EX-99.1
2
a20220623-den_phpressrele.htm
PRESS RELEASE DATED JUNE 23, 2022
a20220623-den_phpressrele
Exhibit 99.1
Denison Mines
Corp.
1100 – 40
University Ave
Toronto, ON M5J
1T1
www.denisonmines.com
PRESS
RELEASE
Denison
Announces Execution of
Agreements with Kineepik Métis
Local #9
Toronto, ON – June 23,
2022. Denison Mines Corp. (“Denison” or the
“Company”) (TSX: DML; NYSE American: DNN) is pleased to
announce that it has entered into a Participation and Funding
Agreement (the “Participation Agreement”) with Kineepik
Métis Local #9 (“KML”), which expresses
Denison’s and KML’s mutual commitment to the co-development of an agreement supporting the
advancement of the in-situ recovery (“ISR”) uranium
mining operation proposed at the Company’s 95% owned Wheeler
River Uranium Project (“Wheeler River Project”). The
Participation Agreement builds on an existing letter agreement
between Denison and KML with
respect to the support of KML’s contributions to, and participation in, the
Federal and Provincial Environmental Assessment process for the
Wheeler River Project.
Additionally,
Denison and KML have entered into an Exploration Agreement (the
“Exploration Agreement”) in respect of Denison’s
exploration and evaluation activities within KML’s land and
occupancy area.
KML represents
the Métis rights holders who live and practice traditional
activities in the vicinity of the Wheeler River Project and the
municipality of the Village of Pinehouse (which is located 225km
south of the Key Lake mill, on Highway 914). Métis Citizens of
KML have substantive ties to the territory in the Athabasca Basin
region that includes Denison’s Wheeler River Project and
several exploration properties located between the McArthur River
mine and Key Lake mill.
The Participation Agreement and Exploration
Agreement were signed in the Village of Pinehouse during the annual
Elders Gathering festivities, which are being held this year during
the week of National Indigenous Peoples Day on June
21st.
Following the formal signing, David Cates, President & CEO of
Denison, commented that “Denison
values the long-standing relationships it has built with KML and
the community of Pinehouse, and is deeply respectful of the
community’s thriving culture, deep-rooted traditions and
aspirations for further economic growth and
prosperity.”
Mike Natomagan, President of KML, remarked
that “We
are extremely pleased by Denison being proactive and look forward
to creating a mutually beneficial reality for Denison’s
activities, which exceeds all of our expectation and combined
efforts. We are so grateful to build a partnership together with
Denison. From our perspective, this is what it is all
about.”
David Cates added, “These
agreements demonstrate Denison’s commitment to advancing
reconciliation through taking action and reflect the principles
expressed in our Indigenous Peoples Policy. We view these
agreements with KML as foundational to the sustainable advancement
of our various operations in the Athabasca Basin region, as they
establish the ways in which we will continue to work together
positively with KML on both the advancement of the Wheeler River
Project and our extensive exploration
portfolio.”
Exploration Agreement
The
Exploration Agreement establishes a progressive and sustainable
basis for maintaining a cooperative and mutually beneficial
relationship between the parties, which respects the rights and
interests of KML, while supporting Denison’s exploration and
evaluation activities in KML’s land and occupancy area. The
Exploration Agreement includes a framework for predictable
information-sharing and permitting processes, environmental
protection and monitoring, as well as the sharing of benefits to
support KML community development initiatives. Through this
cooperative approach, Denison is able to obtain consent for its
exploration and evaluation activities within KML’s land and
occupancy area.
Participation Agreement
The
Participation Agreement, together with other arrangements already
in place, supports the advancement of the ISR uranium mining
operation proposed for the Wheeler River Project through the
Federal and Provincial Environmental Assessment process, and
outlines a mutually agreeable process and funding to support the
co-development of a further shared prosperity agreement with
respect to the project’s future development. The joint vision
of a future shared prosperity agreement is to outline the benefits
to KML, as well as the characteristics of a positive legacy, that
can be associated with the sustainable future development of the
Wheeler River Project.
About KML
KML peoples are considered Woodland Cree, Woodland Dene, and
Woodland Métis, although historical documents indicate that
members of KML came from a diverse range of Métis, First
Nations, and other backgrounds.
The Northern Village of Pinehouse (“NVP”) is located
within the land and occupancy area of the Indigenous people of KML.
The lands surrounding Missinippi (Churchill River) watershed have
been used for gathering food, shelter, and material supplies since
time immemorial.
KML and NVP residents routinely enjoy significant employment and
business opportunities for projects that occur in KML territory,
because of their combined and collaborative efforts. Great pride is
taken in the work ethic of KML and NVP people to add value to the
community and province. With community owned businesses, profits
have been used to build increased energy efficient housing, youth
infrastructure such as a local hockey arena, and a 12-unit Elders
housing facility.
About Denison
Denison is a uranium exploration and development company with
interests focused in the Athabasca Basin region of northern
Saskatchewan, Canada. The Company has an effective 95% interest in
its flagship Wheeler River Uranium Project, which is the largest
undeveloped uranium project in the infrastructure rich eastern
portion of the Athabasca Basin region of northern Saskatchewan. A
PFS was completed for Wheeler River in late 2018, considering the
potential economic merit of developing Phoenix as an ISR operation
and the Gryphon deposit as a conventional underground mining
operation.
Denison's interests in Saskatchewan also include a 22.5% ownership
interest in the McClean Lake Joint Venture, which includes several
uranium deposits and the McClean Lake uranium mill, which is
contracted to process the ore from the Cigar Lake mine under a toll
milling agreement, plus a 25.17% interest in the Midwest Main and
Midwest A deposits and a 66.90% interest in the Tthe Heldeth
Túé (‘THT,’ formerly J Zone) and Huskie
deposits on the Waterbury Lake property. The Midwest Main, Midwest
A, THT and Huskie deposits are located within 20 kilometres of the
McClean Lake mill. Denison’s exploration portfolio includes
further interests in properties covering approximately 297,000
hectares in the Athabasca Basin region.
Through its 50% ownership of JCU, Denison holds additional
interests in various uranium project joint ventures in Canada,
including the Millennium project (JCU, 30.099%), the Kiggavik
project (JCU, 33.8123%) and Christie Lake (JCU,
34.4508%).
Denison is also engaged in post-closure mine care and maintenance
services through its Closed Mines group (formerly Denison
Environmental Services), which manages Denison's reclaimed mine
sites in the Elliot Lake region and provides related services to
certain third-party projects.
For more information, please contact
David
Cates
(416) 979-1991 ext
362
President and
Chief Executive Officer
Mac
McDonald
(416) 979-1991 ext 242
Executive Vice
President and Chief Financial Officer
Certain information contained in this news release constitutes
‘forward-looking information’, within the meaning of
the applicable United States and Canadian legislation, concerning
the business, operations and financial performance and condition of
Denison. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be
identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as
‘potential’, ‘plans’,
‘expects’, ‘budget’,
‘scheduled’, ‘estimates’,
‘forecasts’, ‘intends’,
‘anticipates’, or ‘believes’, or the
negatives and/or variations of such words and phrases, or state
that certain actions, events or results ‘may’,
‘could’, ‘would’, ‘might’ or
‘will be taken’, ‘occur’ or ‘be
achieved’.
In particular, this news release contains forward-looking
information pertaining to the following: expectations with respect
to the agreements and intended cooperation with KML with respect
thereto; intentions regarding engagement with respect to the
Wheeler River project, including participation funding;
exploration, development and expansion plans and objectives,
generally; and expectations regarding its joint venture ownership
interests and the continuity of its agreements with its partners
and third parties.
Forward looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates
of management as of the date such statements are made, and they are
subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors
that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance
or achievements of Denison to be materially different from those
expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. For
example, the modelling and assumptions upon which the work plans
for exploration and/or the Wheeler River Project are based may not
be maintained after further work is completed. In addition, Denison
may decide or otherwise be required to discontinue exploration,
testing, evaluation and development work if it is unable to
maintain or otherwise secure the necessary resources (such as
testing facilities, capital funding, regulatory approvals, etc.).
Denison believes that the expectations reflected in this
forward-looking information are reasonable but no assurance can be
given that these expectations will prove to be accurate and results
may differ materially from those anticipated in this
forward-looking information. For a discussion in respect of risks
and other factors that could influence forward-looking events,
please refer to the factors discussed in Denison’s Annual
Information Form dated March 25, 2022 or subsequent quarterly
financial reports under the heading ‘Risk Factors’.
These factors are not, and should not be construed as being
exhaustive.
Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on
forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information
contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this
cautionary statement. Any forward-looking information and the
assumptions made with respect thereto speaks only as of the date of
this news release. Denison does not undertake any obligation to
publicly update or revise any forward-looking information after the
date of this news release to conform such information to actual
results or to changes in Denison's expectations except as otherwise
required by applicable legislation.