NexGen has started construction on its Rook I uranium project in Saskatchewan following receipt of final regulatory approval in March, according to a report from World Nuclear News.
The groundbreaking ceremony included Indigenous leaders, federal and provincial representatives, investors, industry partners, employees, contractors, and community members, including Stephen Harper, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, and other officials representing rural development and Métis organizations.
NexGen described Rook I as the largest development-stage uranium project in Canada, positioning the start of construction as a shift from demonstration to delivery.
Rook I is located in the southern Athabasca Basin, about 155 km north of La Loche, on Treaty 8 territory and within territories of the Denesųłiné, Cree, and Métis. The project has benefit agreements in place with four Indigenous communities identified within its Local Priority Area and is expected to support employment, procurement, and economic opportunities across northern Saskatchewan and beyond.
The project is centred on the Arrow deposit, a high-grade uranium deposit discovered by the company in 2014. NexGen cited a measured and indicated resource estimate of 256.7 million pounds U3O8 (98,739 tU), including a probable reserve of 239.6 million pounds U3O8 at an average grade of 2.37% U3O8, plus 80.7 million pounds of estimated inferred resources.
According to the company’s 2021 feasibility study, the deposit is planned to be accessed via two shafts: an 8 metre diameter production shaft with air intake and a 5.5 metre diameter exhaust shaft for a second egress. Production is planned using conventional longhole mining, and the estimated mill capacity is targeted at 1,300 tonnes of ore per day.
NexGen said about 300 people are currently working at the site. It also reported that more than 575,000 tonnes of aggregate have been crushed and stockpiled by a Clearwater River Dene Nation-partnered business, supporting up to 50 local jobs.
On site, major earthworks and surface infrastructure are advancing. The initial 3,000-foot (914 metres) airstrip has been commissioned, expanded site accommodations are complete and occupied, and the full 5,840-foot airstrip is expected to be completed by December. Shaft development is planned for 2027.
Harper said that, when completed, Rook I would deliver 20% of the world’s uranium supply and provide lasting economic benefit for the community and beyond, while NexGen’s CEO Leigh Curyer linked the project to delivering benefits for local communities, Saskatchewan, Canada, and the world.
- Construction started after final regulatory approval received in March
- Rook I is centred on the Arrow deposit in the southern Athabasca Basin (~155 km north of La Loche)
- Planned mine access via two shafts; production via conventional longhole mining; targeted mill capacity of 1,300 tonnes of ore per day
- Site activity includes airstrip commissioning, expanded accommodations, and aggregate crushing supported by a Clearwater River Dene Nation-partnered business
- Shaft development planned for 2027; full 5,840-foot airstrip expected by December