Safe Uranium Mining?

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) opposes uranium mining in Nova Scotia, citing risks of radon gas release, groundwater contamination, and the creation of long-term radioactive waste. The document disputes industry claims that mining is necessary for medical isotopes or climate goals, arguing that Nova Scotia's high population density and precipitation make it unsuitable for mining compared to Saskatchewan.

• Uranium exploration and mining activities can disturb the land, altering groundwater flow and creating fissures that mobilize uranium and release radon gas, which can travel hundreds of kilometres and potentially cause cancer by damaging DNA and human cells.
• The regulatory environment in Nova Scotia allows for disruptive exploration activities—including drilling and the excavation of up to 100 tonnes of ore-bearing materials—without environmental or health impact assessments, while the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is viewed as conflicted due to its role in promoting the industry.
• Nova Scotia is considered an unsuitable location for uranium mining compared to Saskatchewan because it is the second most densely populated province in Canada and has average annual precipitation more than three times higher than northern Saskatchewan, increasing the risk of uranium solubility in water.
• Uranium deposits in Nova Scotia have very low concentrations compared to those in northern Saskatchewan, meaning vast amounts of ore must be unearthed to recover small amounts of uranium, leaving behind radioactive tailings that remain hazardous for 100,000 years.
• The document rejects the claim that uranium mining is necessary for medical isotopes, stating they are produced in research reactors that do not require uranium or in cyclotrons.
• Nuclear power is characterized as an inefficient tool for addressing climate change compared to wind, solar, and batteries, which are described as less expensive and faster to develop.

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (2025). Safe Uranium Mining? https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Nova-Scotia-physicians-respond-to-industry-claims-of-safe-uranium-mining.pdf

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Safe Uranium Mining? 2025. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Nova-Scotia-physicians-respond-to-industry-claims-of-safe-uranium-mining.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=Safe Uranium Mining? |date=23 June 2025 |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Nova-Scotia-physicians-respond-to-industry-claims-of-safe-uranium-mining.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironment2025safe, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{Safe Uranium Mining?}}, institution = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, year = {2025}, month = jun, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Nova-Scotia-physicians-respond-to-industry-claims-of-safe-uranium-mining.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }