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Nuclear reactors around the world use fuel that was converted at the Port Hope operation.
Port Hope ownership
2007   CNSC grants five-year licence renewal
2006   applied to CNSC for five-year licence renewal
2006   increased community outreach program
2000    received certification under the ISO 14001 program, an internationally recognized standard for environmental management systems
1988 began selling natural UO2 to light water fuel fabricators for use as blanket fuel
1984 commissioned new UF6 conversion plant
1983 shut down UO3 refinery with completion of Blind River UO3 refinery
1980 constructed UO2 plant
1970 began production of UF6 for light water reactors
1962 began production of UO2 for the Canadian nuclear energy program
1955 refinery converted to produce nuclear grade uranium trioxide (UO3)
1935 began production of radium (main product) and uranium (byproduct)
1932 began construction of radium extraction facility
Cameco transports UF6 in two sizes of cylinders which contain either 9,000 or 12,700 kg of UF6. Customers arrange to have the UF6 enriched before it is processed into fuel for light-water nuclear reactors.

The Port Hope conversion facility receives tote bins containing high-purity uranium from Cameco's refinery at Blind River. Each bin contains 9.5 tonnes of uranium in the form of UO3. Most of the UO3 received in Port Hope is converted to UF6 in a multi-step process. The remainder is converted to UO2.

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.

UF6

The UF6 process includes the following steps:

  • reduction -- UO3 is pulverized to a fine powder, then reacted with hydrogen gas to create UO2
  • hydrofluorination -- UO2 is reacted with hydrogen fluoride to convert the UO2 to UF4 which is then calcined to remove water
  • fluorination -- the calcined UF4 powder is reacted with fluorine gas to produce UF6 gas. This gas is passed through filters, then solidified in "cold traps" in order to collect the UF6 in a crystallized form. After the cold traps are filled, the UF6 is liquified by heating and drained into specially designed steel shipping cylinders.

Cameco uses both 10- and 14-tonne cylinders which are transported by truck and/or boat to enrichment plants in the United States, Japan and Europe. A single 14-tonne cylinder of UF6 has the energy equivalent of 900,000 barrels of oil.

UO2

The UO2 process includes the following steps:

  • digestion -- UO3 is dissolved in nitric acid to produce uranyl nitrate
  • precipitation -- aqueous ammonia is added to uranyl nitrate to precipitate ammonium diuranate (ADU), which is then dewatered in a centrifuge
  • drying -- ADU cake is dried in a dryer
  • reduction -- dry ADU cake is reacted with hydrogen in gas-fired rotary kilns to produce UO2

Technology Development

Laboratories provide technical assistance to Cameco's fuel services operations to enhance production activities, competitiveness and environmental viability. More than 20 scientists and technicians are employed in technology development. In 2007 Cameco signed a research agreement with the University of Ontario Institute of Technology that established the Cameco chair in nuclear fuel. The Institute and Cameco will share expertise and equipment under the partnership to develop new technologies related to production of nuclear fuels.

Approximately 340 people are employed at the Port Hope conversion facility.

Work Schedule

Port Hope's UF6 operations run 24 hours per day for 11 months of the year. The UO2 operations run Monday through Friday, 24 hours per day for 11 months of the year. A scheduled shutdown occurs during the summer for routine maintenance.

Production shift employees work 12-hour shifts.

All other site employees work either shift work or regular days.

Cameco's cleanup program is focused on conservation and recycling of materials at the Port Hope conversion facility.

Conservation and recycling of waste materials is an important part of operations for both environmental and economic reasons. Ongoing recycling programs include in-plant recycling of hydrofluoric acid and the sale of ammonium nitrate byproduct for use as commercial fertilizer.

There are several process streams in the conversion process which result in low levels of natural uranium materials. These materials are suitable for use as alternative feed for uranium mills and are sent on for further processing to recover the uranium.

Port Hope's waste management program attempts to collect, clean, monitor and, if necessary, cut to acceptable sizes all scrap material before releasing it to commercial recycling agencies. Material that cannot be recycled, or does not meet strict release guidelines, is either incinerated, drummed, stored on site or, in some instances, processed further and combined with a uranium-bearing product. The material being stored is primarily insulation, sand, soil, and scrap metal and will remain in storage until a future recycle or disposal route is identified.

Long-term environmental management systems collect thousands of air, water and soil samples annually at Port Hope.

The Port Hope conversion facility is certified under the ISO 14001 program, an internationally recognized standard for environmental management systems.

The Port Hope plant has air handling systems to regulate the interior environment in both the UO2 and UF6 plants and other buildings on site. A series of internal programs and regulatory controls also protect the external environment, ensuring that emissions scrubbing, effluent control and strict monitoring take place on an ongoing basis. All process emissions are cleaned using high-efficiency particulate collectors and wet scrubbers.

A program involving five companies, including Cameco, has been initiated to synchronize emergency response procedures between major industries and the town of Port Hope through a community awareness and emergency response organization. This strategic group will link the emergency response capabilities of industry with the town of Port Hope.

ISO 14001

Worker Safety

The annual radiation dose to Port Hope workers is well below the regulatory limits.

Environment Policy
Health and Safety Policy

Cameco Web Site

July 25, 2008

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