Name of the Project
Honeymoon uranium mine.

Location
South Australia, about 80 km north-west of Broken Hill, near the border with New South Wales.

Project Owner/s
Boss Energy.

Project Description
The project will produce 2.45-million pounds of uranium a year over an initial 11-year mine life.

The existing Honeymoon processing facility will be redeveloped using ion exchange (IX) as the only uranium recovery technology in two stages to match the wellfield development schedule.

The startup phase will produce 1.63-million pounds of uranium in Year 2 and will include replacing the existing solvent-extraction processing facility with three NIMCIX trains.

The ramp-up phase will increase production to the nameplate capacity of 2.45-million pounds a year in Year 3, and will supplement the commissioned IX circuit with a second parallel IX circuit and associated infrastructure. The new facility will process the additional pregnant leach solution generated from the wellfields.

In situ recovery has been chosen as the preferred method of mining.

Potential exists to extend the project beyond 11 years through near-mine satellite deposits.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The project has a pretax net present value, at an 8% discount rate, of $308.7-million and an ungeared internal rate of return of 47.1% at a $60/lb uranium price, and a payback of 3.5 years.

Capital Expenditure
A$104.5-million.

Planned Start/End Date
First production from Honeymoon is expected in the fourth quarter of 2023, and will ramp up to full capacity within three years.

Latest Developments
Boss Energy has reported that all aspects of the Honeymoon project’s construction are proceeding to plan, including the delivery of critical equipment, wellfield development and the evaporation pond, ahead of first production in the December quarter.

The committed expenditure on the project now totals A$65-million, representing 62% of the total capital cost budget. The company says it is fully funded to production, with cash on hand of A$103-million and a strategic uranium stockpile valued at A$96-million, based on current spot prices.

One outstanding item is the most significant piece of equipment: the ion-exchange columns, which will be fabricated and delivered on time. The order comprises 500 t of fibreglass custom-designed for the Honeymoon processing plant.

Additionally, all significant procurement items for three startup wellfields have been delivered and installed, with cold commissioning scheduled in June.

Excavation earthworks for the 25 000 t gypsum pond have also been completed and stand ready for lining to be installed. The lining material has been delivered to site.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
None stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Boss Energy, tel +61 8 6263 4494 or email boss@bossenergy.com.