Drilling commences in the Namib-Nauklauft
The search for uranium has recommenced following an announcement by Deep Yellow that it has started drilling activities again despite the fact that the spot price for uranium was in the doldrums and even went below US$30 this year.
Players in the field have employed a vast array of options including but not limited to; cost measures citing examples witnessed at Paladin Energy’s Langer Heinrich operation, Marenica’s U-pgrade processing technology that is still in its development stage and even more daring, a demonstration plant under construction at Bannerman’s Etango project. More significant, however, was Rio Tinto’s Rossing operation reporting a profit in June this year.
Commenting on the activities, Deep Yellow Managing Director, Greg Cochran said, “We are excited about being in the field after a lengthy period where slow but critical work was conducted to assess prospectivity and in the case of the palaeochannels, resource potential.”
According to Cochran, “Good results from the palaeochannel program will enable us to consider additional definition and extension drilling and possibly bench scale test-work whilst success in the reconnaissance program would be the discovery of a [preferably higher-grade] uranium bearing alaskite prospect or even prospects.”
The first part of the drilling project focussed on the Tumas Zone 1 Palaeochannel located on EPL3497. Using samples from the deposit, Marenica Energy Corporation conducted ore characterisation work and found encouraging results employing its U-grade technology.
