Order issued to Cameco Corporation, Cigar Lake

October 28, 2022

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) announced that it issued an order on October 28, 2022, to Cameco Corporation, a company based in northern Saskatchewan, for its Cigar Lake Operation. The company currently holds a CNSC licence, UML-MINE-CIGAR.00/2031, which authorizes the licensee to:

• prepare a site for and construct, operate, modify and decommission a nuclear facility at the Cigar Lake Operation site in the province of Saskatchewan
• mine a nuclear substance (uranium ore)
• possess, transfer, import, use, store, and dispose of nuclear substances
• possess, transfer, import and use prescribed equipment that is required for or associated with laboratory studies, field studies, fixed gauge usage, and borehole logging devices in relation to (a) and (b)

The order was issued following a CNSC inspection at Cigar Lake uranium mine. The inspection identified non-compliance with licence conditions related to the volume of material on Waste Stock Pile “C”. The order prohibits Cameco from placing any new material on Waste Stock Pile “C” until it implements corrective measures and addresses all instances of non-compliance.

The CNSC requires these measures to protect the health and safety of workers, the public and the environment.

• Read the order [PDF]