Equipment delays push back Ezulwini startup

28 July 2008

Production from a new uranium recovery plant at First Uranium's Ezulwini gold and uranium mine in South Africa has been put back from August to October 2008. Although partial commissioning of the 1.2 million tonnes per year plant began on schedule in June, the plant's first output will be delayed because of the late delivery of equipment by contractor EPCM. First Uranium said the delay would not affect planned uranium shipments for the financial year to 31 March 2009, as the capacity of the mills and the uranium plant exceed the total of the ore currently stockpiled and ore planned to be hoisted from underground development over the period. A second uranium mill, with a capacity of 0.6 million tonnes, is due to start commissioning in the second quarter of the financial year with completion scheduled for the end of the fourth quarter.