Cigar Lake is the world's largest undeveloped high-grade uranium deposit. The mine is currently in development with a target of mid-2013 for first production. Cameco is the operator of the Cigar Lake joint venture.

Key facts

• The deposit has proven and probable reserves of more than 209.3 million pounds U₃O₈ at an average grade of 17.04% (Cameco's share is 104.7 million pounds)
• Mine construction began in January 2005, but setbacks occurred in October, 2006 and August, 2008 through separate water inflows into the mine. The source of these inflows were identified and then sealed prior to completion of dewatering in February, 2010.
• Remediation work to secure underground areas and restore mine infrastructure that was begun in 2010 immediately following the dewatering continues. The construction of shaft 2 will resume in 2011 after the successful establishment of ground freezing. The shaft will be sunk from its current bottom depth of 392 metres to a final depth of 500 metres by 2012.
• Once the mine is secured and restoration of underground infrastructure systems has progressed significantly to meet regulatory requirements, underground construction will resume.
• The Cigar Lake project will employ up to 500 employees when construction resumes.
• Approximately 250 people will be employed permanently when the project is in full production.
• Under the terms of a memorandum of understanding between Cameco and AREVA Resources Canada, Cigar Lake ore will be transported in special slurry trucks 70 kilometres for processing at AREVA's McClean Lake uranium mill.

Cigar Lake Remediation Diagram