This report presents the mineral processing and metallurgical testing framework for the Cigar Lake operation, including flowsheet design and testwork for both Cigar Lake and McClean Lake processing facilities.
Report context
This National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report for the Cigar Lake Operation, Northern Saskatchewan, Canada, is dated March 22, 2024, with an effective date of December 31, 2023. It was prepared for Cameco Corporation. The report covers the property tenure, location, geology, mineral resources and reserves, mining methods, processing routes, environmental assessment, water inflow incidents and remediation, current development status, production plan, economic analysis, and risks. The processing sections are drawn from Sections 13 (Mineral Processing and Metallurgical Testing), 16 (Mining Methods), and 17 (Recovery Methods).
Processing route
Cigar Lake processing metallurgical test work
The report includes a section on Cigar Lake processing metallurgical test work, documented under Section 13.1. This testwork is part of the broader mineral processing and metallurgical testing program for the operation. No further details on the scope, results, or design basis of this testwork are provided in the available report sections.
McClean Lake processing metallurgical test work
Section 13.2 covers McClean Lake processing metallurgical test work. This testwork is separate from the Cigar Lake program and relates to processing activities at the McClean Lake mill. Specific testwork parameters, objectives, or outcomes are not presented in the extracted sections.
Cigar Lake flowsheet
Section 17.2 describes the Cigar Lake flowsheet, forming part of the Recovery Methods chapter. The report states there is an overview in Section 17.1, and then proceeds to outline the Cigar Lake flowsheet specifically. The flowsheet details are not elaborated in the extracted text, indicating that the full description is contained within the referenced section of the original report.
Processing at McClean Lake
Section 17.3 addresses processing activities that occur at the McClean Lake mill for material from the Cigar Lake operation. This is described as a separate processing step following the Cigar Lake flowsheet.
McClean Lake mill flowsheet
Section 17.4 details the McClean Lake mill flowsheet. This flowsheet is used to process material from the Cigar Lake operation at the McClean Lake facility. The specific unit operations, equipment, and design parameters are not provided in the extracted material.
Mine design and production context
Section 16 (Mining Methods) includes subsections on design parameters (16.1), mine design (16.2), and mine production (16.3). These sections describe the mining approach that feeds the processing circuit. The report notes design parameters are defined, along with the mine design and production schedule. No numerical values from these sections are available in the extracted text.
Key reported parameters
The following table summarises the processing-related sections and their basis as reported. Note that the extracted material does not include specific numerical parameters for throughput, recovery, or reagent consumption.
| Parameter / Section | Basis | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Cigar Lake processing metallurgical test work | Testwork | Section 13.1; scope not detailed in extracted text |
| McClean Lake processing metallurgical test work | Testwork | Section 13.2; scope not detailed in extracted text |
| Cigar Lake flowsheet | Proposed design | Section 17.2; not detailed in extracted text |
| Processing at McClean Lake | Proposed design | Section 17.3; not detailed in extracted text |
| McClean Lake mill flowsheet | Proposed design | Section 17.4; not detailed in extracted text |
| Mine design parameters | Design | Section 16.1; parameters not listed in extracted text |
| Mine production | Historical operating data | Section 16.3; data not available in extracted text |
| Mineral resource estimates | Estimate | Section 14; parameters in Section 14.2 not provided |
| Mineral reserve estimates | Estimate | Section 15; assumptions in Section 15.2 not provided |
Project website: https://www.cameco.com/businesses/uranium-operations/canada/cigar-lake
Technical qualifications
This report is prepared under National Instrument 43-101 standards. The processing sections referenced (Sections 13, 16, and 17) are part of the complete technical report but only limited detail is available from the extracted Markdown. The report does not include numerical flowsheet performance data, throughput rates, recovery percentages, reagent consumptions, or equipment specifications in the extracted sections. The Cigar Lake flowsheet, McClean Lake processes, and metallurgical test work descriptions are referenced but not elaborated in the provided text. The report includes a Section 14 on Mineral Resource Estimates and Section 15 on Mineral Reserve Estimates, but the detailed assumptions, parameters, and methods are not included in this extract. The report also covers environmental assessment, water inflow incidents, current development status, production plan, and economic analysis, none of which are detailed in the extracted processing sections.
Source: Cigar Lake Operation, Northern Saskatchewan, Canada, National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report, effective date December 31, 2023, report date March 22, 2024, prepared for Cameco Corporation. Relevant sections: 13 Mineral Processing and Metallurgical Testing; 14 Mineral Resource Estimates; 15 Mineral Reserve Estimates; 16 Mining Methods; 17 Recovery Methods.
