The Globe and Mail
| May 23, 2008 | |
| The world's largest uranium producer is looking into whether the element,along with arsenic and fluorides, might have leaked into Lake Ontario fromits Port Hope processing plant. A spokesman for Cameco Corp. said that computer modelling in recentweeks shows that "small amounts of contaminated groundwater maybe entering the harbour," but it's still unknown whether that is actually the case. Lyle Krahn said that 22 monitoring wells are being installed along the water to confirm that data. "We're continuing to monitor the situation," he said, adding that more information will be available once the drilling is completed in a few weeks. The work is part of an investigation following the plant's shutdown last July, when uranium hexafluoride operations were suspended after the discovery of contaminated soil under the facility. The company notified the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission about the finding last week. Meanwhile, Cameco maintains that water quality in the area has not changed and that uranium, arsenic and fluoride levels in the harbour have been consistent for the past nine years. "The fact that there haven't been any changes in the water quality is a good sign," but the company is taking the tests and test results very seriously, Mr. Krahn said. Cameco said it spent $18-million last year to address this situation, and cleanup costs this year are expected to be as much as $20-million. Production is expected to restart in the third quarter of 2008 "at the earliest," a company statement said. | |
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