Fear over COVID-19 strikes Sask. uranium sector

Two large-scale uranium project sites in Saskatchewan are going on hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Cameco is temporarily suspending operations at its Cigar Lake mine in northern Saskatchewan; it will be put in care and maintenance for four weeks.

The company’s partner, Orano, is doing the same with its McClean Lake uranium mill, located on the west side of Wollaston Lake. The company processes uranium ore mined by Cameco.

About 35 of the nearly 300 workers will remain at the Cameco site. Approximately 50 of the roughly 160 workers will stay on at the McClean Lake site.

The remaining employees are being sent home, but will continue to get paid.

“We are in unprecedented and challenging times,” said Cameco President and CEO Tim Gitzel in a news release.

“In the face of great uncertainty, our first priority is to protect the health and well-being of our employees, their families and their communities … (this decision) takes into account the specific and unique circumstances at Cigar Lake, a remote, isolated fly-in/fly-out northern Saskatchewan operation,” he said.

Orano Canada president Jim Corman said, “Our operations work in tandem, and our communities are all interconnected. This is a difficult time for many, and we understand the concerns we are hearing. McClean Lake will safely be put into care and maintenance within the next few days and we will continue to assess the situation, always keeping health and safety at the forefront.”

Canada is the world’s second-largest uranium producer, according to the Federal government. Its website states that annual uranium production has ranged between 8,214 and 12,552 tonnes, since 1998.

Uranium is currently mined from the McArthur River, Cigar Lake and Rabbit Lake (Eagle Point) mines, all in northern Saskatchewan.