation of East Arm National Park near the east arm of Great Slave Lake.


UR-ENERGY SEES GOVERNMENT DICISION AS A SET BACK BUT STATES THAT THEY HAVE LEGALLY VALID MINING CLAIMS

Ur-Energy sees Thelon uranium decision as 'a delay'
Last Updated: Monday, October 29, 2007 | 5:28 PM CT
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2007/10/29/nwt-uranium.html

The head of a junior mining company whose bid to explore for uranium in the Northwest Territories was recently rejected by Ottawa believes the decision is just a setback for the project.

Ur-Energy Inc. president Bill Boberg told CBC News that he understands why Indian and Northern Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl accepted an environmental impact review board's recommendation to reject his company's application to explore for uranium in the Upper Thelon basin.

"We're viewing it at this point in time as a delay. We do feel that eventually we should be able to properly move on our claims and to explore our claims, particularly since they have been defined as legally valid mining claims," Boberg said Monday.

"It's just a matter of making the determination as to when we can actually do that and what we need to do to get to that point."

At the same time, Boberg said the decision sends an unfortunate message to the mining industry that the Northwest Territories is not a friendly place. Boberg said he plans to sit down with company stakeholders to determine the best way to move forward with the Upper Thelon basin project. Ur-Energy has headquarters in Colorado and Ontario.

Last week, Strahl announced that he accepted the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board's controversial decision to reject Ur-Energy's application to conduct an exploratory drill near the basin, in the territory's eastern region.

In May, the board ruled such development would have an unacceptable cultural and spiritual impact on the area's Lutselk'e Dene people, who describe the area as "the place where God began."

Although Strahl turned down Ur-Energy's application, he asked his department to come up with a plan that could allow development in some areas of the basin. That plan is due by the end of November.


GOBAL URANIUM MARKET LOOKS FRAGILE

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/columnists/story.html?
id=01775972-9d88-4f8c-8987-1a2a806a07f3

Global uranium market looks fragile
Plunging shares more than just a temporary issue

David Berman
Financial Post

Thursday, November 01, 2007

Looking at yesterday's plummeting uranium stocks, you might conclude the setback is due to short-term production problems related to specific mining issues. Solve them, and you will again benefit from the world's renewed interest in nuclear energy.

But look beyond the most recent gyrations, you will find that the entire global uranium market is looking fragile these days, with many stocks down 50%. Production problems aside, investors have a bigger issue to deal with: Is interest in uranium stocks fizzling?

Yesterday, Uranium One Inc. joined the casualty list when it cut its production estimates for 2008 by 38%. The reason relates to delays at its Kazakhstan mines, where there is a shortage of sulphuric acid used for extracting uranium. The stock (UUU/TSX) fell 17.6% to $10.49, bringing its total loss for the year to 34%.

Leonie Soltay, an analyst at Wellington West Capital Markets, put a brave face on the setback, arguing the delayed production is good for uranium prices, since lower production keeps the supply-and-demand dynamics tight. She also pointed out that the company is becoming a must-have name for investors who want unhedged international uranium production.

"We believe any short-term weakness should be treated as a buying opportunity by long-term investors," Ms. Soltay said in a note to clients, in which she lowered her price target to $13 from $16.

Trouble is, Uranium One is not alone with its problems. Cameco Corp. was also hit yesterday when it pushed back production at its Cigar Lake mine in Saskatchewan until at least 2011, a delay of one year. Its stock (CCO/TSX) fell 3.4%, bringing the decline from its record high to 22%. Similarly, Australia's ERA and Paladin Resources have also reported production problems, with predictable results.

These stock-price reversals seem strange given that the world needs uranium, and lots of it. According to the World Nuclear Association, planned nuclear power reactors have leapt 37% since the start of the year. The biggest jump is in China, where there are 114 reactors planned, up from 63 at the start of the year.

"The threat of global warming continues to drive support for nuclear power," said Resource Capital Research in a recent note to clients.

"The United States stated at the UN in Sept. '07 that global emission reductions will not be achievable without significant global utilization of nuclear power."

However, uranium is not playing along with this bullish argument.

According to RCR, indicators in the second quarter of 2007 pointed to uranium hitting US$210 a pound by September 2008. Spot uranium prices have fallen 39% since then, with speculators playing an increasing role in the price swings. Now, indicators are pointing to a September, 2008 price of just US$120 a pound, or nearly half the expected price of just three months ago.

Nuclear power can indeed blossom. But that does not mean uranium prices and uranium stocks will enjoy unwavering support. Short-term problems aside, producers have bigger issues to deal with.

dberman@nationalpost.com

© National Post 2007

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. I am making it available in order to advance understanding of the issues. I believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 USC Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving it for research and educational purposes. For more information check the code. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Recommend this Post

More =>

Sphere: Related Content

Lia Tarachansky, "Much Ado about A Lot: Uranium Mining in Canada," MRZine, October 13, 2007.

This article by Lia Tarachansky includes a bibliographical link to one of the only human studies of uranium toxicity. -jlt


Opposition to uranium mining has once again become a major topic of coverage by the media. From Australia to Canada, people are taking a stand against corporations that mine uranium and in particular against their mining on Native land. Today, the Ardoch and Shabot blockade brings attention to the potential uranium mine opening between Kingston and Ottawa. To make it clearer why so many are objecting to the mining of uranium, I have decided to investigate why so many are mining it in the first place.



Processed uranium is used for nuclear energy and weapons. Previously it was recycled, largely from old Soviet nuclear weapons. This source has now run out and in recent years the price of uranium skyrocketed from $7 to $145 per pound, according to the Colorado Springs Business Journal. In North America, U.S. uranium mining is concentrated in Colorado while Canadian mining in northern Saskatchewan and Ontario. Its processing, called "enrichment," leaves behind a depleted form of uranium (DU), used both for military and non-military (civilian) purposes. These include anti-tank artillery and coating of medical equipment such as x-ray and gamma radiation technology. The American military used DU in Iraq, the Former Republic of Yugoslavia, and in Afghanistan releasing close to 900 tones into the environment.

Read the whole article.

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. I am making it available in order to advance understanding of the issues. I believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 USC Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving it for research and educational purposes. For more information check the code. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Recommend this Post

More =>

Sphere: Related Content

A summary of the Vancouver 9/11 Truth Conference

Rising Dawn Pictures
Crow Healing Network
And the
911/ Truth Movement, Nelson Chapter
Presents:
A summary of the Vancouver 9/11 Truth Conference

On Saturday October 13th from 7:00-10:00 pm, at the United Church upstairs - 602 Silca St. in Nelson, the 9/11 Truth Movement, Rising dawn Pictures, and Crow Healing Network will present an overview of the 9/11 Truth Conference that took place in Vancouver June 24th -26th 2007.

This event hosted international speakers that included University professors, renowned scientists, structural engineers, doctors, lawyers, journalists, historians and authors that brought their research on the 9/11 event to the public in what is widely regarded as the most significant news story of all time.

The evening will include a DVD summary of the Vancouver conference, with selections from some of the keynote speakers, notably, Alfred Webre (Lawyer and Judge), Loren Moret (Nuclear Scientist), Webster Tarplay (Historian and Author), Barrie Zwicker (Television Producer, Media Critic and Author), David Ray Griffin (Theologian and Author), Steven Jones (Physicist and University Professor), and Connie Fogal (Leader of the Canadian Action Party, Lawyer).

This upcoming summary is to inform communities of the very important information
debunking the "official story" of the 9/11 event and the use of Depleted Uranium, illegally supplied by Canada, being used by the US military in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Also, a panel of speakers will be present for Q and A following the DVD presentation.
DVD copies of the entire Vancouver 9/11 Truth Conference will be made available at the event as well as other related materials.

Sponsored by The Canadian Action Party, The Uranium Free Kootenay Boundary, and BC Southern Interior Green Party of Canada

Doors open at 7:00 PM, Presentation begins at 7:15.

$8 - $12 sliding scale

For more information contact: Daryl Verville at risingdawnpictures@yahoo.ca
or Guy Lapointe at guy@crowhealingnetwork.net
or Stephen at 825-2012
Recommend this Post

More =>

Sphere: Related Content