Key Lake pit development a formidable design challenge

Interest in the mineral potential of the southeast rim of the Athabasca Basin was sparked in 1971 with the discovery of two uraniferous boulders 500 m from Key Lake. It was not until 1975, however, that geologists discovered the Gaertner deposit. The Deilmann deposit was drilled the following year. These two deposits, with combined reserves of over 3.5 million t grading 2.35 per cent U3O8, are the backbone of the non-communist world's largest uranium producer. Construction began at Key Lake in September 1981, following one of the most extensive public hearings ever held for a Canadian mining project. The Key Lake surface lease is one of this country's most stringent. Employment, training, business opportunities, environmental guidelines and monitoring processes are all spelled out in detail