The Northern Transportation Route (NTR) was established in the 1930s to transport pitch blende ore 2,200 km from the Port Radium Mine in the Northwest Territories to Fort McMurray, Alberta. The ore was then shipped 3,000 km by rail to Port Hope, Ontario, where it was refined for its radium and uranium content. The corridor of lakes, rivers and roads that made up the NTR included a number of points where ore was transferred to other barges or trucks. Ore was occasionally spilled during these operations and, in some cases, subsequently distributed over larger areas as properties were modified.
Since 1991, the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Office (LLRWMO), working with communities and its consulting contractors, has characterized spill sites along the NTR where soils exhibit elevated concentrations of uranium, radium and/or arsenic. When feasible to consolidate contaminated material locally, it has been placed into Long Term Management Facilities to contain the materials over extended timelines. In those circumstances where local consolidation is not achievable, materials have been relocated to facilities outside of the region. The LLRWMO is continuing a program of consultation, technical evaluation and environmental assessment to develop management plans for the remaining ore-impacted sites on the NTR. This paper will highlight current activities and approaches for the responsible management of uranium and radium mining legacies.