JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Dual-listed U3O8 Corp has asked ASX-listed Marenica Energy to test the efficiency of its U-pgradeTM technology to generate a richer uranium-vanadium concentrate. modelled on the preliminary economic assessment on the Laguna Salada deposit, in Argentina.
The testwork constitutes one component of a strategy aimed at reducing the estimated cost of extraction of uranium and vanadium at Laguna Salada.
"Our Laguna Salada deposit affords the opportunity to leverage the deposit's remarkable simplicity to capture potential production cost savings," says CEO Dr Richard Spencer.
He adds that the efficiency of the U-pgrade process has led to significant reductions in estimated operating and capital costs in a Namibian deposit in Namibia that shares some of Laguna Salada's characteristics.
“If the Laguna Salada deposit is amenable to this technology, significant capital and operating cost savings could be realised, which would substantially improve the project's economics and leverage our exploration potential in the region," he concluded.