AREVA Mine Licence Challenged

AREVA Mine Licence Challenged

Thursday, September 10, 2009 at 12:25

 

 

A legal action has been filed in a federal court over the McClean Lake uranium mine in northern Saskatchewan.

 

A group calling itself the Athabasca Regional Government is challenging a recent licence granted to AREVA Resources.

 

The company was informed about the challenge in August by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

 

AREVA spokesman Alun Richards says they are treating the matter very seriously, and are attempting to gain status with respect to the court case.

 

The eight-year licence was granted to AREVA several months ago.

 

It allows the company to keep operating the mine, as well as rolling certain other duties related to its Midwest Project under the same umbrella.

 

Richards says the legal challenge apparently centres on the government’s duty to consult process.

 

He says the last time company officials talked to the Athabasca group was before this action was launched.

 

Richards is not sure what the ramifications of a successful challenge might mean to the future of the mine, but he does expect the court process will be an extremely lengthy one.