Tackling a Toxic Legacy: How PMAP’s Unmanned Boats and Proprietary Reagent Help Clean Uranium from Legacy Mine Water
PMAP uses autonomous unmanned surface vessels to deliver a buffering reagent that immobilizes uranium and other metals in-situ—reducing human exposure, permanent infrastructure, and long-term liability.
The Hidden Cost of Uranium Mining
Across Canada, many former uranium mines continue to affect water quality decades after closure. From Ontario’s Elliot Lake region to the uranium-rich Athabasca Basin in northern Saskatchewan, old mine sites still leak radioactive and toxic contaminants into nearby lakes, rivers, and groundwater systems. Chief among these contaminants is uranium itself, along with associated elements like radium-226 and arsenic.
These legacy sites, many of them abandoned or decommissioned, are often located in remote areas with limited access and no permanent infrastructure. And yet, they require ongoing care—particularly uranium mine water treatment—to prevent pollutants from migrating downstream and affecting ecosystems or communities. Some sites, such as those in Elliot Lake, are expected to need active water treatment for over two centuries. The challenge is not only technical but also economic, logistical, and social.
Why is traditional cleanup so difficult?
Cleaning uranium-contaminated water involves complex chemistry, heavy infrastructure, and sustained human oversight. Treatment methods such as lime addition, phosphate dosing, or advanced filtration can be effective, but they often require power, permanent installations, and skilled staff on site.
These constraints are particularly burdensome in remote northern regions, where seasonal access, harsh climates, and the lack of local infrastructure can make conventional water treatment costly and difficult. Building and maintaining even a small treatment plant in these conditions involves significant financial investment and a long-term operational commitment—something not always feasible, especially at smaller or lower-risk legacy mine sites.
Moreover, human safety is a constant concern. Many of these ponds and tailings areas are unstable, and the radioactive nature of the contaminants makes direct human intervention hazardous.
At PMAP Mine Water Corporation, we offer a comprehensive approach to in-situ mine water treatment that addresses both the how and the what. Our two-fold solution combines the power of unmanned surface dispensing vessels (USDVs) with a proprietary reagent specifically engineered for uranium and heavy-metal remediation in mine-impacted waters.
Our autonomous boats are compact, electric, and GPS-guided. They carry onboard reagent-dosing systems, navigate to precise locations in the pond, and deliver treatment according to preprogrammed routes. What sets our system apart is the reagent they carry—a formulation developed by PMAP to both bind contaminants effectively and buffer the water to prevent remobilization.
What makes PMAP’s reagent different?
PMAP’s reagent has been engineered to address two core problems in legacy uranium mine water: immediate immobilization of dissolved contaminants, and long-term chemical stability to prevent future release.
When applied, the reagent reacts with dissolved uranium and associated metals, causing them to precipitate or bind into insoluble forms that settle safely. Its natural buffering capacity helps stabilize pH and redox conditions within the water column and sediment layer, creating a chemical environment where uranium and other metals remain immobilized over time.
This is critical in mine ponds and tailings where fluctuations in pH or oxygen levels can cause previously “locked up” contaminants to be remobilized into the water. By buffering these changes, PMAP’s reagent not only treats existing contamination but also helps prevent future recontamination—reducing the need for ongoing chemical adjustments and re-treatment.
Where does this approach fit best?
Our unmanned boats and treatment reagent work together to offer a scalable and cost-effective alternative for legacy sites that still require attention but may not justify a full-time water treatment facility.
Seasonal or event-driven treatment: Launch vessels during critical periods such as snowmelt or storm events for targeted dosing.
Targeted hotspots: Deliver reagent directly to problem areas to avoid waste and reduce environmental disturbance.
Remote sites: Minimize on-site staffing, power needs, and permanent infrastructure while improving safety.
With this level of flexibility, precision, and chemical effectiveness, PMAP helps reduce the operational and financial burden of long-term mine water care.
Supporting sustainable stewardship
Uranium mine remediation isn’t a short-term task—it’s a commitment to environmental care that spans generations. At PMAP, we’re focused on developing technologies that support long-term stewardship, whether by improving contaminant stability, reducing human exposure, or enabling cost-efficient monitoring.
Our vessels can gather environmental data during every treatment cycle, including GPS location, turbidity, temperature, and water chemistry parameters. These insights can be used to optimize future treatments and support reporting to regulators or community partners.
We also see our technology as a bridge between engineering and community values. Because the system requires minimal staffing, it offers opportunities for local and Indigenous communities to take a direct role in site oversight and care, without the need for complex infrastructure or specialized labor.
Moving forward with confidence
Canada and other countries are once again turning to nuclear energy as a clean electricity source. As the industry looks forward, it must also look back—and clean up the legacy it leaves behind. Our goal at PMAP is to support that effort with tools that are smart, safe, and built for the future.
By combining a targeted, natural-buffering reagent with precise autonomous delivery, we offer a reliable path toward cleaner water, safer landscapes, and reduced long-term liability. Whether as part of a formal closure plan or a flexible pilot program, our system can adapt to a wide range of legacy site needs.
How does in-situ treatment differ from a plant?
It treats contamination directly in the pond or tailings water using autonomous boats and dosing, avoiding permanent infrastructure and reducing labor exposure.
What contaminants does the reagent target?
Uranium first, plus associated metals (e.g., radium-226, arsenic) that commonly occur in legacy uranium mine water.
Why is buffering important?
Stable pH and redox conditions help keep metals immobilized, lowering the risk of remobilization after initial treatment.
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