TSX: CCO CDN $28.73 up arrow 0.04
NYSE: CCJ US $28.02 up arrow 0.09
  • Investors
  • Exploration
  • Mining
  • Fuel And Power
  • Marketing
  • Responsibility

EXPLORATION

Cameco's Exploration Reserves

The following table shows the estimated uranium reserves as at December 31, 2009, on a property basis and Cameco's share.

Proven and probable
(tonnes in thousands; pounds in millions)
  PROVEN (100% basis) PROBABLE (100% basis)
PROPERTY Tonnes Grade %U3O8 Content (lbs U3O8) Tonnes Grade %U3O8 Content (lbs U3O8)
             
Cigar Lake 130.5 25.62 73.7 426.8 14.41 135.6
Crow Butte 968.7 0.11 2.3 493.1 0.17 1.8
Gas Hills - Peach 6,403.80 0.13 19
Inkai 6,043.00 0.08 11.1 83,434.00 0.07 123.6
Key Lake 61.9 0.52 0.7
McArthur River 498.5 15.72 172.7 280 26.33 162.5
North Butte/
Brown Ranch
3,803.20 0.1 8.2
Rabbit Lake 37.4 0.75 0.6 1,059.00 0.89 20.7
Smith Ranch - Highland 771.9 0.12 2 1,931.10 0.09 3.9
Total 8,511.90 263.1 97,831.00 475.3
             
RESERVES CONTINUED
(tonnes in thousands; pounds in millions)
  TOTAL RESERVES
(100% basis)
PROPERTY Tonnes Grade %U3O8 Content (lbs U3O8) Cameco's Share (lbs U3O8) Estimated Metallurgical Recovery % Mining Method
             
Cigar Lake 557.3 17.04 209.3 104.7 98.5 UG
Crow Butte 1,461.80 0.13 4.1 4.1 85 ISR
Gas Hills - Peach 6,403.80 0.13 19 19 72 ISR
Inkai 89,477.00 0.07 134.7 80.9 80 ISR
Key Lake 61.9 0.52 0.7 0.6 98.7 OP
McArthur River 778.5 19.53 335.2 234 98.7 UG
North Butte/
Brown Ranch
3,803.20 0.1 8.2 8.2 80 ISR
Rabbit Lake 1,096.40 0.88 21.3 21.3 96.7 UG
Smith Ranch - Highland 2,703.00 0.1 5.9 5.9 80 ISR
Total 106,342.90 738.4 478.7
             
Notes:
  1. Cameco reports mineral reserves and mineral resources separately.
  2. Estimated metallurgical recovery factors must be applied in order to obtain the expected amounts of recovered pounds U3O8. Cameco's share of U3O8 content does not include the estimated metallurgical recovery factor.
  3. Mineral reserves incorporate allowances for dilution and mining losses.
  4. Mining method: OP - Open Pit; UG - Underground; ISR - In situ recovery.
  5. Mineral reserves are estimated using current geological models and current and/or projected operating costs and mine plans. Cameco's data verification procedures have been employed in connection with the mineral reserve estimations for each property.
  6. For the purpose of estimating mineral reserves in accordance with NI 43-101, an average uranium price of $54 (US)/lb U3O8 was used.
  7. The key economic parameters underlying the mineral reserves include an exchange rate of $1.00 US=$1.05 Cdn (reflecting the exchange rate at December 31, 2009).
  8. Environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-economic, political, marketing or other issues are not expected to materially affect the above estimates of mineral reserves.
  9. Totals may not add up due to rounding.
  10. Our mineral reserve estimates of Inkai assume annual production of 5.2 million pounds of U3O8, Inkai has regulatory approval to produce 2.6 million pounds, and applied for approval to increase production to 5.2 million pounds per year in 2005. We expect to receive all permits and approvals required for the construction and operation of the new ISR mine at Inkai in 2010, including approval to increase annual production to 5.2 million pounds. There can be no certainty, however, that we will receive these permits or approvals. If Inkai does not receive approval to increase production we will recategorize half of its mineral reserves as mineral resources.

Uranium Measured and Indicated Resources

Cautionary Note to Investors concerning estimates of Measured and Indicated Resources

This section uses the terms "measured resources" and "indicated resources." US investors are advised that, while those terms are recognized and required by Canadian securities regulatory authorities, the US Securities and Exchange Commission does not recognize them. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of the mineral deposit in these categories will ever be converted into proven or probable reserves.

The following table shows the estimated uranium measured and indicated resources as at December 31, 2007 on a property basis and Cameco's share.

RESOURCES
(tonnes in thousands; pounds in millions)
MEASURED
(100% basis)
INDICATED
(100% basis)
Property Tonnes Grade
% U3O8
Content
(lbs U3O8)
Tonnes Grade
% U3O8
Content
(lbs U3O8)
           
Cigar Lake 61.2 4.86 6.6
Crow Butte 64.5 0.23 0.3 1,603.1 0.23 8.2
Dawn Lake 347.0 1.69 12.9
Gas Hills –
Peach
2,013.0 0.08 3.3 1,153.0 0.07 2.3
Highland 782.3 0.10 1.7 47.0 0.09 0.1
Inkai 10,904.0 0.07 17.8
McArthur River 75.0 8.51 14.1 39.8 8.37 7.4
Millennium 468.9 4.53 46.8
North Butte/
Brown Ranch
1,008.8 0.08 1.9 3,923.6 0.07 6.3
Northwest Unit 4,000.7 0.03 2.3
Rabbit Lake 140.5 0.72 2.2 340.2 0.81 6.1
Reynolds Ranch 3,073.5 0.07 4.5 5,245.3 0.06 7.0
Ruby Ranch 156.0 0.17 0.6 108.0 0.06 0.1
Ruth 99.8 0.10 0.2 125.2 0.07 0.2
Shirley Basin 89.1 0.15 0.3 1,635.9 0.11 4.1
Smith Ranch 30.8 0.20 0.1 2,406.4 0.09 5.0
Total 7,533.3 29.2 32,409.3 133.2
             
RESOURCES
MEASURED AND INDICATED
(100% basis)
   
PROPERTY Tonnes Grade
% U3O8
Content
(lbs U3O8)
Cameco's Share
(lbs U3O8)
Mining
Method
           
Cigar Lake 61.2 4.86 6.6 3.3 UG
Crow Butte 1,667.6 0.23 8.5 8.5 ISR
Dawn Lake 347.0 1.69 12.9 7.4 OP&UG
Gas Hills –
Peach
3,166.0 0.08 5.6 5.6 ISR
Highland 829.3 0.10 1.8 1.8 ISR
Inkai 10,904.0 0.07 17.8 10.7 ISR
McArthur River 114.8 8.49 21.5 15.0 UG
Millennium 468.9 4.53 46.8 19.6 UG
North Butte/
Brown Ranch
4,932.4 0.07 8.2 8.2 ISR
Northwest Unit 4,000.7 0.03 2.3 2.3 ISR
Rabbit Lake 480.7 0.81 8.3 8.3 UG
Reynolds Ranch 8,318.8 0.06 11.5 11.5 ISR
Ruby Ranch 264.0 0.12 0.7 0.7 ISR
Ruth 225.0 0.07 0.4 0.4 ISR
Shirley Basin 1,725.0 0.12 4.4 4.4 ISR
Smith Ranch 2,437.2 0.09 5.1 5.1 ISR
Total 39,942.6 162.4 112.8
           
 
Notes:
  1. Cameco reports mineral reserves and mineral resources separately. The amount of reported mineral resources does not include those amounts identified as reserves.
  2. Mining Method: OP – Open Pit; UG – Underground; ISR – In situ recovery.
  3. Mineral resources are estimated using current geological models. Cameco's normal data verification procedures have been employed in connection with the mineral resource estimations for each property.
  4. Totals may not add up due to rounding.
  5. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.
 

Uranium Inferred Resources

Cautionary Note to Investors concerning estimates of Inferred Resources

This section uses the term "inferred resources." US investors are advised that, while this term is recognized and required by Canadian securities regulatory authorities, the US Securities and Exchange Commission does not recognize it. Under Canadian securities regulations, estimates of inferred resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies. Investors are cautioned not to assume that part or all of an inferred resource exists or is economically or legally mineable.

The following table shows the estimated uranium inferred resources as at December 31, 2007 on a property basis and Cameco's share.

(tonnes in thousands; pounds in millions) INFERRED RESOURCES
(100% basis)
 
Property Tonnes Grade
% U3O8
Content
(lbs U3O8)
Cameco's Share
(lbs U3O8)
Mining
Method
         
Cigar Lake 317.0 16.92 118.2 59.1 UG
Crow Butte 2,765.2 0.14 8.7 8.7 ISR
Dawn Lake
Gas Hills-Peach 656.8 0.05 0.8 0.8 ISR
Highland 587.6 0.15 2.0 2.0 ISR
Inkai 254,696.0 0.05 255.1 153.0 ISR
McArthur River 584.6 7.35 94.8 66.2 UG
Millennium 214.3 2.06 9.7 4.1 UG
North Butte/
Brown Ranch
618.5 0.07 1.0 1.0 ISR
Northwest Unit 627.8 0.04 0.5 0.5 ISR
Rabbit Lake 309.1 0.90 6.1 6.1 UG
Reynolds Ranch 5,333.3 0.04 4.9 4.9 ISR
Ruby Ranch 60.8 0.14 0.2 0.2 ISR
Ruth 210.5 0.08 0.4 0.4 ISR
Shirley Basin 506.8 0.10 1.1 1.1 ISR
Smith Ranch 595.7 0.07 0.9 0.9 ISR
Total 268,084.0 504.4 309.0
           
 
Notes:
  1. Cameco reports mineral reserves and mineral resources separately. The amount of reported mineral resources does not include those amounts identified as reserves.
  2. Mining Method: OP – Open Pit; UG – Underground; ISR – In situ recovery.
  3. Mineral resources are estimated using current geological models.  Cameco's normal data verification procedures have been employed in connection with the mineral resource estimations for each property.
  4. Totals may not add up due to rounding.
  5. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.
  6. Inferred resources have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category.
 
Last Reviewed: February 24, 2010