CA: World’s largest uranium refinery plans $6M expansion

Cameco is celebrating 25 years in Blind River, and 20 years as a corporation.

And after a quarter of a century, the company’s future is looking bright as demand for world energy continues to grow.

Over the next 20 years, world demand for electricity is expected to double. Cameco’s uranium sales volume has tripled since 1991.
According to the World Nuclear Association website ( world-nuclear.org),there are currently 439 reactors operating around the world, 36 under construction, 97 reactors planned and 221 proposed. Canada has 18 operable reactors, two under construction, three planned and four more are proposed.

Chris Astles, Blind River’s plant manager said, “Blind River’s refinery will play a major role in meeting the world’s increased demand for energy. Cameco is planning a $6-million expansion at the Blind River refinery and is awaiting approval for an increased licence capacity of 24,000 tons of uranium, expected early next year.”

The Blind River refinery is the world’s largest commercial uranium refinery and Canada’s only refining and conversion facility. The Blind River plant processes uranium concentrates from Cameco’s mining operations, as well as from other Canadian and foreign producers. The refining process removes impurities and changes the chemical form to uranium trioxide (U03).

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