McArthur River Mine
Owners: Cameco (69.80%), Areva (30.20%)
McArthur River is the world's largest high-grade uranium mine. Ore grades within the deposit are 100 times the world average, which means the operation can produce more than 18 million pounds of uranium each year by mining only 150 to 200 tonnes of ore per day.
Key facts
• World's largest, high-grade uranium deposit
• Cameco's share of proven and probable reserves is 264.5 million pounds U3O8
• Licensed capacity is 18.7 million pounds U308. Our licence for McArthur River gives us flexibility in annual production capacity. If production is lower than 18.7 million pounds in any year, we can increase production up to 21 million pounds (100% basis) until we recover the shortfall.
• average ore grade of 16.36 % U3O8
• operated by Cameco
• ore milled and blended for processing with low-grade ore in stockpile at the Key Lake operation, 80-kilometres southwest by road
the Key Lake and McArthur River operations together employ approximately 900 Cameco staff and almost 750 long-term contractor employees
• achieved International Standards Organization (ISO 14001) Certification in 2003
• Total production from 2000 to 2012 – 230.5 million pounds (McArthur River/Key Lake)
• Cameco's share of 2012 production was 13.6 m lbs U3O8
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