Athabasca Basin News

By Deht’anuhzeh Noey

On June 1, 1982, Merv first stepped foot on the Rabbit Lake mine site as a young mill trainee. What he didn’t know then was that this first day would mark the beginning of a remarkable 43-year career dedicated to growth, safety, and leadership at Cameco.

Over the decades, Merv steadily advanced through the ranks — from trainee to lead-hand in the mid-1990s, and finally to his long-standing role as the mill supervisor in 1998. In that position, he has guided countless coworkers with his knowledge, steady leadership, and unwavering commitment to safety. While reflecting on his time, Merv recalls some of the biggest changes he’s witnessed: the expansion of the mill in the mid-1980s, and major upgrades around 2000, including the construction of a new high pH building for water treatment. While the years are filled with countless memories, one that stands out most to him is weathering the challenges of industry layoffs — a reminder of both resilience and the value of strong teams.

For Merv, however, the heart of his career has always been about the people. “The good people to be around with, good people to work within various departments — it makes it all that much fun. After time goes by, they become like family.”

That sense of family, combined with his dedication to safety, has defined his approach: making sure everyone works safely so that each two-week rotation ends with everyone returning home. “Knowing that brings happiness that I did my job right,” he says.

To read more on this and other stories in the Fall edition of the Explorer Click here https://athabascabasin.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/ABD_ExplorerNewsletter_Fall25_FINAL_DIGITAL.pdf