Production is regulated at 18.7×106 pounds (8.5×106 kg) of yellowcake a year with the ore being processed through the Key Lake mill.

Ignoring the fact that 2000 mostly saw a ramp-up to full scale production and the effect of the Key Lake mine ore, this averages to roughly 17.9×106 pounds (8.1×106 kg) yearly production or some 96% of the above-mentioned 18.7 million pound per year limit.

In July 2018, citing continued low uranium prices, Cameco suspended McArthur River/Key Lake operations and placed the mine on care and maintenance.

At a typical burnup of 200 MWhthermal per kilo of heavy metal[8] The yearly production of roughly 16.1×106 pounds (7.3×106 kg) U3O8 is equivalent to roughly 6.2 kilotonnes (6,100 long tons; 6,800 short tons) of uranium metal and per the above burnup value some 4.46 exajoules (1.24×1012 kWh) (or the equivalent of 1.066 gigatonnes of TNT (4.46 EJ)) of thermal energy can be produced from this much uranium in CANDU type reactors.

For comparison, the North Antelope Rochelle Mine, formerly the largest coal mine in the world, produces some 100 megatonnes (98,000,000 long tons; 110,000,000 short tons) of coal per year at a heating value of 8,800 British thermal units per pound (20,000 kJ/kg) for an overall heat content of roughly 2.047 exajoules (5.69×1011 kWh).