Provincial program for the environmental regulation of uranium mining in Saskatchewan

This paper describes the licensing and monitoring work of the Mines Pollution Control Branch of Saskatchewan environment. The history of the Saskatechewan uranium industry is recounted, with information on past, present and future operations. The emphasis is on tailings and on the prevention of water pollution. The procedure for licensing new operations or significant expansions requires an environmental impact assessment, and public hearings may be needed. Once a mine or mill applications is approved, the applicant must sign a lease containing specific requirements relating to environmental monitoring has indicated the importance of quality control in evaluating analytical results. The trend with regard to decommissioning is to plan it in from the very beginning