SASKATOON — A partnership was formed between Eagle Plains Resources Ltd. and the Ya’thi Néné Lands and Resource Office, which recently signed a mineral exploration agreement in northern Saskatchewan. The agreement will support exploration in Nuhenéné, the traditional territory of the Athabasca First Nations in Treaty 8 and Treaty 10 Territories.
The YNLR represents the Athabasca DenesuÅ‚iné First Nations, which is composed of First Nations communities in Hatchet Lake, Black Lake, and Fond du Lac, and Northern Hamlet of Stony Rapids, and Northern Settlements of Uranium City, Wollaston Lake and Camsell Portage.
The agreement recognizes Eagle Plains’ commitment to building a mutually beneficial relationship with the Athabasca communities. Their partnership will be guided by YNLR’s vision for economic growth, environmental stewardship, and cultural preservation.
YNLR Board Chair Mary Denechezhe said the agreement promotes employment and training opportunities and respect for local practices, aligning with Eagle Plains’ dedication to responsible exploration practices.
“We welcome this opportunity to work collaboratively to prioritize our land, water, and cultural values. Through this partnership, we are building economic opportunities and a framework that strengthens the community voices in protecting our traditional territory for future generations,” said Denechezhe.
The agreement enables active participation from Basin Communities through opportunities for employment and training, contracting with northern businesses, contributions to YNLR's community trust, and harvester compensation.
Regular communication between Eagle Plains and YNLR will directly inform exploration permitting, environmental monitoring and program implementation, with YNLR’s Community Land Technicians providing on-site oversight and assessment of exploration activities.
Eagle Plains has been active in Saskatchewan’s uranium exploration since 2006, currently holding a 100 per cent interest in 19 individual projects comprising approximately 54,598 hectares of mineral dispositions covering basement and unconformity-hosted uranium targets.
The projects range from early-stage grassroots to drill-ready and are distributed throughout the prospective Athabasca Basin, including the Patterson Lake Â鶹ÊÓƵ, Beaverlodge, and Dufferin-Centennial camps.
The Exploration Agreement covers six individual projects: Gulch, Lorado, Beaver River, Black Bay, Don Lake, and Smitty in the Lake Athabasca region, under option to Xcite Resources Inc.
Eagle Plains CEO Chuck Downie said they are honoured to gain the Basin communities’ support in advancing exploration projects as they continue to build respectful and beneficial relationships with all of the Athabasca communities.
”Protection of land and water and direct participation from people who live in our project areas is paramount to our success. The Exploration Agreement will provide a path for a long-term partnership between Eagle Plains, YNLR, and the Basin Communities. It will also ensure meaningful participation in projects conducted on their traditional lands,” said Downie.
