New U figures for Elkon, Inca and Nyang
29 July 2010
Russian state uranium holding AtomRedMetZoloto (ARMZ) has published a new resource estimate for one of the world's major uranium deposits, the Elkon uranium district. Meanwhile, maiden resource figures have been released for the Nyang project in Western Australia and updated numbers for the Inca deposit in Namibia.
ARMZ has reported new JORC-compliant figures from an assessment of the resource base in the five fields of the South Elkon ore region in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) carried out as part of a pre-feasibility study for mining. The new figures of 229.8 thousand tonnes comprises 71.3 thousand tonnes classed as measured and indicated, and 158.5 thousand tonnes of inferred resources, at an ore grade of 0.143% (1430 ppm). The estimate is in a similar region to the 257.8 thousand tonnes of reserves, at an average of 0.146%, calculated in 1980.
The Elkon Mining and Chemical Combine (EMMC) was set up to develop the eight southern Yakutia deposits, which represent around 6% of world reserves, with plans for production to start at what would be Russia's largest mining complex in 2015. The remote Yakutia region has also been promised up to four floating nuclear power plants. The first such plant, destined for Vilyuchinsk in Russia's far east, is currently under construction.
Maiden figures for Nyang
Australia's Energia Minerals Ltd has announced maiden JORC-compliant figures for the Carley Bore Deposit at its Nyang uranium project in Western Australia of 7.46 million pounds U3O8 (2869 tU) at 280 ppm U3O8. With the resource open for further exploration to the south, the company has announced it has an exploration target of 10-15 million pounds U3O8 (3845-5770 tU) within the immediate strike extensions of the report area.
Energia Minerals managing director Keren Paterson said the company was "absolutely delighted" with the figures, which provide a "strong platform" for further exploration in the region. Similar mineralization occurs elsewhere in the district, including Paladin's 24 million pound U3O8 (9232 tU) Manyingee and Cauldron Energy's 4. 8 million pounds U3O8 (1846 tU) Bennett Well projects, Energia points out.
Deep Yellow ups Inca numbers
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| Aerial view of drilling at Inca(Image: Deep Yellow Ltd) |
Meanwhile, Deep Yellow Limited has released updated JORC-compliant resource figures for its Inca uranium deposit in Namibia, part of the Omahola project. Indicated resources of 10 million pounds U
3O
8 (3845 tU) at 414 ppm U
3O
8 have brought the total resource estimate (indicated and inferred) to 16.4 million pounds U3O8 (6308 tU) at 436 ppm U
3O
8.
The announcement comes barely two months after Deep Yellow announced its initial JORC-compliant figures for Iinca, derived from an area measuring about 500 m by 500 m. The company has since extended the main area of mineralization to 1500 m by 500 m, as well as identifying further areas of mineralization to the north, south and east of the main resource area.
Omahola comprises two uranium deposits, Inca and the Tubas Red Sand (TRS) deposit. In total, the resource estimate for the entire Omahola project now stands at 21.3 million pounds U3O8 (8193 tU).
JORC stands for Joint Ore Reserves Committee Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves. The JORC code is one of two standards used internationally in classifying uranium resources, the other one being National Instrument 43-101 of the Canadian Securities Administrators (NI 43-101).
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Researched and written
by World Nuclear News