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The Blind River refinery processes uranium concentrates from Cameco's mining operations, as well as from other Canadian and foreign producers.
Ownership Pie Chart
2007   CNSC grants five-year licence renewal
2005   Cameco Signs Agreement Adding Uranium Conversion Capacity
2002   achieved International Standards Organization (ISO) 14001 certification for environmental management systems in 2002
2001  

achieved a safety milestone with a record 11 years without a lost-time accident

2000   received safety awards from the Industrial Accident Prevention Association and Human Resources Development Canada
2000    a new record of 10 years without a lost-time accident was achieved - the refinery received safety awards from the Industrial Accident Prevention Association and Human Resources Development Canada
1999   produced 9,605 tonnes of UO3 in 2000 compared to 11,360 tonnes
1996 processing plant commissioned. It is now producing recyclable calcined uranium-bearing byproduct from the refining process. The new process reduces the volume of byproduct by almost 75%
1994 construction began on a $10 million processing plant within the operation to convert liquid byproduct to calcined material
1983 construction and commissioning of the Blind River refinery completed
1981 site and construction approvals received from the Atomic Energy Control Board
1980 site applications filed with regulatory agencies, development agreements negotiated, public information meetings held and site preparation completed
1979 government of Canada announces a new 18,000 tonne UO3 refinery will be built in Blind River to encourage industrial development in this region of Ontario
tote bins
Operator labeling tote bins. These rugged bulk containers are used to ship UO3.

The Blind River refinery receives drums of uranium ore concentrates from mines around the world. Each shipment is weighed and sampled for quality and uranium content at the refinery prior to entering the process.

Cameco is seeking approval for remilling two recyclable products from the Blind River refinery and Port Hope conversion facility in Ontario, at its Key Lake operation in northern Saskatchewan. Project summary.

The refining process includes the following steps:

  • digestion -- nitric acid is added to uranium concentrates to produce a uranyl nitrate solution
  • solvent extraction -- impurities are removed from the uranyl nitrate solution using a three-stage process
  • boildown -- water is evaporated to produce a concentrated, nuclear-grade uranyl nitrate hexahydrate liquid
  • denitration -- concentrated uranyl nitrate hexahydrate is thermally decomposed to uranium trioxide (UO3)

Cameco transports the UO3 to Port Hope where it is converted to uranium dioxide (UO2) or uranium hexafluoride (UF6). The UO3 is transported in specially designed tote bins, which carry 9.5 tonnes of product each.

About 150 people are employed at the Blind River facility.

Work Schedule

Blind River's UO3 operation runs 24 hours a day for 11 months of the year. A scheduled shutdown occurs during the summer for routine maintenance.

Production shift employees work 12 hour shifts. Employees providing support services work either eight hour days Monday through Friday or shifts to match production requirements.

Process operator Phil Duguay
A process operator checks on a drum dryer which is part of a plant circuit that converts liquid byproduct into a solid form, reducing the volume by almost 75%.

Conservation and recycling of uranium-bearing waste materials is an important part of operations for both environmental and economic reasons. An ongoing recycling program is the in-plant recovery of nitric acid. Most of the nitric acid used in the process is recovered and recycled to the digestion circuit of the refining process.

A liquid byproduct containing uranium is treated within the plant and converted into a calcined byproduct.

Laboratory technologist takes a ground water sample near the Blind River Refinery.

Cameco Corporation takes its environmental responsibilities and ongoing commitment to the community seriously. Evidence of this is the Blind River uranium refinery's ISO 14001 certification.

ISO 14001 is one of the most internationally recognized standards for environmental management systems. ISO 14001 is an international standard through which a company can demonstrate its commitment to sound environmental performance in compliance, pollution prevention and continual improvement. It establishes a permanent framework to assist companies in reaching their environmental protection goals. This framework calls for annual independent audits and for re-certification every three years.

Environment Policy
Health and Safety Policy

Cameco Web Site

July 25, 2008

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