TSX-V-listed uranium explorer and developer GoviEx Uranium has commenced a five-month drilling programme as part of a feasibility study on its Madaouela uranium project, in Niger.

CEO Daniel Major says the feasibility programme is designed to cover infrastructure, tailings, geotechnical studies and reconfirmation of water supply from the recently published updated prefeasibility study (PFS) on the project.

The 13 000 m drilling programme combines rotary-mud and diamond core drilling to an average depth of 100 m, with the current phase being focused at the Miriam deposit.

This phase has three main objectives, including drilling to a 50 m grid spacing within the planned openpit shape to confirm an indicated mineral resource for molybdenum mineralisation.

The process flowsheet has been designed to recover molybdenum as a by-product based on the molybdenum content reported in the previous test work.

Secondly, the drilling is set to determine the final corroboration of the geotechnical slope design for Miriam, which was steepened from 51° to 53° in the updated PFS.

The third objective of the drilling is to verify whether Miriam dewatering is sufficient to support process water requirements rather than developing a standalone well field, as is currently assumed given the reduced water usage defined in the updated PFS.

Positive results, if achieved, could potentially reduce operating and capital costs associated with water use, and could also potentially reduce environmental impact, GoviEx reports.

As such, Major says the company has already shipped a 1 t metallurgical sample, which is currently en route to South Africa, for further confirmatory feasibility study level metallurgical test work.

“With the continually improving uranium price, and two already mine-permitted projects at Madaouela, in Niger, and Mutanga, in Zambia, it is a very exciting time to be moving our projects forward as we work to create value for all stakeholders.”

The planned drilling programme is being performed by Nigerien drilling company l’Entreprise Sidi Abdoul Aziz de Forage (Esafor), and Foraco Niger – the Nigerien subsidiary of Foraco International, a French drilling company.

Esafor has completed substantial previous drilling for GoviEx, exceeding 620 000 m of exploration and resource drilling on the project area.

Foraco, meanwhile, has concluded extensive exploration work on a number of nearby uranium deposits in Niger.

Owing to the simplification of the process flowsheet, the required test work necessary to meet the technical requirements for a feasibility study is also simplified and will focus on verification and enhancement, including comminution, acid leach and ion exchange.