Cameco (TSX:CCO) (NYSE:CCJ) announced election of directors and the start of commercial production at the Cigar Lake operation at its annual general meeting today. Commercial production signals a transition in the accounting treatment for costs incurred at the mine. During May, Cameco met all of the criteria for commercial production, including cycle time and process specifications. Therefore, effective May 1, 2015, all production costs, including depreciation, will be charged to inventory and subsequently recognized in cost of sales as the product is sold as disclosed in our first quarter management discussion and analysis. Mining at Cigar Lake began in March 2014, with the first packaged uranium concentrate available in October 2014. The operation remains on track to achieve in 2015 the annual production target of 6 million to 8 million packaged pounds (100% basis). Cameco expects Cigar Lake to ramp up to its full annual production rate of 18 million pounds (100% basis) by 2018 (Cameco's share 9 million pounds). The mine employs more than 600 highly-skilled workers, with the majority being residents of Saskatchewan's north.
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