Orano Canada operates on the full range of mining activities, from exploration to decommissioning, mining and treatment. The Canadian subsidiary is a shareholder in the Mc Arthur River and Cigar Lake mines, operated by Cameco, and runs the McClean Lake
processing plant. It has also successfully completed the first uranium mine redevelopment after the uranium reserves at the Cluff Lake site were depleted.
Innovative methods
Underground mines and very high uranium grades that require specific technologies.
High-performance mining technologies
Jet Boring in Cigar Lake
Because it is located 450 metres below ground and has very high-grade uranium, the deposit requires the use of techniques that strengthen the ground and control upwelling. The method consists of hardening the soil by a freezing
process before starting the extraction phase, then mining the ore using a high-pressure water jet (Jet Boring).
SABRE TECHNOLOGY: AN INNOVATIVE MINING METHOD
The group is innovating with the SABRE method (Surface Access Borehole Resource Extraction).In January 2024, McClean Lake Joint-Venture*, established between Orano Canada and Denison Mines Corp., announced the decision to resume uranium mining operations using the SABRE (Surface Access Borehole Resource Extraction) mining method. Mining of the McClean North deposit is scheduled to begin in 2025 using this technique, with activities in 2024 focusing on preparing the site and equipment for continued industrial operation.
This new patented extraction method, under development over the last decade by Orano engineers, uses highpressure water jet drilling operating from the surface. It opens up new prospects for uranium extraction, particularly in Canada, making small,
high-grade deposits in the Athabasca Basin economically viable.
SABRE offers a number of advantages in terms of economy, safety and the environment, thanks to its small surface footprint and reduced water and electricity consumption.
* Orano Canada, the operator of the future mine, holds 77.5% of the joint venture, and Denison holds 22.5%.
SABRE offers a number of advantages in terms of economy, safety and the environment, thanks to its small surface footprint and reduced water and electricity consumption.
* Orano Canada, the operator of the future mine, holds 77.5% of the joint venture, and Denison holds 22.5%.
- Niger Niger's mining companies Somaïr and Cominak draw value from the country's uranium potential by mining respectively deposits in the desert region of the Aïr.
- Kazakhstan Created in 1997 by Orano and Kazatomprom in Kazakhstan KATCO operates the world’s largest SRI uranium mine.
- Leading uranium producer With mines operating in Canada, Kazakhstan and Niger, Orano is a leading world producer of uranium.