| Baseload |
The minimum amount of electric power delivered or required over a given period of time at a steady rate. |
| CANDU |
Canada, Deuterium, Uranium. Canadian designed and built pressure-tube nuclear reactor, which uses natural uranium as fuel and heavy water (deuterium oxide) as the moderator. |
| Capacity Factor |
The ratio of the electricity generated by a power plant compared to the electricity that could have been produced during a specific period if the plant had operated continuously at full power. |
| CNSC |
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission |
| Conversion |
The chemical process that changes U3O8 to UF6 in preparation for enrichment. |
| Conversion Factors |
Weights and measures are indicated in the unit most commonly used in specific areas of the industry. These are noted with * and conversion factors are provided below.
| Take This: |
Do This |
To Obtain This |
| t |
x 1.10 |
= T |
| *T |
x 0.90 |
= t |
| *oz/T |
x 34.28 |
= g/t |
| *lb U3O8 |
÷ 2599.8 |
= tU |
| tU |
x 2599.8 |
= lb U3O8 |
| *% U3O8 |
÷ 1.18 |
= % U |
|
| Decommissioning |
All stages following the shutdown of a nuclear facility, from final closure through the removal of radioactivity from the site, including physical dismantling and decontamination of all non-reusable facilities and equipment. |
| Electricity Measurements |
1kW x 1000 = 1MW x 1000 = 1GW x 1000 = 1TW |
| Kilowatt (kW): kilowatt-hour (kWh) |
A kilowatt is a unit of power representing the rate at which energy is used or produced. One kilowatt-hour is a unit of energy, and represents one hour of electricity consumption at a constant rate of 1kW. |
| Megawatt (MW): megawatt-hour (MWh) |
A megawatt equals 1000 kW. One megawatt-hour represents one hour of electricity consumption at a constant rate of 1MW. |
| Gigawatt (GW): gigawatt-hour (GWh) |
A gigawatt equals 1000 MW. One gigawatthour represents one hour of electricity consumed at a constant rate of 1GW. |
| Terawatt (TW): terawatt-hour (TWh) |
One terawatt equals 1000 GW. One terawatt-hour represents one hour of electricity consumption at a constant rate of 1TW. |
| Enriched Uranium |
Uranium in which the content of the isotope uranium-235 has been increased above its natural value of 0.7% by weight. Typical low-enriched uranium for commercial power reactors is enriched in uranium-235 to the range of 3% to 5%. In highly enriched uranium, the uranium-235 has been increased to 20% or more. |
| In Situ Recovery (ISR) |
A mining method that involves pumping a solution down an injection well where it flows through the deposit, dissolving uranium. The uranium-bearing solution is pumped to surface where the uranium is recovered from the solution. |
| Light Water Reactor |
A thermal reactor using ordinary water both as a moderator and as a coolant with enriched uranium as fuel. |
| Long-Term Price |
The price for product sold or purchased under contract for multiple deliveries beginning after one year. |
| Mineral Reserves |
Is the economically mineable part of a measured or indicated mineral resource demonstrated by at least a preliminary feasibility study. This study must include adequate information on mining, processing, metallurgical, economic and other relevant factors that demonstrate, at the time of reporting, that economic extraction can be justified. A mineral reserve includes diluting materials and allowances for losses that may occur when the material is mined. |
| Mineral Resources |
Is a concentration or occurrence of diamonds, natural solid inorganic material, or natural solid fossilized organic material, including base and precious metals, coal and industrial minerals in or on the Earth’s crust in such form and quantity and of such a grade or quality that it has reasonable prospects for economic extraction. The location, quantity, grade, geological characteristics and continuity of a mineral resource are known, estimated or interpreted from specific geological evidence and knowledge. |
| Ounce (oz) |
All ounces in this report are troy ounces. |
| Outage |
A temporary suspension of electricity generation at a power plant. |
| Radiation |
Radiation occurs naturally. It is a type of energy that travels through space in the form of waves, or particles, which give up all or part of their energy on contact with matter. Radiation can take the form of alpha or beta particles, X-rays or gamma rays, or neutrons. |
| Spot Market Price |
Price for product sold or purchased in the spot market rather than under a long-term contract. Spot market transactions are generally for delivery within one year. |
| t |
Tonne (metric ton) |
| T |
Ton (short ton) |
| UO2 |
Uranium dioxide. Converted from UO3 at Cameco’s Port Hope plant, then compressed to pellets and sintered by fuel fabricators to make fuel for CANDU reactors. |
| UO3 |
Uranium trioxide. An intermediate product produced at Cameco’s Blind River refinery and used as feed to produce UO2 and UF6 at Cameco’s Port Hope conversion plants. |
| U3O8 |
Triuranium octoxide. At Cameco operations, it is in the form of concentrate, often called yellowcake. |
| UF6 |
Uranium hexafluoride. Converted from UO3 at Cameco’s Port Hope plant. Following enrichment, UF6 is converted to enriched UO2 suitable for fabrication into fuel for light-water reactors. |
| Uranium |
Chemical element with atomic number 92 and atomic symbol U, which has three natural isotopes: U234, U235 and U238. The only naturally occurring fissile nuclide is U235, a quality that is exploited as a source of energy. Natural uranium contains 0.7% of this isotope. |
