Operational-Phase Waste Rock Management at Cameco's McArthur River Operation

Abstract

The McArthur River underground uranium mine is the world's largest high-grade uranium deposit. This mine, which is located in northern Saskatchewan and began operations in 1999, is jointly owned by Cameco Corporation (70%) and by the Areva subsidiary COGEMA Resources Inc. (30%). Early in the planning and environmental assessment stages for this project, the need for a well-articulated waste rock management plan was identified. Waste rock can prove to be one of, if not the largest long-term potential liability of any mine. Mine site decommissioning costs can be a significant part of the total liability if not properly managed. Proper management of waste rock is instrumental in developing and operating a mine using sustainable development principles. The McArthur River plan required that a process be developed to classify the various categories of waste rock with reasonable precision and that, where possible, waste rock be used for valued added purposes. The plan also requires that waste rock storage areas be designed to minimize environmental impacts. This paper summarizes the McArthur River waste rock management plan along with the benefits that have been derived from its use.