Gunnar Mine

{{Short description|Uranium mine in Saskatchewan, Canada}} {{Use Canadian English|date=July 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox mine | name = Gunnar Mine | image = Gunnar-Headframe Dusk.jpg | width = 200px | caption = The headframe at the Gunnar Mine | pushpin_map = Saskatchewan | pushpin_label = | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Saskatchewan | coordinates = {{coord|59|23|06|N|108|53|13|W|region:CA-SK|display=inline,title}} | place = Athabasca Basin | subdivision_type = Province | state/province = Saskatchewan | country = Canada | owner = Gunnar Mines | official website = | acquisition year = | products = Uranium | financial year = | amount = | opening year = 1955 | closing year = 1963 | discovery year = 1952 }}

The '''Gunnar Mine''' was an active uranium mine in northern Saskatchewan, Canada, located approximately {{convert|25|km}} southwest of the community of Uranium City and approximately {{convert|600|km}} north of Saskatoon.<ref name=":02">{{Cite journal |title=Regulatory Oversight Report for Uranium Mines, Mills, Historic, and Decommissioned Sites in Canada: 2020 |url=https://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/the-commission/meetings/cmd/pdf/CMD21/CMD21-M34.pdf |journal=Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission |access-date=November 30, 2021 |archive-date=September 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220915124207/https://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/the-commission/meetings/cmd/pdf/CMD21/CMD21-M34.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=":0" /> This mine is situated on the Crackingstone Peninsula on the north shore of Lake Athabasca in the Beaverlodge Uranium District.

Over its lifetime, this mine produced {{cvt|5,000,000|t}} of uranium ore and around {{cvt|4,400,000|t}} of mining tailings.<ref name=":0"/>

In 2000, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission first visited the site to begin the remediation project of this abandoned mine.<ref name=":02" />

==History== thumb|left|Uranium ore which the Gunnar Mine excavated for The Gunnar deposit was discovered in July 1952, and the mine operated as both an open pit (1955–1961) and underground (1957–1963).<ref name="src-07">{{citation |title=Former Gunnar Mining Limited Site Rehabilitation Project Proposal |author=Saskatchewan Research Council |date=April 2007 |access-date=2009-10-25 |url=http://www.environment.gov.sk.ca/2007-068ScreeningProjectProposal |publisher=SRC |format=PDF |page=1 }}</ref> The mine ceased production in 1963.<ref name=":0" />

The Gunnar Mine headframe was demolished on August 4, 2011<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.saskcleans.ca/html/whats_new/whats_new_archives/index.cfm?PageNum_rsGetArchivedNews=2 |title=Gunnar Mine headframe safely taken down. |publisher=Cleans |access-date=2012-03-21 }}</ref> but not decommissioned in any meaningful way.<ref name=":02" /> This led to a significant environmental remediation project funded by the Government of Canada. As of 2020, the mine was being decommissioned by the Saskatchewan Research Council who have a license to operate the site until 2024.<ref name=":02" />

In 2019, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission inspection found overall good performance, but some errors with regards to controlling radioactive zones and labelling radioactive materials were found. These non-compliant acts were described as having "low safety significance," but issued enforcement notices<ref name=":0" />

As of 2020, the mine was being decommissioned by the Saskatchewan Research Council who have a license to operate the site until 2024.<ref name=":0" />

== Construction == This uranium deposit was discovered in 1952 and shortly after, in 1954 construction of a town, mill, and uranium mine began.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Gunnar Uranium Mine: From Cold War Darling to Ghost Town (Part 1) {{!}} Saskatchewan Research Council |url=https://www.src.sk.ca/blog/gunnar-uranium-mine-cold-war-darling-ghost-town-part-1 |access-date=2024-03-16 |website=www.src.sk.ca}}</ref> Construction in such a remote location proved to be difficult for this mining town. In 1954, aircraft landed on frozen lakes nearby to survey the area and soon after a landing strip was dedicated to this mining site.<ref name=":1" /> Freight by air is significantly more expensive than by water. This meant that the mine had to accumulate a years worth of ore before the boat and barge season could begin due to ice and winter freeze.<ref name=":1" /> Due to this, Gunnar developed their own dedicated shallow draft tugboat to ship goods along a {{cvt|440|km}} route in Alberta.<ref name=":1" /> This however, was only practical for about 15 weeks per year due to the winter freeze. The Gunnar Mine found that their operational cost were more than double than of similar mines in the south.<ref name=":1" />

== Geology == [[File:Gunnar_Mine_geologic_map_and_cross_section.png|left|thumb|Gunnar Mine geological map and cross section]] The Gunnar uranium deposit is located in the Athabasca Basin. This basin is a large geological structure characterized by its oval shape.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last=Tremblay |first=L.P. |date=1982 |title=Geology of the Uranium Deposits Related to the Sub-Athabasca Unconformity, Saskatchewan |url=https://inis.iaea.org/search/search.aspx?orig_q=RN:15005673 |website=International Nuclear Information System}}</ref> This basin sits atop deformed and metamorphosed Archean rock. Uranium deposits can be found near on this basin and are formed through several stages of concentration through the movement of groundwater.<ref name=":2" /> The Gunnar uranium deposit occurred in Precambrian altered granitic gneiss. Pitchblende or uraninite was mined to a depth of {{cvt|425|m}} between 1955 and 1963.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Nash |first1=J. Thomas |title=Geology and genesis of major world hardrock uranium deposits: An overview, USGS Open-File Report 81-166 |date=1981 |publisher=US Government |pages=61, 72, 74–75}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Lang |first1=A.H. |title=Record of Proceedings of Session 6B, Panel Discussion on Uranium and Thorium Occurrences, Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy, Vol. 6, Geology of Uranium and Thorium |date=1956 |publisher=United Nations |location=New York |pages=646–647}}</ref>

== Environmental remediation == After its closure in the 1960's, Gunnar Mine was abandoned with little work done to remediate the site from environmental harm. Both the Government of Canada and Government of Saskatchewan funded clean up and remediation projects which were expected to take 8 years total.<ref name=":02" /> This remediation project was followed by 10 to 15 years of monitoring. The provincial and federal government regulate the Gunnar Mine because of the large quantities of tailings and waste rock generated by this mine. These government parties created detailed environmental impact assessments in efforts to plan for remediation.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last1=Muldoon |first1=Joe |last2=Schramm |first2=Laurier L. |chapter=Gunnar Uranium Mine Environmental Remediation: Northern Saskatchewan |date=2009-01-01 |pages=621–632 |title=ASME 2009 12th International Conference on Environmental Remediation and Radioactive Waste Management, Volume 2 |chapter-url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/icem2009-16102 |publisher=ASMEDC |doi=10.1115/icem2009-16102|isbn=978-0-7918-4408-3 }}</ref> Currently, the remediation options for the Gunnar Mine include deep lake disposal of tailings, open pit disposal of tailings which would then be filled with water, or covering the open pit filled with tailings then covering it to seal it off from the environment. In addition to the mining waste products, this mine also includes buildings and facilities for the 800 people who worked there. These buildings contain asbestos which will also need to be disposed of in a proper manner.<ref name=":0" /> In 2010, many of the buildings and facilities remained intact and in October of 2011 the demolition order was completed.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Donahue |first1=R |last2=Hendry |first2=M.J |date=2013 |title=Geochemistry of arsenic in uranium mine mill tailings, Saskatchewan, Canada |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0883-2927(03)00106-9 |journal=Applied Geochemistry |volume=18 |issue=11 |pages=1733–1750 |doi=10.1016/s0883-2927(03)00106-9 |issn=0883-2927|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{cite web |url=http://www.environment.gov.sk.ca/ea2007-068 |publisher=Government of Saskatchewan |title=2007-068, SRC, rehabilitation of the former Gunnar mine site |access-date=2015-01-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150113165204/http://www.environment.gov.sk.ca/ea2007-068 |archive-date=2015-01-13 }} *{{cite web |url = http://www.gov.sk.ca/news?newsId=d7f7fbbc-3da5-457c-adba-e8d251e17fbd |publisher = Government of Saskatchewan |title = Saskatchewan Makes Recommendations on Former Uranium Mine Sites |access-date = 2009-10-25 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110611022156/http://www.gov.sk.ca/news?newsId=d7f7fbbc-3da5-457c-adba-e8d251e17fbd |archive-date = 2011-06-11 }} *{{cite web |url = http://www.cpaws-sask.org/boreal_forest/mining_facts.html |publisher = Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society - Saskatchewan Chapter |title = MINING: Quick Facts |access-date = 2009-10-25 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100429081748/http://www.cpaws-sask.org/boreal_forest/mining_facts.html |archive-date = 2010-04-29 }} *{{cite web |url=http://www.saskcleans.ca/html/mine_sites/Gunnar/index.cfm |publisher=Cleanup of Abandoned Northern Sites (CLEANS) |title= Gunnar |access-date=2009-12-12 }}

Category:Uranium mines in Canada Category:Mines in Saskatchewan Category:Surface mines in Canada Category:Underground mines in Canada Category:Lake Athabasca Category:Uranium City, Saskatchewan Category:Northern Saskatchewan Administration District