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 with proven and probable reserves of 335.5 million pounds U₃O₈ (Cameco's share – 234.2 million pounds)
• average ore grade of 15.24 % U₃O₈
• operated by Cameco
• ore milled at the Key Lake operation, 80-kilometres southwest by road
• the Key Lake and McArthur River operations together employ approximately 850 Cameco staff and an equal number of long-term contract workers
• production capacity of 18.7 million pounds U₃O₈ annually – ore from McArthur is blended for processing with low-grade ore in stockpile at Key Lake
• achieved International Standards Organization (ISO 14001) Certification in 2003
• Total production from 2000 to 2010 – 191.1 million pounds (McArthur River/Key Lake)
• Cameco's share of 2010 production was 13.9 m lbs U₃O₈