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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1981-12-09, Page 15Eldorad Dear Editor As Canadians we have believed and always been led to believe by our govern- ment that Canada is a land rich in natural resources. Yet for eight hundred miners and their immediate families in the small nor- thern community of Uranium City, Saskat- chewan, that belief was shat- tered last week with the an- nouncement by Marc Lalonde, the Federal Minister of Energy in Ot- tawa, that Eldorado Nuclear Ltd., a Crown corporation, would discontinue its Beaverlodge mining opera- tion in the next seven mon- ths. The reason given for this action is that due to rising production ' costs and the dwindling uranium content of the ore the operation was no longer profitable and therefore not viable as a business venture. The Federal government has of- fered the mining operation free of charge to the Saskat- chewan government but as yet they have not responded. Eldorado Nuclear Ltd. has been mining and refining first radium and then uranium for almost fifty years. The company was ac- quired by the Government of Canada in 1944 and today the Federal Crown Corporation conducts exploration pro- grams throughout Canada and operates the uranium mine -mill in northern Saskatchewan. Eldorado has two wholly owned subsidiaries. Eldorado Aviation Ltd., formerly based in Edmonton and now located in Saska- toon, operates aircraft and helicopters to service the Beaverlodge Operations and the exploration division near Uranium City. late in 1978 this subsidiary felt confident enough in the continued pro- duction of the mine to pur- chase a new 737 jet aircraft to ferry personnel and their families between the mine operation and southern cities such as Edmonton and Saskatoon. The second sub- sidiary, Eldor Resources Ltd., with executive offices in Saskatoon, is engaged in the development of uranium orebodies in northern Saskatchewan, an area reported by Eldor in 1979 to be gaining world importance as a major supplier , of uranium. One of these pro- perties consists of two orebodies at Key Lake, three hundred and sixty miles north of Saskatoon, which are estimated to contain at least one hundred million pounds of uranium in ore. Eldorado employs more MAKE YOUR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING EASY!! Buy her a GIFT CERTIFICATE for a FACIAL, MANICURE, PEDICURE or COSMETICS (\ AND WHY NOT TREAT YOURSELF For only '5.40 have your make-up applied before that special occasion, caches n Gnat111 SKIN CARE STUDIO 32 *wide St. Galeria 524.4405 QODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9,1981 -PAGE IS ada's most expensive ghost town than 1,600 people across the country, including almost 800 at the mine -mill, and 650 at the Port Hope operations. One of six uranium produc- ing mines in Canada, Eldorado's Beaverlodge mine -mill increased its ore production by twenty per- cent in 1978 - producing more than 275,000 tonnes. The concentration of uranium in the ore at that time, one quarter of one per- cent, was double that of most uranium mines in the world. Many of the waste in the ore are removed at the mine site by milling, producing a uranium concentrate called "yellowcake". This concen- trate contains sixty to seven- ty percent uranium by weight as opposed to the 0.25 percent uranium in the ore. Having mined 275,000 tonnes of ore, Eldorado produced almost 580 tonnes of ,yellowcake at the mill in 1978 - about nine percent of total Canadian production of yellowcake. At Eldorado's refinery and metallurgical facility located in Port Hope, Ontario, one of only five in the western world and the only one in Canada, yellowcake concentrates from all Canadian mines and from abroad are further pro- cessed to remove remaining impurities. This refinery is the sole supplier of uranium dioxide (UO2) powder used to make fuelpellets for Canada's Candu reactors. To support its commercial activities Eldorado conducts extensive programs relating to exploration, research and development. The company is searching for uranium in most Canadian provinces\ and both Territories. Eldorado's exploration pro- grams, most of them con- ducted jointly with other companies, cost $4.2 million in 1978. The total expen- ditures under these joint venture programs amounted to $9 million or more than ten percent of total Canadian uranium exploration spen- ding. During the last decade all levels of government, both the Federal and the provin- cial government of Saskat- chewan as well as the Crown corporation of Eldorado have undertaken increasing- ly extensive construction projects to update living and • recreation facilities at the camp town of Eldorado, where the mine is Located and in Uranium City, eight miles away. These con - , e You'll make his day -:-all year when you give him a Kero-Suer TM Portable Heater for Christmas. gift that spreads warm feelings . ail around, aft year round. With a KerG.Surt TM Portable Heater, like this Radiant 16 modes, , you can reduce heating costs M your home this motor and give him corn. to'tabfe surroundings all year round. Wherever he is...garage, workshop, den, cottage, trailer...wherever there's a -chat, a Kero-Stn Portable Heater makes if cozy-. The Radiant T6' modes runs op to 3/ ROOM on about 7.3 litres' (i.6 imp. gars.); of clean -burning Kerosene. Alit hero -Sun Portable Heaters are 0D.3% frees efficient for odorless, smokeless operation. They need n'o chimney and have a battery -powered ignition system and automatic shutoff device. There are now 1 U. L.C. fisted models to choose from. Gime a hero un Portable Heater. rf makes a heart warming, money saving gift for family and friends. See a demon- stration today. inn K SUN ULC Beca?ise you don't have money to burn LETTERS struction projects peaked in 1978 and 1979 when the mine itself was also increasing production. At that time the largest of these projects was an entire subdivision of sixty new homes built in Uranium Qty by the Crown corporation with the intention of renting them to their employees and families. The cost of these new homes was increased by the fact that there are no roads leading into this region of Saskatchewan. The ma- jority of construction materials for this and all other projects had to -be ship- ped by barge from Fort McMurray across Lake Athabaska. A trip of two days. The construction workers and all remaining materials had to be flown in. Other projects completed or nearing completion in Uranium City in 1978 and 1979 included an arena, a Saskatchewan Liquor Con- trol Board store and a new Mupicipal Corporation building, In Eldorado major renovations and con- striction of a ninety -unit, three storey bunkhouse as well as six duplex homes were undertaken and plans were being developed for construction of several other service buildings. During the 1970's dozens of new apart- ment buildiings and homes were built by the Crown cor-, poration to house employees. A modern school, Candu High was funded and built by the pro- vincial government and this building is complete with an elevator for the handicap- ped. One other project was also completed in 1978 and this involved road con- struction. The only road between the mine, and Uranium City was con- sidered too long due to its winding around lakes and mountains so a more direct route was blasted through a small mountain thussaving approximately ten minutes drive. This work took nearly one and a half years to com- plete. During 1979 and 1980 Eldorado also had plans to develop a large uranium refinery near Saskatoon but dropped this project after meeting strong public op- position to the idea. The citizen's of Uranium City and those of every com- munity in Canada should seriously question a govern- ment that has spent millions of dollars upgrading a mine and community that ap- parently had only three more years to live. Produc- tion costs should have been forecast and ore content Adjust your driving habits to winter weather Winter weather gets the blame for a lot of accidents. But, according to the Ontario Safety League, the real culprit in most cases is the driver who fails to adjust to cold weather problems, Here are some of the causes of winter wrecks and, the defensive driving meaures used to avoid them. "Too fast for conditions" is all too frequently listed as an accident factor. When the road is slippery you can't stop as quickly or as safely. Lower your speed when the road surface is hazardous. The Ontario Safety League states that you should stretch your following distance to even double or triple the usual road in- terval. Abrupt turns, lane changing and sudden ac- celeration or deceleration can cause bad skids on ice and snow. Anticipate turns or speed changes and make them slowly and gradually. Limited . visibility is a major problem. A driver who scrapes only a little peephole in his ice -covered windshield is asking for. it. Clear your windshield completely of ice and snow and keep it that way. Also, scrape outside mirrors clear. Be sure your defroster is in good shape. Poor traction has caused many a crackup. Check tread wear on your snow tires and keep them inflated correctly. Tire inflation should be checked ' more frequently during winter months to be sure pressures are at recommended levels,; cold weather reduces tire pressure approximately one pound every5 degree celsius drop-in temperature. There's only one trick to. winter driving, according to the Ontario Safety League...take it slow and easy, from start to stop! Clinton couple surprised with anniversary party Aaron and Ruth Fisher of Clinton hada big surprise on November *h when they were taken to the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Fisher, where a smorgasbord lun- cheon and an evening meal was held to celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary. Aaron and Ruth's family, including their two sons Jim and Larry of Benmiller, daughters-in-law, their seven grandchildren and Bob and Barry helped the couple celebite and the Fishers thank their family for thespecial day. On December 4th, Aaron and Rath spent a quiet an- niversary day, and enjoyed a dinner at the Steak House Restaurant in Seaforth, .and spent the evening visiting friends in Sederth. TO OUR CUSTOMERS Sablocf to approval by Ontario Hydro The Goderich P.U.C. will increase Its electrical retail rates for 1412 as of January 1st. Our bulk power from Ontario Hydro hos been increased by 9.6% effective January 1, 1942 which will 'itself in an average increase to oar customers of 10.4%. MONTHLY RATES AND CHARGES Residential Class Present Proposed Minimum bilis 4.00 '4.40 1st 50 KWH at 9.20' per KWH 6.20' per KWH 2nd 200 KWH at 4.60' per KWH 6.20' per KWH All addition KWH. at 3.30' per KWH 3.65' per KWH General Service Class KW demand charge '2.30 per KW Minimum bills '4.00 1st 50 KWH at. 9.20' per KWH Ind 200 KWH et 4.64° per KWH 3rd 1760 KWH at 3.10' per KWH Ail additional KWH at 2.W per KWH Sentinel Lighting Energy charge only Street Lighting Per KW of Connected load '2.60 per KW '4,00 6.20' per KWH 6.20' per KWH 4.05' per KWH 2.75' per KWH '12.63 93.75 '11.40 Transformer Allowance (per KW Demand) Sub=fransmisslon voltage Miscellaneous Charges Change of Occupancy Non -Payment of Account Late payment N.S.F. Cheques Collection Reconnection Service Calls Customer -owned equipment, '12.50 2S' 30' '5.00 5'- '2.00 plus actual bank charges '5.04 '5.04 during regular working hours '25.00 after regular working hours -offer regular hours -'15.04 Sundays • -'10.04 Holidays - '23.00 A portion of this rade increase Is due to the '35,000,004.04 directed to subsidize rural hydro tusfomers. Of the *4% increase in 'the cost of power to the Municipal Utilities 1.3% is for rural subsidization. 'tow Ufffity v<lll ke oed t r!.' fe relettet'•' cettetttery of orletiplet es prevent any further subsidies. THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION studied so as to estimate what kind of financial base the mine could expect in the years ahead. It would seem that the only hope for the people of the area is that the Saskat- chewan government takes over its operation. The mine is the only major employer in the region and three thou- sand people depend directly or indirectly on the income it generates. With its closure looming in the months ahead Uranium City seems destin- ed to receive the dubious honour of becoming Canada's most modern and most expensive ghost town. Steven K. Sees NOW New Universal Life Insurance paying current interest rotes. Presently 15%. Ask to see a personalized computer proposal. Now is the time to look after your RRSP. Flexible, no load plans available. CONTACT BOB McKINLEY (Telephone Henson 262-5462) Dominion L Te THE DOMINION LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY GUARDIAN SPECIALS -WHILE SUPPLIES LAST- MOIRS Almondillos. $4.19 Coca Cola CASE OF 24 250 ML. TINS ;4.99 ROWNTREE 1LBBI-acMagic$4.39 MOIRS Pot Of Gold r $4.19 DARK CHOCOLATE COVERED MINTSTICKS Ovation 125 g. $2J5 NAKAMURA PHARMACY GUARDIAN DRUGS. IN DIE SUNCOAST MALL -WOMB SUB POST OFFICE OPEN MON.-FRI. 1042. 12:30-6 WEEKDAY EVENINGS 6:30 P.M. -9 P.M. SATURDAYS 10-6 524-2191 STORE HOURS 9 A.M. TO 5:30 P.M. MONDAY TO SATURDAY FRIDAY 9 A.M. TO 9 P.M.