Denison Mines (TSE: DML) (NYSEAMERICAN: DNN) has advanced construction at its Phoenix in-situ recovery uranium project in northern Saskatchewan, moving beyond site preparation and into full-scale development with the start of the Phase 1 perimeter freeze wall installation.
The company said the milestone marks the next stage in building what it expects will become Canada’s first new large-scale uranium mine since Cigar Lake. Construction crews began preparing the site in March 2026 and have since completed several key activities needed before major construction could begin.
Additionally, Denison has largely finished clearing the site and advanced civil work that was considered critical to the project’s schedule. Workers also established construction management facilities to support the expanding operation.
The company installed and commissioned a temporary construction camp that increased accommodation capacity at the Wheeler River property to nearly 400 people. That expansion allows Denison and its contractors to increase the number of workers on site as construction accelerates.
Meanwhile, crews continue producing aggregate at a nearby quarry for civil construction work. They have also mobilized a concrete batch plant to the project site ahead of planned foundation work.
Denison expects concrete work for the electrical substation and the main process plant foundations to begin in August. Those activities represent several of the project’s most time-sensitive construction steps.
President and chief executive officer David Cates said the company has completed the preparation needed to significantly expand construction activities. He added that site work has progressed well, with more than 20 per cent of overall civil construction now complete.
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The freeze wall forms a frozen underground barrier
Furthermore, Cates said crews have nearly finished the civil subgrade work for the process plant and wellfield areas. That work prepares the site for major concrete pours and supports the installation of the freeze wall system.
The freeze wall forms a frozen underground barrier around the mining area. It isolates groundwater and creates stable conditions so the company can safely recover uranium using in-situ recovery methods rather than conventional underground mining.
Construction activity is expected to increase throughout the remainder of the summer. Denison plans to introduce a second work shift so crews can continue seasonally sensitive civil construction almost around the clock.
Additionally, the expanded schedule aims to keep the project on track for several first-year construction milestones. Those include pouring foundations for the process plant and main power transformer, completing the freeze wall installation and carrying out earthworks for the airstrip and on-site power distribution system.
Cates said the early progress reflects the company’s readiness and the commitment of its construction partners. He also said the project represents an important step toward bringing a new large-scale uranium mine into production in Canada after years without a comparable development.
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