Cigar Lake
Total production from Cigar Lake was 13% lower in the first quarter compared to the same period last year.
On April 13, 2020, in conjunction with Orano, we announced an extension of the suspension of production at Cigar Lake for an indeterminate period. With the impact ofCOVID-19 continuing to escalate, we determined that the Cigar Lake workforce will need to remain at its current reduced level for a longer than the four-week period announced on March 23, 2020.
The precautions and restrictions put in place by the federal and provincial governments, the increasing significant concern among leaders in the remote isolated communities of northern Saskatchewan, and the challenges of maintaining the recommended physical distancing atfly-in/fly-out sites with a full workforce, were critical factors we considered in reaching this decision. The operation is in a safe state of care and maintenance.
Orano has also extended the suspension of production at its McClean Lake mill.
Our share of the cash andnon-cash costs to maintain Cigar Lake during the suspension, and our contribution to the care and maintenance costs at McClean Lake are expected to range between $7 million and $9 million per month.
Inkai
Production on a 100% basis was 1.8 million pounds for the quarter compared to 2 million pounds in the same period last year.
On April 7, 2020, Kazatomprom announced a reduction to operational activities across all uranium mines in Kazakhstan for an expected period of three months due to the risks posed byCOVID-19. It indicated that its decision will result in a lower level of wellfield development activity and, as a result, an estimated reduction of up to 17.5% in total planned uranium production in Kazakhstan for 2020. Based on an adjustment to the 2016 JV Inkai restructuring agreement, we are entitled to purchase 59.4% of the operation’s planned production in 2020 and 2021.
However, consistent with our decision to withdraw our 2020 outlook, we will not be providing outlook for our expected purchases of Inkai’s 2020 planned production until we have a sufficient basis to do so.
Due to equity accounting, our share of production is shown as a purchase at a discount to the spot price and included in inventory at this value at the time of delivery. Our share of the profits earned by JV Inkai on the sale of its production is included in “share of earnings from equity-accounted investee” on our consolidated statement of earnings.
TIER-TWO CURTAILED OPERATIONS
US ISR Operations
As a result of our 2016 curtailment decision, commercial production has ceased. As long as production is suspended, we expect ongoing cash andnon-cash care and maintenance costs to range between $14 million (US) and $16 million (US) for 2020.
Rabbit Lake
Rabbit Lake continues in a safe state of care and maintenance. As a result, there was no production in the first quarter of 2020. While in standby, we continue to evaluate our options at Rabbit Lake in order to minimize care and maintenance costs. We expect ongoing care and maintenance costs to range between $30 million and $35 million annually.
Fuel services 2020 Q1 updates
PORT HOPE CONVERSION SERVICES
CAMECO FUEL MANUFACTURING INC. (CFM)
Production update
Fuel services produced 3.7 million kgU in the first quarter, 3% lower than the same period last year due to the timing of scheduled production.
On April 8, 2020, due to the increasing challenges of maintaining an adequate workforce as a result ofCOVID-19 screening protocols put in place to align with the directives and guidance of government and public health authorities, we announced our plans to temporarily shutdown our UF6 conversion plant for approximately four weeks. The UF6 plant is a complex operation, designed to run as a continuous process without interruptions in production.
2020 FIRST QUARTER REPORT 25