In the search for an alternative source of energy that would produce less green-house gas, exploration for uranium has drastically increased throughout the country. However, in the Yukon Territory, concerns about exploring for this commodity have often been voiced through the environmental assessment processes and other vehicles. It appears that the relatively low risk associated with uranium in its natural mineral forms is poorly understood. To assist with educating community members and other stakeholders about uranium, the Yukon Mining and Petroleum Environment Group has engaged the CANMET Mining and Mineral Sciences Laboratories (CANMET-MMSL) to prepare fact sheets explaining the properties of uranium and providing information on modern uranium mining, processing and end product storage. It is hoped that such fact sheets will help Yukoners better understand the geochemistry of uranium and the uranium mining cycle, dissipating the apprehension over uranium exploration and facilitating a more detailed assessment of the uranium potential in the Yukon Territory.
