Satellite Imagery for Safeguards Purposes: Utility of Panchromatic and Multispectral Imagery for Verification of Remote Uranium Mines

The issue of a cost-effective means of obtaining information on uranium mining activities is of special relevance with the advent of strengthened safeguards measures. As part of a project under the Australian Safeguards Support Program, panchromatic images of three operating uranium mines in Australia were obtained. The three mines represent differing mining approaches—including one large scale open cut mine, one large scale underground mine and one small scale in-situ leach mine. In collaboration with the Canadian Safeguards Support Program of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), multispectral (including hyperspectral) imagery will also be included in the analysis, to complement the results using panchromatic imagery. The key objective is to determine whether satellite imagery can provide sufficient information to confirm the operational scheduling and other details that had been reported to the IAEA by the State and the operator. Key features examined include: signs of water, power and chemical usage; level of mining activity; level of milling activity; extent of onsite product storage; geographic extent of mining work; geographic extent of milling activities; and presence of other industrial activities associated with/in support of mining/milling activities. The paper examines the overall utility for safeguards purposes of satellite imagery of uranium mines, particularly in remote regions.