BHP Billiton eyes uranium Potash first on company’s Sask. agenda By Cassandra Kyle, The StarPhoenix September 21, 2010 “……While potash remains top of mind for BHP Billiton, the CEO of the world’s largest mining company told The StarPhoenix on Monday that the province’s uranium reserves are also of interest to the firm. There has been a fair amount of internal thinking about the uranium potential here,” Marius Kloppers said in an interview.
“I would say that those two commodities (potash and uranium), probably in order, are the ones that interest us,” he said.
BHP Billiton targets tier-one assets, meaning resource deposits must be large and among the best in the world to be of interest to the company. Some of Saskatchewan’s smaller natural deposits, such as rare earth elements, are likely not in the firm’s range……The Athabasca Basin in northern Saskatchewan contains some of the world’s richest uranium deposits.
As for BHP Billiton, it’s clear the company is aware of the province’s uranium bounty.
Archive for September, 2010
BHP Billiton eyes uranium
September 23, 2010Colorado’s dirty uranium milling legacy, bad outlook for new milling
September 11, 2010Regulators are examining hydrology, seismology, demographic impacts and effects on flora and fauna, as well as demanding complete plans for how ….. the site would be reclaimed.
Toxic legacy of uranium haunts proposed Colorado mill - The Denver Post, Nancy Lofholm, 5 Sept 10, GRAND JUNCTION — “………..More than a billion dollars has been spent cleaning up radioactive tailings piles and lessening toxic leaks into rivers and aquifers at nine defunct mills in Colorado. Nearly 20 million tons of radioactive tailings sit in disposal sites where they must be monitored in perpetuity. Hundreds of acres of unusable water fill contaminated aquifers. (more…)
Yes you can make nuclear weapons from thorium, as well as from uranium
September 11, 2010Uranium 233 is fissionable, and you can make bombs out of it. And the best part of all is that it can be purified chemically out of the spent fuel of the thorium reactor.
Nuclear Weapons for the Masses . The Greenroom August 31, 2010 by Steven Den Beste“.……Thorium reactors use natural thorium, which is isotope 232. There are a lot of neutrons running around in there; it’s how reactors work. If an atom of thorium 232 absorbs a neutron, it becomes isotope 233. Some will fission, but some won’t. (more…)
Rival uranium companies quietly planning transport routes in Australia
September 11, 2010Cameco may join with BHP Billiton and others…From there, the product may be sent by train to a port in South Australia,
Cameco May Work With BHP, Toro for Uranium Transport Hub in West Australia, Bloomberg, By James Paton – Sep 10, 2010 Cameco Corp. said it seeks to cooperate with companies including BHP Billiton Ltd. and Toro Energy Ltd. on transporting uranium oxide, potentially through a hub near Kalgoorlie in Western Australia…… (more…)
Cameco’s Central Australian uranium -Angela Pamela’s doubtful future
September 11, 2010Opposition from Liberals to uranium mining in Arkaroola wilderness, South Australia
September 11, 2010Several prominent Liberals strongly oppose mining in the Arkaroola area, including Senator Nick Minchin, former environment spokesperson Michelle Lensink and shadow treasurer Ian Evans.
Libs deadlocked on Arkaroola, The Independent Weekly, HENDRIK GOUT, 04 Sep 2010 The Liberal Party is has been unable to decide whether to support mining in the Arkaroola Wilderness.Arkaroola, eight hours drive north of Adelaide in the Gammon Ranges, is one of Australia’s most spectacular landscapes……. (more…)
Negative view for Paladin, following large earnings loss
September 11, 2010the major risk for Paladin in the short to medium-term is the uranium price, with RBS Australia painting a somewhat negative view of this..
Uranium Price Dominates Paladin’s Prospects, 30/08/2010, Money, Chris Shaw Full year earnings for uranium producer Paladin fell short of expectations, the company delivering a loss of around US$53 million against market expectations of a loss of closer to US$21 million….. (more…)
Cameco uranium company adopts Tobacco industry style ‘spin’
September 4, 2010The Nuclear Industry copies the Tobacco Industry. Same old tactics. You cast around to find a scientist willing to be paid to say that your product is “healthy” and “clean”.
Cameco uranium mining company is running “Community Liaison Forums”. And guess what? They’ve found that low dose ionising radiation is not only healthy – it even prevents illness!
Not a surprise, really, from Cameco. For years they’ve been pitching radiation to kids, as a fun thing.
Safety violations at weapons grade uranium processing plant
September 4, 2010Nuclear Fuel Services fined for incident at Tenn. facility | The News & Advance Bryan Gentry : September 03, 2010 Federal regulators have proposed a $140,000 fine against Nuclear Fuel Services, a branch of the Babcock & Wilcox Co. in Tennessee.The fine stems from regulatory violations in October 2009, when a chemical reaction unexpectedly accelerated and emitted a hot, dangerous gas and forced an evacuation at one part of NFS’s facility…..the violations occurred in an Erwin, Tenn., downblending facility, where NFS processes weapons-grade uranium until it can be made into nuclear fuel or disposed of….. Nuclear Fuel Services fined for incident at Tenn. facility | The News & Advance
Hondeywell’ s deadly dangerous uranium conversion plant
September 4, 2010This is a uranium enrichment facility from which even the slightest leak of UF6 could wipe out the entire town.
Nuclear Regulators Prohibit Honeywell to Resume Production at Facility With Locked-Out Workets, THE HUFFINGTON POST Mike Elk. 2 Sept 10 “…………The Metropolis facility is the only conversion facility in the world that can distill uranium. (more…)
