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Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, May 26, 1998
Cameco Corporation today reports an update on the status of a traffic accident in Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia May 20 which resulted in a spill of granular sodium cyanide into the Barskoon river.
Cameco medical representatives and technical experts from the supplier of the sodium cyanide have been unable to confirm reports of ill health to people or livestock as a result of this spill. Media reports originating in Kyrgyzstan Monday, five days after the accident, stating that a number of people have suffered "light poisoning" are, at this time, not substantiated. Cyanide poisoning would manifest itself almost immediately upon exposure and would not take several days to become apparent. Nevertheless, Cameco, through its subsidiary, Kumtor Operating Company, will follow up any reports with thorough testing and analysis.
In addition, Cameco reiterates that the water quality has returned to normal at the spill site in the Barskoon river, as well as for a distance of approximately 12 kilometres downstream, including the large Lake Issyk-Kul into which the Barskoon river flows.
The truck accident occurred at 12:10 pm local Kyrgyzstan time May 20 when a truck transporting a container with 20 one-ton packages of sodium cyanide overturned into the river while en route to the Kumtor gold mine. Cameco confirms that three of the packages ruptured and that 1,762 kilograms (the equivalent of two of the packages of sodium cyanide) escaped into the river system. The truck and its cargo were removed from the water within six hours of the accident. Water quality began returning to normal immediately thereafter.
The Kumtor gold mine is owned two-thirds by the government of Kyrgyzstan and one third by Cameco. Kumtor Operating Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cameco, operates the mine, which began production in 1997 and produced 500,000 ounces of gold during its first year of operation.
For further information, please contact:
Elaine Kergoat
Manager, Media & Public Relations
Cameco Corporation
Phone: (306) 956-6315
Fax: (306) 956-6318