Cameco Eyeing July For McArthur River Start-up

Cameco Eyeing July For McArthur River Start-up

Monday, June 02, 2003 at 17:51

Cameco officials are optimistic they will not have to lay off any permanent workers at the flooded out McArthur River mine before production resumes.

Production halted at the mine on April 6th after the collapse of a mine wall led to the flooding of a large part of the mine, eventually submerging its underground processing plant.

The company initially estimated it would take 4 to 6 months before the mine could begin operating again, but spokesman Martin Quick says it now looks like production will resume in early July.

Quick says some permanent staff members have been forced to use banked holiday time.  As well, Cameco officials were making plans to top up EI payments for workers they thought they would have to lay off at McArthur River and the nearby Key Lake mill, but Quick says the company should be able to hang on to those staff members and not use the top-up plan.

Quick also reports that a small amount of mining resumed at McArthur River last week.  Apparently, it’s a test of a new modification to one of the mine’s raise bores.