Uranium Mining In Canada

Canada used to be the world’s leader in the mining of uranium. They supplied the uranium to many countries, especially the United States during World War Two. The United States were creating nuclear and atomic bombs and weapons, more specifically the Manhattan Project. Canada supplied the United States military with the uranium necessary for the weapons construction. Canada refined and processed the uranium for the use of it in United States military in 1942. Uranium is a key ingredient in creating a nuclear bomb and/or reactor. Split uranium atoms are highly radioactive which is what causes a nuclear bomb to go off. The uranium found in Canada was mined on the shores of Great Bear Lake, Northwest Territories. These mines were the first uranium mines in Canada. These uranium mines were discovered in 1928 and Canada began operating them between 1932 and 1933. The very first mine was called Port Radium, for its high radium content. Originally, the mine was just used for the …show more content…
The Act declared that “Nuclear energy is essential to the national interest and therefore under the exclusive jurisdiction of the federal government.” The government thought that someone had to control this radioactive material, therefore the Act and the AECB was created. The Act sets out the AECB's form as a departmental corporation. 5 people are selected to be put on the board controls. One given this position, their job is to supervise the development, application and use of nuclear energy in Canada. In the Atomic Energy Control Act it states their main reasons why the Act and Board was created.
“Whereas it is essential in the national interest to make provision for the control and supervision of the development, application, and use of atomic energy and to enable Canada to participate effectively in measures of international control of atomic energy which may hereinafter be agreed upon (Canada