Nova Scotia to do own study of 3 areas with uranium deposits without drilling or digging

Nova Scotia will move ahead with its own geological study of three areas with known uranium deposits, despite an apparent lack of interest from the mining industry in exploring those lands.

A spokesperson for the Department of Natural Resources told CBC News the province won't grant any mineral exploration licences for the areas, which were part of a recent request for proposals.

"Our research won't be intrusive and it won't involve any digging or drilling," spokesperson Adele Poirier said in an email.

"We have some existing core samples that we'll examine, along with any existing historical records."

Most of Nova Scotia has been available for uranium exploration since the Houston government lifted a ban earlier this year, but the province has been more particular about surveying three areas identified for heightened uranium potential: Millet Brook, East Dalhousie and Louisville.

Natural Resources Minister Tory Rushton has said the province wants to be able to select experienced companies to do the exploration there.

An open call to mineral exploration companies this spring did not yield any applications. Nevertheless, the province is keeping ropes up around those areas, and turning its attention to department-led research.

'Reconnaissance' work a smart approach: prof

Poirier said this work will take place "while we consider other next steps." The research is to start in Millet Brook in Hants County, the largest of the three areas at 2,300 hectares.

Erin Adlakha, an associate professor and chair of geology at Saint Mary's University, said it's a smart move. She said modern techniques are more precise than what would have been used four decades ago before a uranium moratorium came into effect. She said the province's research could paint a clearer picture of what's in the ground.

Adlakha said the work described by the province is different from exploration, and more akin to "reconnaissance" work that could facilitate later exploration.

"Packaging and marketing that material to exploration companies would be really helpful," she said.

Call for proposals was poorly timed

Adlakha said she thinks the lack of interest in the request for proposals was a case of bad timing. She said the deadline — just four weeks from the date it was announced — was too tight for companies to make decisions about human resources and capital investments.

She said companies probably already had plans for summer exploration work.

"The exploration season in Canada, of course, is restricted to when there's no snow on the ground," she said. "You spend the winter planning for these exploration activities."

NDP Leader Claudia Chender said the lack of interest shows that the government didn't engage adequately with the industry before putting out the call.

"What we saw in response to the RFP is evidence of what happens when you move ahead with a sloppy surprise agenda," she said Monday at a news conference.

Chender was speaking to reporters to launch a series of town halls that she and other NDP MLAs will host throughout the summer to "engage with Nova Scotians about their priorities."

Chender said the tour is a response to the direction the Houston government has taken since its second term began last fall. She pointed to the push for greater resource extraction, which began this year and was not part of the PC campaign platform.

Persistent public opposition

The Houston government's push for uranium exploration, in particular, has been fraught, with Mi'kmaw groups, municipalities and individuals calling for things to slow down or halt completely.

Buddy Hebb said generations of his family have owned more than 160 hectares of land adjacent to the Millet Brook area since the 1800s, and he's strongly opposed to any work in pursuit of uranium development.

"I think they should drop it. Our province is too small for this kind of thing," Hebb said in an interview. "There's hundreds of people living around here. It's a beautiful area. It's going to contaminate it."

Mining proponents say uranium has among the safest mining practices in Canada, with stringent environmental regulations enforced by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. But those protections are not enough to convince Hebb and other uranium opponents.

'Leave it in the ground'

Hebb said last week his MLA, Melissa Sheehy-Richard, called to talk to him about the importance of uranium exploration. He said he felt she was implying that the province wanted access to his land, including a road that leads to the Millet Brook site.

"She was trying to convince me the whole time that this is in our best interest to see how much uranium is in there, and that they would have their own geologists come… just come and check it out," he said.

"I more or less told her then that they wouldn't be going back across [my land]," said Hebb.

"I don't want anything to do with this. I leave it in the ground."

The office of Premier Tim Houston said in a statement there was "a high level misunderstanding" between Sheehy-Richard and Hebb, and the province did not ask for access to Hebb's land for any purpose.

"I understand that emotions are high," the premier's statement said, adding a reassurance that uranium development will only proceed safely.

"Like I said a few weeks ago when asked if it was the end of the line for uranium, I said we're not going to open uranium mines unless it is an industry-led project and, at this time, industry has not expressed any interest."