News release

Uranium Ban to Become Law

Natural Resources (to July 2018)

A moratorium on exploration and mining of uranium in Nova Scotia will be made law.

The province introduced legislation today, Oct. 14, to entrench a uranium ban that had been in effect since 1981.

"We will legislate this moratorium because it is what Nova Scotians want," said Natural Resources Minister John MacDonell. "This measure responds to the concerns that Nova Scotians have expressed over the mining of uranium in our province."

The legislation contains three key elements:

  • prohibiting exploration for, or mining of, uranium in Nova Scotia
  • allowing mining of uranium that is encountered in the course of mining other minerals as long as the uranium is present in quantities less than the designated threshold value of .01 per cent by weight
  • allowing radiometric or other normal exploration techniques to be used in exploration for other minerals

"This legislation sends a clear message to the mineral industry and all Nova Scotians regarding government's long-term intentions with respect to uranium," said Mr. MacDonell.