Cameco Corp. Hall of Infamy

(last updated 2 Aug 2018)

• July 27, 2018: U.S. NRC issues Notice of Violation to Cameco for deficiencies at Smith Ranch in situ leach uranium mine (Wyoming)

• Apr. 19, 2018: Small hydrogen fluoride release in Cameco Port Hope UF₆ plant (Ontario)

• Dec. 19, 2017: Cameco seeks US$ 682 million in damages from Tepco for cancellation of Fukushima fuel supply contract (Japan)

• Oct. 16, 2017: 'Sulphur furnace ignition failure' (read: explosion) at acid plant of Key Lake mill (Saskatchewan)

• Sep. 13, 2017: CNSC issues CDN$ 17,830 penalty to Cameco for violations leading to hydrogen fluoride release in Port Hope UF₆ plant (Ontario)

• Sep. 8, 2017: Yellow Cake spills from damaged drum shipped from Cameco's Smith Ranch (Wyoming) in situ leach mine to Metropolis (Illinois) conversion facility

• Sep. 2, 2017: Cameco conceals massive exceeding of action limit for uranium concentration in sanitary sewer discharge at Port Hope conversion plant (Ontario)

• Jul. 8, 2017: Ammonia gas release at Cameco's Cigar Lake uranium mine (Saskatchewan)

• Jul. 4, 2017: U.S. NRC issues Notice of Violation to Cameco for violations with waste sludge transports leaving Smith Ranch in situ leach uranium mine (Wyoming)

• Jun. 24, 2017: Truck carrying uranium ore concentrate enters the ditch near Key Lake mill (Saskatchewan)

• May 10, 2017: Small hydrogen fluoride release in Cameco Port Hope UF₆ plant (Ontario)

• May 3, 2017: Small fire in Cameco Port Hope UO₂ plant (Ontario)

• Apr. 7, 2017: U.S. NRC cites Cameco for further violations with waste sludge transports leaving Smith Ranch in situ leach uranium mine (Wyoming)

• Mar. 11, 2017: U.S. NRC issues Confirmatory Order to Cameco for falsification of personnel contamination survey records at Smith Ranch in situ leach uranium mine (Wyoming)

• Feb. 25, 2017: Ammonia gas release at Cameco's Cigar Lake uranium mine (Saskatchewan)

• Feb. 22, 2017: Small fluorine release in Cameco Port Hope UF₆ plant (Ontario)

• Feb. 4, 2017: Small fluorine release in Cameco Port Hope UF₆ plant (Ontario)

• Jan. 29, 2017: Small uranium ore slurry spill when loading trailer at McArthur River mine for transport to Key Lake mill (Saskatchewan)

• Jan. 21, 2017: Ore slurry truck tire fire near Key Lake mill (Saskatchewan)

• Jan. 11, 2017: Small UF₆ release in Cameco Port Hope UF₆ plant (Ontario)

• Nov. 25, 2016: U.S. NRC issues Notice of Violation to Cameco for performing incorrect dose calculations at Smith Ranch in situ leach uranium mine (Wyoming)

• Sep. 1, 2016: Waste sludge transports from Cameco's Smith Ranch in situ leach uranium mine to White Mesa mill halted after repeated leakages (Wyoming/Utah)

• Feb. 6, 2016: Small fluorine gas release in Cameco Port Hope UF₆ plant (Ontario)

• Dec. 22, 2015: Uranium loads in lake sediments near Rabbit Lake mine on the increase again - in spite of mine effluent treatment now operating for seven years already (Saskatchewan)

• Jun. 5, 2015: Leaking deep disposal well at Smith Ranch in situ leach mine shut in after 20-month delay (Wyoming)

• Feb. 9, 2015: Cameco now also involved in tax dispute with the United States

• Nov. 28, 2014: Small hydrogen fluoride release in Cameco Port Hope UF₆ plant (Ontario)

• Sep. 30, 2014: Cameco Port Hope conversion plant discharges cooling water containing elevated levels of uranium and fluoride to harbour (Ontario)

• Feb. 19, 2014: Cameco Port Hope conversion plant effluent exceeds toxicity standard for water fleas (Ontario)

• Feb. 5, 2014: Cameco Port Hope UF₆ plant shut down after loss-of-control incident (Ontario)

• Sep. 19, 2013: Canada's government accuses Cameco of multi-million dollar tax dodge

• Jul. 17, 2013: U.S. NRC issues Notice of Violation to Cameco for deficiencies at Smith Ranch - Highland in situ leach uranium mine (Wyoming)

• Jun. 25, 2013: Legal action challenges Cameco/Areva deal with northern community of Pinehouse (Saskatchewan)

• Jun. 4, 2013: English River First Nation band members oppose Cameco/Areva deal (Saskatchewan)

• May 22, 2013: Cameco applies for relaxed groundwater restoration standards at Mine Unit B of Smith Ranch Highland in situ leach mine (Wyoming)

• May 1, 2013: Cameco saves taxes by selling its uranium through Swiss subsidiary

• Apr. 30, 2013: Cameco requests further exemption from groundwater restoration schedule at Mine Unit 3 of Crow Butte in situ leach uranium mine (Nebraska)

• Mar. 5, 2013: State regulator issues Notice of Violation for deficiencies resulting in excursion at Cameco's Highland in situ leach uranium mine (Wyoming)

• Nov. 1, 2012: Cameco agrees to pay $20,000 in settlement agreement on deficienies identified at Smith Ranch in situ leach uranium mine (Wyoming)

• Aug. 27, 2012: Spill of UO₂ powder at Cameco Port Hope fuel fabrication plant (Ontario)

• Jul. 28, 2012: Wyoming DEQ inspection finds 'potential for violations' at Cameco's Smith Ranch - Highland in situ leach uranium mine

• Jun. 29, 2012: Contamination incident at Cameco's Blind River Refinery (Ontario)

• Jun. 22, 2012: U.S. NRC refuses to review Cameco's requests for exemption from groundwater restoration schedules at Smith Ranch in situ leach uranium mine (Wyoming)

• May 18, 2012: Wyoming DEQ issues Notice of Violation to Cameco for deficienies identified at Smith Ranch in situ leach uranium mine

  May 14, 2012: Uranium discharges from Rabbit Lake (highest by far in Canada) showed increase rather than the predicted decrease in 2010 (Saskatchewan)

• Mar. 15, 2012: Cameco requests exemption from groundwater restoration schedules at Smith Ranch in situ leach uranium mine (Wyoming)

• Feb. 8, 2012: Cameco requests exemption from groundwater restoration schedules at Crow Butte in situ leach uranium mine (Nebraska)

• Nov. 10, 2011: Cameco seeks relaxed standards for groundwater restoration at Mine Unit B of its Highland in situ leach uranium mine, after U.S. NRC identified irregularities (Wyoming)

• Oct. 25, 2011: Numerous violations identified during inspection of Cameco's Highland / Smith Ranch in situ leach uranium mine (Wyoming)

• Jun. 13, 2011: Numerous deficiencies identified during inspection of abandoned drill holes at Cameco's Highland / Smith Ranch in situ leach uranium mine (Wyoming)

• May 25, 2011: Cameco ordered to officially report spill at Smith Ranch in situ leach uranium mine (Wyoming)

• Feb. 22, 2011: In spite of improvements, Rabbit Lake still Canada's uranium mine with by far the highest load of uranium discharged to the environment (Saskatchewan)

• Oct. 2010: Uranium loads in lake sediments near Rabbit Lake mine remain above "probable effects level" (Saskatchewan)

• Jun. 30, 2010: Cameco Port Hope UO₂ plant shut down after elevated uranium emissions (Ontario)

• Jun. 2, 2010: Sharp increase of uranium loads in lake sediments near Rabbit Lake mine - again (Saskatchewan)

• Jan. 27, 2010: Cameco Resources pays $13,000 fine for failure to report excursion at Highland ISL site (Wyoming)

• Dec. 8, 2009: Wyoming DEQ issues Notice of Violation to Cameco Resources for multiple failures at Highland ISL site

• Nov. 16, 2009: U.S. NRC cites Cameco for failure to decommission in-situ leach mine units at Smith Ranch in time (Wyoming)

• Oct. 14, 2009: String of incidents prompts investigation at Cameco Port Hope conversion plant (Ontario)

• Sep. 29, 2009: U.S. NRC identifies irregularities with groundwater restoration at Mine Unit B of Cameco's Highland in situ leach uranium mine (Wyoming)
• Mar. 9, 2009: Cameco Resources pays $5000 fine for failure to report excursion at Highland ISL site (Wyoming)

• Jan. 23, 2009: Wyoming DEQ issues Notice of Violation to Cameco Resources for failure to report excursion at Highland ISL site (Wyoming)

• Dec. 17, 2008: Leak under UO₂ plant contributes to contamination at Cameco's Port Hope conversion plant (Ontario)

• Nov. 25, 2008: U.S. NRC issues Notice of Violation to Cameco Resources for deficienies identified at Smith Ranch ISL mine (Wyoming)

• Sep. 3, 2008: Cameco Resources agrees to pay $50,000 fine for deficienies identified during abandoned drill hole inspection at Smith Ranch ISL site (Wyoming)

• Jul. 23, 2008: U.S. NRC staff determines Cameco Resources' license amendment request for the processing of third-party resin at its Smith Ranch - Highland in-situ leach mine is unacceptable for lack of environmental analysis (Wyoming)

• Jul. 17, 2008: Wyoming DEQ issues Notice of Violation to Cameco Resources for deficienies identified during abandoned drill hole inspection at Smith Ranch ISL site

• Jul. 10, 2008: Cameco reaches settlement with Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality on Smith Ranch ISL violations; $900,000 penalty

• May 15, 2008: Leak from Cameco's uranium conversion plant has reached Port Hope harbour (Ontario)

• Apr. 11, 2008: Seepage discovered at Rabbit Lake mill (Saskatchewan)

• Mar. 10, 2008: Wyoming DEQ denounces poor environmental compliance at Smith Ranch/Highland in situ leach mine, issues Notice of Violation to PRI for failure to conduct concurrent reclamation

• Dec. 11, 2007: U.S. NRC issues Notice of Violation to PRI for appointment of unqualified radiation safety officer at Smith Ranch (Wyoming)

• Nov. 28, 2007: Wyoming DEQ issues Notice of Violation to PRI on deep disposal well spill at Smith Ranch ISL site

• Oct. 3, 2007: Cameco reports subsoil contamination found at Port Hope conversion plant might have extended beyond property line (Ontario)

• Sep. 12, 2007: Wyoming DEQ issues Notice of Violation to PRI on major injection fluid spill at Highland ISL site

• Jul. 20, 2007: Cameco suspends operation of Port Hope conversion plant, after contaminants found in subsoil (Ontario)

• Jun. 22, 2007: Major spill at Highland in-situ leach uranium mine (Wyoming)

• May 4, 2007: Cameco releases investigation reports on Cigar Lake floods; concedes deficient development of mine led to flood (Saskatchewan)

• Jul. 27, 2004: Sharp increase of uranium loads in lake sediments near Rabbit Lake mine (Saskatchewan)

• Nov. 19, 2003: McArthur River miners exposed to higher radon levels during mine flooding (Saskatchewan)

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