Production Begins at Canada’s Cigar Lake Uranium Mine

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AREVA

Mar 13, 2014, 09:15 ET

Charlotte, N.C. (PRWEB) March 13, 2014 -- The first uranium ore produced at the Cigar Lake mine, which is operated by Cameco in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, departs today for AREVA’s McClean Lake Mill, located approximately 43 miles away.

The Cigar Lake project represents a $2.6 billion investment and will employ more than 600 highly skilled workers, the majority of whom are northern Saskatchewan residents. As many as 1,000 people worked on the construction of the mine, which relies on a high-pressure water jet boring mining system for production.

All of the ore is expected to be processed at the McClean Lake Mill, which is operated by AREVA, beginning by the end of the second quarter of 2014. With a production capacity of 10,900 tons of uranium per year, the McClean Lake Mill is expected to produce 770 to 1,100 tons of uranium concentrate from Cigar Lake ore in 2014. Its annual production rate will ramp up to 8,100 tons by as early as 2018.

“Thanks to Cameco’s technology for the Cigar Lake mine and AREVA’s for processing this uranium ore, we are proud that production from this unique deposit has begun. Our industrial partners and Saskatchewan’s economy will benefit from this project for many years to come,” said Olivier Wantz, senior executive vice president of AREVA’s mining business group.

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AREVA provides its customers with solutions for low-carbon power generation in North America and all over the world. As the leader in nuclear energy and a significant, growing player in the renewable energies sector, AREVA combines U.S. and Canadian leadership, access to worldwide expertise and a proven track record of performance. Sustainable development is a core component of AREVA’s strategy. Its nearly 5,000 U.S. and Canadian employees work every day to make AREVA a responsible industrial player helping to supply ever cleaner, safer and more economical energy to the greatest number of people. AREVA Inc. is headquartered in Charlotte, N.C. Visit us at http://us.areva.com or follow us at Twitter: AREVAinc.

AREVA Resources Canada is headquartered in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Visit us at http://www.arevaresources.ca.

Jarret Adams, AREVA, +1 (306) 343-4637, [email protected]