1. Seminar on Governance of Uranium Production Activities Copenhagen, Denmark 27-28 May 2014
Best Practice in Environmental Management of Uranium Mining – IAEA recommendations
Peter Woods
Team Leader, Raw Materials and Resources Subprogramme
International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria
Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Materials Section

2. Contents of this presentation
Introduction to the IAEA’s activities in the Uranium Production Cycle and our approach to best practice in uranium mining
Some other international guides for good environmental practice in mining
Woods - Best Practice - Copenhagen June 2014

3. IAEA Headquarters, Vienna, Austria
(photo P.Woods)
Woods - Best Practice - Copenhagen June 2014

4. IAEA Headquarters, Vienna, Austria
(photo P.Woods)
Woods - Best Practice - Copenhagen June 2014

5. The IAEA Organisational Chart involvement in the U production cycle
Director General
Department of
Technical
Cooperation
Programme Support
and Coordination
Africa
Asia and the Pacific
Latin America
Europe
Nuclear Energy
Nuclear Power
Nuclear Fuel Cycle
and Waste Technology
Nuclear Safety
and Security
Nuclear
Installation Safety
Radiation, Transport
and Waste Safety
Management
Human Resources
Information
Technology
General Services
Conference and
Document Services
Budget and Finance
Public Information
Nuclear Sciences
and Applications
Physical and
Chemical Sciences
Human Health
IAEA Environment
Laboratories (NAEL),
Monaco
Joint FAO/IAEA Division of
Nuclear Techniques in Food
and Agriculture
Safeguards
Concepts
and Planning
Technical Support
Operations A B C
Information Management
Safeguards Analytical
Services
Office of
Legal Affairs
Internal Oversight Services
Secretariat of the
Policy-making Organs
Nuclear Fuel Cycle
and Materials Section
“Uranium
Production
Cycle (UPC)”
The Uranium resources projects of the IAEA largely reside within the Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology Division, in close co-operation with Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety Division, through the vehicle of the informal Uranium Production Cycle (UPC) group, partly within the Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Materials Section (NFCMS “Program B” - Gary Dyck)
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6. The IAEA and mining
Two Divisions have a particular interest and expertise in technical aspects of uranium and thorium mining and associated activities:
Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology
Fuel Cycle and Materials
Waste Technology
Radiation Transport and Waste Safety
Waste and Environmental Safety Section
Woods - Best Practice - Copenhagen June 2014

7. Recent publications Best Practice (2010) → also (2009): Establishment
of Uranium Mining
and Processing
Operations in the
Context of Sustainable
Development
Woods - Best Practice - Copenhagen June 2014

8. “Best Practice in Environmental Management of Uranium Mining”
Guiding principles
Sustainable development
Think of future generations
As low as reasonably achievable
Keep impacts low (not necessarily zero)
Precautionary principle
Anticipate, and take some precautions even if we are not certain they are needed
Consider social, environmental and governance aspects
Woods - Best Practice - Copenhagen June 2014

9. Best practice application
Consider environmental (and social) aspects of the project in all stages
Exploration
Feasibility and design (including costing)
Development and construction
Operation
Decommissioning and remediation
Post-closure monitoring and stewardship
Woods - Best Practice - Copenhagen June 2014

10. Best practice application (continued)
Collect baseline environmental/social data
Involve the public/stakeholders
Assess the impacts and the risks
Environmental, social
Accept the impacts, or modify the project to reduce risks/impacts to something that is acceptable
Prepare plans for normal operations and monitoring, and contingency plans in case something goes wrong
Woods - Best Practice - Copenhagen June 2014

11. Collecting baseline data (Australia, Argentina)
Pre-mining groundwater characterization – groundwater levels
Aquifer pumping test (Australia)
Pre-mining radiological and weather monitoring (Argentina)
Photos: top left EBS Ecology, others P. Woods
Woods - Best Practice - Copenhagen June 2014

12. Best practice application (continued)
Include environmental protection in your design
Usually much cheaper than having to modify your mine or processing plant later
Consider the use of the land after the mining or processing
Return to farming or pastoral use?
Return to nature park?
Create something new? A lake? A landfill? An industrial area? A golf course?
Leave it stable and safe to be reopened in the future?
Woods - Best Practice - Copenhagen June 2014

13. Best practice application (continued)
Include environmental management during operations
Including monitoring, interpretation of monitoring, reporting to authorities and the public
Have some external checking of the monitoring and its interpretation
Include management of wastes
Improve closure plans as operations progress
Decide if plans are still relevant
Learn from progressive rehabilitation
Woods - Best Practice - Copenhagen June 2014

14. Tailings – appropriate disposal is essential
Below: Wismut, Germany; inappropriately sited or constructed dams may need govt. remediation
Photo: Gord McKenna
Above: Tailings dam,
former Moab mine, USA,
being relocated
Photo:
Radiation clearance procedures – what are the regulations in your country? Records should be kept; check should include the vehicle as well as the drums and any container.
Usually a legal requirement more than a serious problem of radiological safety.
Woods - Best Practice - Copenhagen June 2014

15. Tailings – In-pit disposal may be possible (… or may not)
Areva’s McClean Lake Mine, Canada
Radiation clearance procedures – what are the regulations in your country? Records should be kept; check should include the vehicle as well as the drums and any container.
Usually a legal requirement more than a serious problem of radiological safety.
Nabarlek U mine,
Australia
(photos: AREVA, P. Waggitt)
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16. Everyone’s objective should be……
something like this…a remediated uranium mine used for a raising cattle and fishing (left)…………
Panna Maria, Texas, USA
Taboshar, Tajikistan
…..not this – an abandoned uranium mine and mill site (right)
(photos: P. Woods, R. Edge)
Woods - Best Practice - Copenhagen June 2014

17. “Best Practice in Environmental Management of Uranium Mining”
The IAEA document includes examples from
Canada, Australia, USA, Kazakhstan
A compact disc is included with papers from a conference in Canada, with papers from
Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Russia, Ukraine and USA
Woods - Best Practice - Copenhagen June 2014

18. Some international guidelines
Please note these are examples only
The IAEA does not have any recommendation, good or bad, on these examples
There are other examples that may be relevant to you
Always consider what is appropriate for your country and the individual project
Woods - Best Practice - Copenhagen June 2014

19. Some international guidance: industry example 1
International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM:
Established in 2001 ‘to improve sustainable development performance in the mining and metals industry’
21 mining and metals companies
31 national and regional mining or commodity associations
e.g. Ghana, Peru, Brazil, South Africa, Australia, Europe
e.g. aluminium, coal, copper
Woods - Best Practice - Copenhagen June 2014

20. ICMM values as stated by their website
ICMM has five stated values :
Care for the safety, health and well-being of workers, contractors, host communities, and the users of the materials we produce.
Respect for people and the environment, ensuring that we are sensitive and responsive to the values of host societies.
Integrity as the basis for engagement with employees, communities, governments and others.
Accountability to do what we say we will do and uphold our commitments.
Collaboration - working with others in an open, transparent and inclusive way as we address the challenges and opportunities we jointly face.
Woods - Best Practice - Copenhagen June 2014

21. ICMM document from their website
Planning for Integrated Mine Closure: Toolkit
Photographs: ICMM website
Woods - Best Practice - Copenhagen June 2014

22. WNA: http://www.world-nuclear.org/
Some international guidance: industry example 2 World Nuclear Association
WNA:
Established in 2001 ‘Representing the people and organisations of the global nuclear profession’
Grew out of the Uranium Institute, established in London in 1975
Members include
most U miners, converters, enrichers and fuel fabricators
All reactor vendors
Many major associated companies
Nearly 90% of world nuclear electrical generation
Woods - Best Practice - Copenhagen June 2014

23. Sustaining Global Best Practices in Uranium Mining and Processing
WNA Policy Doc.
Sustaining Global Best Practices in Uranium Mining and Processing
Launched January 2008
Woods - Best Practice - Copenhagen June 2014

24. The WNA policy endorses:
Some international guidance: industry example 2 World Nuclear Association
The WNA policy endorses:
WNA Charter of Ethics
WNA Principles of Uranium Stewardship
ICMM Sustainable Development Principles
Compliance with applicable conventions, laws,…including the IAEA Safety Principles
includes
Mining Safety, Ventilation, Radiation Safety, Water Quality, Personal Protective Equipment, Environmental Protection
Woods - Best Practice - Copenhagen June 2014

25. Some international guidance: 2 non-government organizations examples
Post Mining Alliance
‘Promoting good practice in post-mining regeneration’
Center for Science in Public Participation
‘Framework for Responsible Mining: A Guide to Evolving Standards’ 2005
World Wildlife Fund involvement
Woods - Best Practice - Copenhagen June 2014

26. Some national guidance examples:
The Uranium Institute Namibia
HERSS Standards (version 2, 2012)
Standard of Good Practice for Health, Environment and Radiation Safety and Security
A series of training events, in radiation safety, general health and environment, are available through the Institute
e.g. Introduction to Namib Ecology for Mine Managers, 1 day
e.g. Radiation Safety Officer’s Course (3 parts), totalling 12 days
Woods - Best Practice - Copenhagen June 2014

27. Some national guidance examples:
Australian Government
Australia's In Situ Recovery Uranium Mining Best Practice Guide: Groundwaters, Residues and Radiation Protection (2010)
Code of Practice and Safety Guide for Radiation Protection and Radioactive Waste Management in Mining and Mineral Processing (2005)
Woods - Best Practice - Copenhagen June 2014

28. Some national guidance examples:
Australian Uranium Association
Code of Practice for members (version 2, 2012)
in the context of the ICMM sustainable development framework and principles
defines principles of behaviour and standards of best practice to guide improvements in performance in the Australian uranium industry
Annual surveys of members’ performance against the code are published
Best practice guidelines for uranium explorers also published
Woods - Best Practice - Copenhagen June 2014

29. Often more general guidelines apply
e.g. Canada
Environmental Code of Practice for Metal Mines
Includes legal requirements, but guidance (recommendations) is also included
Includes reference to IAEA docs (including that shown earlier)
Woods - Best Practice - Copenhagen June 2014

30. Some Canadian examples:
National
RD/GD-370: Management of Uranium Mine Waste Rock and Mill Tailings
Includes legal requirements, but guidance (recommendations) is also included
Includes reference to IAEA docs (including that shown earlier)
Provincial: Saskatchewan Labour (Canada)
Occupational Health & Safety Radiation Protection Guidelines for Uranium Exploration
Woods - Best Practice - Copenhagen June 2014

31. Conclusion: common themes
Consider environmental (and social) aspects of mining and minerals projects from the earliest exploration and planning stages
Involve the government and the public
Do progressive rehabilitation if at all possible
Consider general and specific guidelines and regulations
Always consider the circumstances of your country and the location, climate and details of each project
Woods - Best Practice - Copenhagen June 2014

32. Thank you for your attention
Peter Woods, Uranium Production Specialist/Team Leader ,
Nuclear Fuel Cycle & Materials Section
Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste
Technology
Department of Nuclear Energy
International Atomic Energy Agency
Vienna International Centre
P.O. Box 100
A-1400 Vienna, Austria
Woods - Best Practice - Copenhagen June 2014