COVID-19 Supply Chain Risks

摘要

Two weeks ago, in our cover story entitled “COVID-19Fallout,” we noted that it was too early to forecast the ongoingpandemic’s impacts on the nuclear fuel cycle, but last weekwe witnessed its first effect on global uranium productionwhen Cameco and Orano announced that they would temporarilyshut down the Cigar Lake mine, the world’s largest uraniummine (after the idled McArthur River) and its associatedMcClean Lake mill in Saskatchewan, Canada, respectively,for a period of at least four weeks. Over this time, Camecosaid it will assess the status of the situation and determinewhether to restart the mine or extend the care and maintenanceperiod.