Environment & Safety
Radiation technologist monitors air quality 530m underground at McArthur River.
Worker Safety
Radiation doses for all workers at McArthur River are well below allowable limits.
Work areas underground are monitored continuously for radiation. Workers wear radiation badges which record cumulative gamma doses. The results are reported to federal regulators and to Cameco employees.
The main source of radiation exposure during mining is from radon, which is found in the groundwater, and from handling the radioactive ore.
Radon exposure is minimized by the effective use of ventilation. Water inflows are collected and pumped to the surface for treatment. Exposure to radiation from the ore is minimized by mine design, remote operations and good handling techniques.
Long-term environmental management systems collect thousands of water, soil and air samples annually at McArthur River.
Monitoring
Environmental sampling is ongoing. Sampling results are compared to baseline information recorded as part of the environmental impact statement.
Decommissioning
Cameco is committed to environmentally safe operations and is continually monitoring and sampling to ensure the environment is effectively protected. Areas no longer in use are landscaped and revegetated to return them as much as possible to their predevelopment state.
The McArthur River site will be decommissioned when all the ore reserves are exhausted. All buildings, equipment and chemicals will be removed and the area contoured and revegetated. Salvageable material will be removed from the underground areas and all surface openings will be sealed off. A monitoring program will be conducted to ensure the site remains in a non-polluting, stable state.
Safety, Health, Environment and Quality Policy
