SASKATOON, Saskatchewan, May 11, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Orano Canada Inc. (Orano) is pleased to announce that following the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission’s (CNSC) public hearing on March 1, 2023, the CNSC has approved Orano’s application to revoke the Cluff Lake Project’s mine and mill operating licence to allow for the site to be transferred to the Province of Saskatchewan under its Institutional Control Program.
The Cluff Lake project produced over 62 million pounds of uranium concentrate during its operation from 1979 to 2002. The operation consisted of two underground mines, four open pit mines, a tailings management facility, a mill and other support facilities. The site is fully decommissioned with open access to the public since 2013.
“The best demonstration of responsible mining is the remediation management. The decision of the CNSC is the recognition of Orano’s expertise in sustainable mine closure which is part of our DNA/commitment,” said Nicolas Maes President, Orano Mining.
“I am grateful to our dedicated staff for their commitment to this project and their work to ensure that the land is available for local traditional use. We are also appreciative of the Indigenous, Métis and other community members who shared their knowledge of the lands. We have many employees who remember the days of working at Cluff Lake and we celebrate the successful decommissioning of the project. Work will continue with the Province to transfer the property into the Institutional Control Program,” said Orano Canada’s President and CEO, Jim Corman.
The Cluff Lake Project is an example of how uranium mining can be done both safely and responsibly, and how it can contribute to the global supply of clean energy. Orano is proud of this achievement, and is committed to continue contributing to the development of the sustainable uranium industry in Canada and abroad.
About Orano Canada
Headquartered in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Orano Canada Inc. is a leading producer of uranium, accounting for the processing of 18 million pounds of uranium concentrate produced in Canada in 2022. Orano Canada has been exploring for uranium, mining and milling in Canada for more than 55 years. Orano Canada is the operator of the McClean Lake uranium mill and a major partner in the Cigar Lake (40.453%), McArthur River (30.2%) and Key Lake (16.7%) operations. The McClean Lake joint venture is owned by Orano Canada (77.5%) and Denison Mines (22.5%). Orano toll mills the ore from the Cigar Lake mine at the McClean Lake mill.
The company employs about 420 people in Saskatchewan, including about 300 at the McClean Lake operation where over 49% of employees are self-declared Indigenous. As a sustainable uranium producer, Orano Canada is committed to safety, environmental protection and contributing to the prosperity and well-being of neighbouring communities.
Orano Canada Inc. is a 100% subsidiary of Orano Mining, part of the multinational Orano group. As a recognized international operator in the field of nuclear materials, Orano delivers solutions to address present and future global energy and health challenges. Its expertise and mastery of cutting-edge technologies enable Orano to offer its customers high value-added products and services throughout the entire fuel cycle. With uranium mines in operation in Canada, Kazakhstan and Niger, Orano is one of the world’s leading producers of uranium, with competitive production costs and extraction techniques at the cutting edge of innovation. Every day, the Orano group’s 17,000 employees draw on their skills, unwavering dedication to safety and constant quest for innovation, with the commitment to develop know-how in the transformation and control of nuclear materials, for the climate and for a healthy and resource-efficient world, now and tomorrow.
Visit Orano at www.oranocanada.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter: @oranocanada
Press Contact
Carey Hyndman
T: +1 (306) 343-4503
C: +1 (306) 291-4236
carey.hyndman@orano.group
