Cameco said its most immediate goal was to remain competitive and in a position to be among the first to respond when the market calls for more uranium.
It will sell its newest mine to Harmony Gold for $300 million and another mine for 100 million rand ($7.4 million) to China's Heaven-Sent SA Sunshine Investment Company.
The CLEER (Clean, Low-energy, Effective, Engaged and Remediated) project focuses on water use, energy intensity and environmental footprint, with aggressive targets of a 50% reduction in each area by 2027.
A strong price recovery for the main commodities South Africa mines and exports has helped the country’s sector stage a turnaround in 2017, the first time in five years the industry is back in the black.