MINING LANDS COGEMA IN CRIMINAL COURT

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World Information Service on Energy

2004

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The extraction of uranium began in France at the beginning of the 1950’s. Approximately 200 mines

have been operated in 25 departments; the last closed in May 2001. For many years, minimal

protection was required in terms of radiological impact, water treatment, waste transport and

management. The main French operator, COGEMA explained to the local population that uranium

was “a natural substance” and therefore “was not a hazardous one”. Furthermore, the official

statement was that the uranium mining industry was extracting the radioactive metal from the soil,

therefore leaving a less radioactive environment.

CRIIRAD - From 1992 to 1994, the CRIIRAD laboratory demonstrated the radioactive

contamination of the environment near COGEMA uranium mines in Limousin and Loire Atlantique

Prefectures.