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The Wheeler
River Project.

The Wheeler River Project is situated in the eastern portion of the Athabasca Basin region in northern Saskatchewan, and it is the site of a proposed In Situ Recovery (ISR) uranium mining project. It is located 35 km north-northeast of the Key Lake mill and 35 km southwest of the McArther River uranium mine, within the traditional territory of several Indigenous peoples. Denison Mines has an effective 95% ownership of the project, and as the project operator we are working closely with Indigenous groups and local communities to establish a positive legacy through the development of the project.

ISR MINING

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Community

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Environment

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IN SITU RECOVERY MINING

It’s not business
as usual, it’s
business UNusual.

In situ recovery (ISR) mining is widely used outside of Canada, but the Wheeler River Project will mark the first time this method is used at a Canadian uranium mining site. With no conventional tailings, no large waste rock piles, and no open pits or major earthworks, ISR mining is progressive, economical, and environmentally responsible.

Once the active mining is done, the mining zone will be restored to environmentally acceptable levels standards before the containment area around the mining zone will be removed, which is the freeze wall.

What is ISR Mining?

Simply put, ISR mining is the controlled injection of a liquid mining solution underground through a series of wells. The mining solution is moved through the ore body using low levels of pumping pressure, dissolving uranium along the way. Then the solution and the dissolved uranium are pulled back up to surface for processing. ISR is different from other mining methods because all the activity is managed from the surface.

How will ISR mining work at the Phoenix deposit?

Before any injection or recovery activities begin at the Phoenix deposit, a freeze wall will be installed around the area being actively mined. This freeze wall will extend from the surface down to the competent basement rock below the Phoenix ore body, creating an impermeable barrier between the active mining area within the ore zone and the surrounding regional groundwater. The freeze wall will remain in place until the mining is complete and the mining area has met the criteria set by the regulators as environmentally acceptable.

How does the mining solution reach the deposit?

Once the freeze wall is in place, a series of conventional wells (between 3 and 7 inches wide) are installed in the area called the ISR wellfield. The wells go through approximately 400m of sandstone into the Phoenix ore body.

These wells allow for either the injection of the liquid mining solution, or recovery of the solution that carries uranium that has been dissolved underground. These wells can also be used as monitoring wells, to allow us to collect samples in relation to the activities underground.

Does the ISR method use a lot of water?

The injection and recovery wells form a near-closed loop system, recirculating the mining solution as much as possible to reduce the amount of water required to create the mining solution. Recirculating the solution also reduces the amount of water that needs to be treated and tested against water quality objectives before being discharged into the environment.

Watch the video for more information on the ISR mining method.

COMMUNITY

We listen to communities and share benefits, even at the early stages of exploration.

Denison is proud to be a leader of exploration and development mining companies in relation to reconciliation. In 2021, Denison’s Board endorsed its Indigenous Peoples Policy; a first for companies operating in the areas where we operate. This policy sets out our commitment on action in relation to reconciliation in five key areas: Engagement, Empowerment, Environment, Employment, and Education.

Every community has their own unique needs in relation to how development activities occur in the region. We work hard to listen to their concerns, and we value their knowledge and insight. Our team members visit communities often to deepen our understanding of who they are and what matters to them.

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300

JOBS

2 YEARS OF
CONSTRUCTION

100

JOBS

10 YEARS OF
OPERATION

Economic opportunities.

Denison Mines is invested in hiring local talent and supporting local Indigenous-owned businesses whenever possible. The project will need to fill up to 300 jobs during 2 years of construction and approximately 100 jobs during 10 years of operation in a safe, above-ground work environment. Many of the required roles will be similar to roles at existing uranium operations, and ISR-specific training will be provided when necessary.

Meet the team.

Kevin Himbeault

Vice-President, Operations &
Regulatory Affairs

Carolanne Inglis-McQuay

Director, Corporate Social Responsibility

Janna Switzer

Director, HSE Regulatory Compliance

Xavier Ludac

Director, Project Execution

Chad Sorba

Director, Technical Services

Dana Harris

Projects Services Manager

Dustin Heisler

Manager, Health and Safety

Less self-interest. More community interest.

We continue to engage with interested parties, including Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities potentially affected by the Wheeler River Project. Through ongoing outreach sessions, we have learned a lot about the environmental and community priorities that will make the project safe and successful for all.

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ENVIRONMENT

No conventional tailings.
No waste rock piles.
No underground workings.

Understanding the potential effects the Wheeler River Project will have on the environment is a priority for Denison Mines. The ISR mining method leaves no conventional tailings, waste rock piles, or underground workings. This will make it much easier to reclaim the site area when the operation is finished. The ISR method reduces the footprint and intensity of mining to maintain natural habitats—and that’s good news for all our partners. The lifespan of the Wheeler River project will be short compared to other operations in the area, meaning that closure and cleanup of the site is planned to be completed within a generation.

In the last several years, we have made significant progress in the Environmental Assessment process. In May 2019 the Wheeler River Project Description was accepted and made available to the public. In October 2022 we submitted a draft Environmental Impact Statement to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. The environmental assessment process includes a significant public commenting process that ensures transparency about the activities Denison is proposing, and how Denison plans to undertake the work.

Frequently asked questions.

What is ISR Mining?

In Situ Recovery or ISR is a method of mining an orebody in place. It involves using a liquid mining solution (referred to as a lixiviant), which is pumped through an orebody at depth via the use of injection and recovery wells to recover the uranium. Uranium is dissolved in place as the lixiviant travels from an injection well towards a recovery well and then back to surface as part of the mining process. The active ‘mining’ occurs in ground with recovery of the uranium occurring by leaching, as the mining solution passes through the uranium bearing host rock and dissolved the uranium. Specific to the Phoenix deposit, a freeze wall is installed from surface to the mining depth around the perimeter of the ore body to ensure the lixiviant is fully contained and does not travel into the surrounding environment.

What is the impact of ISR mining on water quality?

The overall environmental impact to surface water quality will be predicted through the environmental assessment process. The operational nature of ISR mining allows Denison to recycle a significant amount of water and we anticipate the volume of water to be released to the environment to be quite low compared to other Northern Saskatchewan mine sites. All site water will be tested and when required, treated to meet regulatory requirements established through the EA and licensing process to ensure the downstream environment remains protected.

Why is In Situ Recovery (ISR) only now being introduced in Canada?

ISR mining has gained in prominence in the uranium sector in the last 15 years with the development of uranium mines in Kazakhstan. When Cigar Lake and McArthur were developed, ISR mining was less common and was not considered applicable to the Athabasca Basin. Since then, advancements in ISR and ground freezing technology have allowed Denison to design an ISR mine that is expected to work for certain deposits in the Athabasca Basin.

What legacy will Denison leave behind for the people of northern Saskatchewan?

The people of northern Saskatchewan have clear ideas of how they want to work with the next generation of uranium mining operations, and so determining what kind of positive legacy Denison will have within the north must be determined by the people of northern Saskatchewan and Denison together.

When will construction and mining start?

Construction timing depends on the completion of several stages of the Environmental Assessment (EA) process. The total lifespan of the Wheeler River project is estimated at 20 years. It is anticipated that construction will last for approximately 2 years, the site will be operational for approximately 10 years, closure and reclamation procedures will last for approximately 8 years. Construction and production start dates are dependent on obtaining permits from the Province and the CSNC; as well as completion of detailed project engineering and financing.

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