Uranium Production Resumes at McClean Lake Supporting Saskatchewan's Strong Economy

Released on August 20, 2025

Yesterday, Energy and Resources Minister Colleen Young, toured the McClean Lake uranium mine and mill, which is a joint venture between Orano Canada and Denison Mines that has recently resumed operations. Minister Young was accompanied by Orano representatives and had productive discussions around the process of re-opening the site and plans for growing Saskatchewan's uranium production into the future. 

"Saskatchewan is leading the way in providing the world with responsibly sourced uranium," Young said. "The restart of uranium mining at McClean Lake, utilizing innovative mining methods, will add to our record production and sales, support sustainable employment for Saskatchewan's northern residents and strengthen our position as a key player in the global energy supply chain. I was really impressed with the state of the art set up that Orano has here at McClean Lake. Thank you to the staff for the informative tour and the opportunity to see the mill and mine site."

Saskatchewan continues to be recognized as a top destination for mining investment, ranking first in Canada according to the newest Fraser Institute's Annual Survey of Mining Companies. 

"We were so pleased to welcome the Minister and staff to McClean Lake to showcase the ingenuity and dedication of Orano employees and contractors," Orano Canada Vice President and Chief Corporate Officer Tammy Van Lambalgen said. "While the uranium mining industry can be challenging, we have a long track record of meeting those challenges and finding new ways of involving northern businesses and communities. We are enthusiastic about the future of nuclear in Saskatchewan, and we are glad to see that the provincial government shares that positive outlook."

In 2024, the province's uranium sales reached an all-time high of $2.6 billion, exceeding the Saskatchewan Growth Plan target of increasing the annual value of uranium sales to $2 billion by 2030. Uranium production hit a record high of 16.7 thousand tonnes, up 28 per cent from the previous year. This maintains Saskatchewan's place as the second-largest uranium producer in the world. 

To ensure continued growth of critical minerals, in 2024 the Government of Saskatchewan added uranium to the list of minerals supported through the Targeted Mineral Exploration Incentive. This incentive supports the diversification of Saskatchewan's mineral sector by promoting early-stage hard-rock mineral exploration projects in the province.

Saskatchewan's strong and growing resource sectors are positioning the province to play a significant role in Canada becoming a global energy and resource superpower. Projected to attract over $7 billion in overall mining investment in 2025, Saskatchewan is set to once again lead the country. Exploration spending is strong, with Saskatchewan projected to reach 15 per cent of all Canadian mineral exploration spending in 2025, well ahead of the 2030 target set out in Saskatchewan's Critical Minerals Strategy.

Minister Young is available for comment on her tour with Orano. Inquiries can be sent to the contact listed below.

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