uranium « nuclear-news

USA nuclear firms worried about becoming liable for nuclear accident costs

Lawmakers in New Delhi approved a bill last night that makes suppliers and builders of atomic reactors potentially liable in the event of an accident…..None of India’s biggest prospective suppliers, including GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy or Westinghouse Electric, are likely to sign contracts if they can be held liable for third-party damages,

India Risks Nuclear Power Isolation With Break From Post-Chernobyl Accord, Bloomberg, By Natalie Obiko Pearson – Aug 26, 2010 India’s push to end a three-decade ban on buying nuclear equipment from abroad may founder on laws passed by its own parliament. Continue reading →

August 26, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, India | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear renaissance, nuclear spin, nuclear technology, radiation, radioactive, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

Uranium mining study group members’ conflict of interest

“Unfortunately, it appears that several members of the provisional committee may have conflicts of interest….”

(USA) Regional groups voice concerns over uranium study committee, By TIM DAVIS/Star-Tribune, August 25, 2010 The Roanoke and Dan River basin associations want the National Academy of Sciences to investigate the backgrounds and professional relationships of several appointees to a provisional committee that will study uranium mining in Virginia. Continue reading →

August 26, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | secrets,lies and civil liberties, Uranium, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, nuclear technology, uranium | 1 Comment

$Billions debt will be the result of USA’s nuclear loans

These kinds of advance payments are exactly the kind of financial shenanigans that brought the last nuclear-construction boom to an end, leaving utility ratepayers with billions of wasted dollars in costs.

Sorry, But Nukes Still Don’t Pencil Out, THE HUFFINGTON POST, Carl Pope, August 24, 2010 “……the present generation of pressurized-vessel nuclear power plants makes so little economic sense Continue reading →

August 25, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear technology, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

Uranium theft in Eastern Europe

If the Uranium had been sold in the illegal market, it would have fetched the gang around $11 million.

3 Held Over Uranium Seizure In Moldova, RTT News, 8/24/2010 Moldovan authorities on Tuesday arrested three people in connection with the recovery of some two kilograms of a radio active material from the capital Chisinau, it has emerged.Officials told media that the Uranium-238, which could be used to build a dirty bomb, was found concealed inside a container in a garage there….. Continue reading →

August 25, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | EUROPE, secrets,lies and civil liberties, Uranium | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, uranium | Leave a comment

Uranium theft in Australia

Depleted uranium and a substantial amount of chemicals and glassware were found at the shed…

Uranium stash claim,WHITNEY HARRIS The Advertiser, 24 Aug, 2010 A Kangaroo Flat man accused of drug trafficking after a series of police raids turned up a stash of uranium will stand trial next year. Continue reading →

August 25, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA, secrets,lies and civil liberties | antinuclear, AUSTRALIA, depleted, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, uranium | Leave a comment

Uranium mining threatens water supply for millions of people

Keep ban on Canyon uranium mines, THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC, – Robert L. Arnberger, Aug. 24, 2010 Most of us are familiar with President Theodore Roosevelt’s oft-quoted statement upon visiting the Grand Canyon: “Leave it as it is . . . man can only mar it.”That statement rings especially true when you read the new report from National Parks Conservation Association, which documents the risk of uranium mining to the Grand Canyon and Colorado River – the water supply for millions……. Continue reading →

August 24, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Uranium, USA, water | antinuclear, nuclear, radiation, radioactive, uranium | Leave a comment

Russia, USA, keen to sell nukes to India – but not to pay for accidents

US diplomatic sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it would be a “disaster” for US companies if the Indian Bill insisted on large foreign supplier liability.

Russia says no to supplier liability, Business Standard, Jyoti Malhotra / New Delhi August 24, 2010, Even as political acrimony over the Nuclear Liability Bill rages in and outside Parliament, India’s old-time friend Russia has clearly told the Indian establishment that it will not accept any liability for the supply of equipment and other material to help India build its nuclear power plants, either in the present or future….. Continue reading →

August 24, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | India, politics international | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, nuclear technology, radiation, radioactive, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

Why the silence about floods and landslides in nuclear areas?

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

Climate change is already having its impact in extreme weather conditions.

But nobody’s talking about the impact of these weather events on the nuclear industry.

Except for Russia, where government was forced to admit to (and to play down), the danger to its nuclear facilities, threatened by 400 wildfires.

What about the risks of flooding in nuclear powered Pakistan? What about flooding and mudslides in China’s Sichuan province, home of earthquakes and of nuclear waste dumps?

What about radioactive dust blowing around in the prolonged drought in uranium-mining Niger? Where is the mainstream media in all this?

Oh – I forgot – it’s not polite to talk about such things, not when our betters are trying so hard to sell nuclear power plants to everybody! – Christina Macpherson, 23 August 2010,

August 23, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear weapons, radiation, radioactive, uranium | Leave a comment

How low doses of ionising radiation can cause cancer

Apoptosis is the study of programmed cell death….the body’s natural cell-suicide program can fuel tumour development.”….this could happen if cellular DNA was damaged, say, by repeated exposure to low doses of radiation

Cells’ demise provides clues about cancer | The Australian, 21 Aug 2010, Research into apoptosis is taking place worldwide, with several large drug companies pouring money into the area, but critical work is being undertaken in Australia. Continue reading →

August 21, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA, health | antinuclear, AUSTRALIA, cancer, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, radiation, radioactive, uranium | Leave a comment

BHP Billiton, starts with potash – then on to uranium mining.

by Christina Macpherson, 21 Aug 2010. International mining giant BHP Billiton has an agenda for world-wide uranium mining leadership, as well as a history of world-wide inadequate treatment of indigenous people.

Unable to convince Australian Aborigines of the value to them of uranium mining, and radioactive waste tailings on their land, BHP still hopes to convince Canadian indigenous peoples of their bounty to them – promising jobs (mining) etc.

BHP Billiton touts city Mining firm sees Saskatoon as potash centre By Cassandra Kyle, The StarPhoenix August 20, 2010 The world’s biggest mining company will work to make Saskatoon an international potash hub if it wins its bid to acquire Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan Inc., BHP Billiton said Thursday…..
Mackenzie acknowledged in the telephone interview that while potash is BHP Billiton’s priority, it has “not ruled out” the development of any of Saskatchewan’s other resources, which include uranium, diamonds, gold, coal and rare earth elements. “We obviously play in many commodities and I think from time to time we do look in a small way at uranium,” he said…
BHP Billiton is starting an advertising program today in an attempt to convince PotashCorp shareholders to accept its takeover offer.

BHP Billiton touts city

August 21, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Canada, indigenous issues, Uranium | antinuclear, AUSTRALIA, nuclear spin, nuclear weapons, uranium | 1 Comment

Goldman Sachs going into uranium

Goldman’s glowing – NYPOST.com, By MARK DeCAMBRE , August 20, 2010 Goldman Sachs is about to go nuclear.The gold-plated investment bank, run by CEO Lloyd Blankfein, is making a concerted push into the delivery of uranium for the first time, adding to its high-powered commodities platform….. Continue reading →

August 21, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, Uranium, USA | antinuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, uranium | Leave a comment

In-situ uranium mining gets stringent rules to protect groundwater

Among other things, the new rules: Require uranium companies to restore groundwater quality to its pre-mining condition or better….Require baseline water quality testing for all in-situ uranium projects during the prospecting phase.

MINING: Colo. adopts strict regulations on in-situ uranium operations WaterWorld, August 19, 2010, Eryn Gable, Colorado officials have approved the nation’s most stringent water quality protections for in-situ uranium operations as part of an effort to update uranium-mining regulations that dated back to the late 1970s. Continue reading →

August 20, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Uranium, USA, water | antinuclear, nuclear, radiation, radioactive, uranium | Leave a comment

Uranium looking like a poor investment

Cameco profit falls as it cuts uranium sales forecast -. Steel Guru , 18 Aug 2010, Cameco Corporation reported a weaker Q2 operating profit as results were hurt by lower uranium sales volumes and a lower realized uranium selling price.The top Canadian uranium producer also lowered its 2010 uranium sales forecast to 30 million pounds from a range of 31 million pounds to 33 million pounds as some customers deferred deliveries into 2011.Cameco said that it expects 2010 uranium revenues to fall 10% to 15% below 2009 levels compared with its prior forecast of 5% to 10% decline….. Steel Guru : Cameco profit falls as it cuts uranium sales forecast – 160993 – 2010-08-18

August 19, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, Canada, Uranium | antinuclear, nuclear costs, uranium | Leave a comment

U.S. taxpayers fork out for commercial nuclear radioactivity cleanup

USEC now is an investor-owned corporation and has consolidated its enrichment operations at a facility in Paducah, Ky…….

The department rejected a previous request for a loan guarantee in 2009.

Separately, Duke Energy Corp. and Areva SA in mid-2009 announced tentative plans for a 1,650-megawatt nuclear power plant on the Piketon campus. That project remains unscheduled pending site review and exploration of potential federal government financial assistance.

Piketon plant to get $2.1 billion for cleanup work – Business First of Columbus, August 18, 2010, Environmental cleanup of a former uranium processing plant in south-central Ohio will get a boost under a $2.1 billion, 10-year contract the U.S. Department of Energy awarded on Aug. 16. Continue reading →

August 19, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, USA | antinuclear, enriched, nuclear, nuclear costs, radiation, radioactive, reactor, uranium | Leave a comment

Colorado uranium mill not likely to reopen

Uranium pullback, High Country News, Jodi Peterson | Aug 18, 2010 It looks like Colorado won’t have a functioning uranium mill anytime soon – to the relief of anti-nuclear advocates.We reported in July that Cotter Corp. was planning to reopen its Canon City site by 2014. Legislation passed this spring means that Cotter would have to clean up prior contamination before starting to process uranium ore again. Now the company plans to stop the monitoring it was doing for toxic emissions at the site — a signal that it won’t continue trying to reopen the mill…….

Uranium pullback — High Country News

August 19, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, Uranium, USA | antinuclear, nuclear costs, uranium | Leave a comment