Nuclear facility – Rook I
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NexGen Energy Ltd. (NexGen) is authorized to prepare a site for and construct the Rook I Project, a uranium mining and milling operation on the Patterson Lake peninsula in the southwestern Athabasca Basin in northern Saskatchewan, approximately 155 km north of the town of La Loche.
The licence issued to NexGen authorizes site preparation and construction activities under the Nuclear Safety and Control Act. The licence does not authorize the operation of the facility. Authorization to operate the facility would be subject to a future Commission licensing hearing and decision, should NexGen submit a licence application to do so.
If operation of the facility were to be authorized, the Rook I project would have a production rate of up to a projected 11.5 million kilograms of uranium per year.
| Location | Patterson Lake peninsula, northern Saskatchewan |
|---|---|
| Licensee | NexGen Energy Ltd. |
| Owner | NexGen Energy Ltd. |
| Facility type | Uranium mine and mill |
| Status | Site preparation and construction |
| Licence issued | March 4, 2026 |
| Licence expires | March 31, 2036 |
| Licensing documentation | Request a copy of the Rook I Project site preparation and construction licence and licence conditions handbook at cnsc.info.ccsn@cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca |
| Facility website | NexGen Energy Ltd. |
Latest news
Commission proceedings
The Commission is an independent administrative tribunal set up at arm’s length from government, without ties to the nuclear industry. Use the links below to find documents related to Commission meetings or hearings.
- March 5, 2026: Commission issues a licence to NexGen Energy Ltd. authorizing site preparation and construction of its Rook I Project
- February 9–12, 2026: Part 2 of the 2-part public hearing on the Rook I Project – Licence application to prepare site and construct
- November 19, 2025: Part 1 of the 2-part public hearing on the Rook I Project – Licence application to prepare site and construct
- August 20, 2025: Revised notice of public hearing and participant funding – Licence application to prepare a site for and construct NexGen Energy Ltd.’s Rook I uranium mine and mill project (PDF, 4 pages, 135 KB)
- March 11, 2025: Notice of public hearing and participant funding – Licence application to prepare a site for and construct NexGen Energy Ltd.’s Rook I uranium mine and mill project (PDF, 4 pages, 263 KB)
- February 20, 2020: Record of decision on the scope of an environmental assessment for the proposed Rook I Project
Regulatory actions
The CNSC posts regulatory enforcement actions taken to protect the health, safety and security of Canadians and the environment. Use the following links to find out more about any orders or penalties that have been issued to this licensee.
Disclosure
Licensees must report to the CNSC all events and incidents involving licensed activities that could impact the environment or the health, safety and security of people in Canada. Use the following links to find public disclosures made by this or any other licensee: No disclosures
Timeline
A summary of regulatory milestones and updates for the facility can be found below.
- March 5, 2026: Commission issues a licence to NexGen Energy Ltd. authorizing site preparation and construction of its Rook I Project
- February 9 to 12, 2026: Commission held Part 1 of a 2-part public hearing on NexGen’s application for a licence to prepare site and to construct
- November 19, 2025: Commission held Part 1 of a 2-part public hearing on NexGen’s application for a licence to prepare site and to construct
- March 2025: Commission announced that it would hold a 2-part public hearing to consider NexGen’s application for a licence to prepare a site for and to construct the Project
- January 28, 2025: CNSC letter to NexGen Energy Ltd. – Acceptance of Final EIS and supporting documents
- November 18, 2024: CNSC letter to NexGen Energy Ltd. Regarding Rook l Project
- February 22, 2024: CNSC letter to NexGen Energy Ltd. regarding Rook 1 Project
- September 1, 2023: CNSC letter to NexGen Energy Ltd. regarding Rook 1 Project
- February 2020: Commission issued its decision on the scope of the EA
- August 2019: CEAA 2012 was repealed when the Impact Assessment Act (IAA) came into force; the EA continued under CEAA 2012 in accordance with the transitional provisions set out in section 182 of the IAA
- May 2019: EA for the Project commenced following NexGen’s submission of the project description
- February 14, 2019: NexGen submitted an initial licence application to prepare site and construct.
Protecting the Canadian population and the environment
Environment
The CNSC uses information provided by licensees to create its own reports assessing the environmental effects of nuclear facilities or licensed activities:
- Environmental monitoring: See the independent environmental monitoring results collected by the CNSC
- Environmental risk assessment: Email cnsc.info.ccsn@cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca to request a copy
- Federal, provincial and municipal monitoring programs: See the list of monitoring programs managed by other levels of government
- Radionuclide releases: Uranium Mines and Mills dataset in the Open Government catalogue for information on releases from this facility
Health and safety
The CNSC oversees licensee emergency planning and works with other levels of government to ensure the health and safety of all people in Canada. The CNSC also conducts and reviews various health studies related to the production, possession or use of nuclear substances.
- CNSC health studies on uranium miners: Consult relevant health studies of CNSC-regulated nuclear facilities and activities
Related links
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