Orano and Denison launch SABRE mining at McClean Lake, signaling uranium milestone

Orano Canada and Denison Mines (TSX: DML; NYSE American: DNN) have restarted uranium operations at McClean Lake, now using the patented Surface Access Borehole Resource Extraction (SABRE) method. As joint venture partners, Orano holds a 77.5% interest and Denison owns 22.5% as they begin mining. The McClean Lake property is located within the eastern part of the Athabasca Basin in northern Saskatchewan.

In June, crews began SABRE mining at McClean North, where they extracted about 250 tonnes of high-grade ore (+10% U3O8) from the initial cavity. Orano backfilled the first excavation and then moved the SABRE rig to the second target on the mining site to process more ore. They are now processing the newly recovered ore.

Orano Mining President Xavier Saint Martin Tillet emphasized that their first uranium production marks a global milestone. This innovation lets them access uranium from new deposits and strengthens their commitment to providing natural uranium to power producers worldwide.

Orano Canada CEO Jim Corman noted that the new mining method allowed the team to work deposits previously considered “economically challenging,” celebrating the achievement as the result of long-term investments and innovation.

David Cates, Denison’s president and CEO, applauded Orano’s accomplishment in SABRE mining, noting that this marks the first active mining operation at the site since 2008.

Since 2004, teams have been developing SABRE mining equipment and completed their testing in 2021. The SABRE process lifts the ore using pressure. Officials say this technique can enable scalable and flexible mining methods that align with market conditions. The process also uses less water and should reduce radiological exposure for mine workers.

More information is posted on www.Orano.group/canada/en.