NexGen Energy Ltd.'s Rook I Project in the Athabasca Basin in northern Saskatchewan. (Image Credit: NexGen Energy Ltd./file)

By paNOW Staff

Two Thumbs Up

New uranium mines to push Saskatchewan into ‘new era’

Apr 2, 2026 | 3:42 PM

The approval of two uranium mines in northern Saskatchewan is helping the sector pick up some momentum. 

Two mines were given the green light from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission earlier this year. Denison Mines Corp. received approval on Feb. 19 to build its Wheeler River Project, and NexGen Energy Ltd. was approved on March 5 for the construction of their Rook I Project.  

“The Government of Saskatchewan is pleased to see Denison and NexGen reach this significant stage with their projects,” Energy and Resources Minister Chris Beaudry said in a press release issued by the province on Thursday.

The approvals mark the first thumbs up for uranium mine construction in Canada since 2004, when the government approved the development of the Cigar Lake project in northern Saskatchewan. 

The construction process of the mines will create more than 1,600 jobs, while the mines themselves will employ 700 people once operational. It’s estimated that around $2.8 billion is being invested into the Wheeler River and Rook I projects, both of which are located in the Athabasca Basin. 

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“Wheeler River and Rook I will provide generational economic opportunities for Saskatchewan people, particularly the Indigenous and Métis communities in the north, and strengthen our position in becoming the world leader in uranium production.” 

Denison President and CEO David Cates said that this announcement was over a decade in the making. 

“Today, we have a diverse portfolio of projectsn including our flagship Wheeler River project – which consists of the Phoenix In-Situ Recovery (ISR) uranium mine, and a potential future underground mine at the nearby Gryphon deposit. Phoenix will be the first ISR uranium mine to be built in Canada and reflects the best of Canadian mining ingenuity and determination.” 

“I am pleased to announce that site preparation and initial construction activities have already commenced at Phoenix, and that we are preparing to transition into full-scale construction. The support and encouragement of the Saskatchewan government have meaningfully contributed to the successful advancement of the project – providing us with a rigorous and stable regulatory environment that results in the predictability and confidence needed for a large-scale investment like a new mine.” 

NexGen Founder and CEO Leigh Curyer spoke along the same lines, stating the Rook I mine will generate billions for the province. 

“Our final approval of the Rook I Project on March 5, 2026, represents the beginning of construction of this generational project, which the NexGen team have been preparing for since the Arrow discovery 12 years ago. As a world-class project in a leading mining jurisdiction, Rook I will create opportunities in employment, local procurement, and community infrastructure, while generating an initial estimated $32.5 billion in total economic impact for Saskatchewan over its construction and initial operations phases. This will mean generational careers and investments available for infrastructure in the North and across the province.” 

Today, Saskatchewan’s uranium sector is responsible for over 3,300 jobs both from direct employees along with contractors, with 43 per cent of those mine site workers coming from communities in northern Saskatchewan. 

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panews@pattisonmedia.com