New mining rules for Saskatchewan

New environmental regulations for Saskatchewan’s mining industry took effect recently, following approval by the provincial cabinet.

“These new regulations make Saskatchewan a world leader in environmental protection in the mining industry,” says Environment and Public Safety Minister Beattie Martin.

Under the Mineral Industry Environmental Protection Regulations, licensing requirements provide for stricter controls during the exploration, construction, operation, temporary shutdown and final closure phases of any mining operation. The new regulations also cover the uranium industry, which was not included under the previous set of rules.

The Mining Association of Saskatchewan, although still waiting for a final draft, offered tentative support for the regulations. A spokesman for the organization said the industry was consulted before anything was written in stone.

Meanwhile, a $1.8-million diamond exploration program by joint venture partners Cameco (TSE) and Uranerz Exploration and Mining has come to an end. Several hundred tonnes of kimberlite, currently being processed in Saskatoon, were collected from the Forte a la Corne site north of Prince Albert, says The Source, a Cameco publication.

But management at both companies are disturbed by the media hype that has accompanied each phase of the exploration project. “Less than 10 carats of diamonds have been found and we need to find 1,000 or more carats to have a truly significant find,” Uranerz spokesman Roland Loewer told The Source. “The exploration program is still in its infancy.”