Uranium miner Boss Energy says all aspects of the Honeymoon project’s construction are proceeding to plan, including 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 through 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 includes the most significant piece of equipment, being ion exchange columns, which will be fabricated and delivered on time. The order consists of 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, with the responsible contractor due to mobilise to site after April 26.
The gypsum pond has an expected operational life of five years.
Boss MD Duncan Craib says the project’s timetable was designed with the next forecast uranium bull market in mind, so the company meets it at the start.
“With the outlook for the uranium price continuing to strengthen amid growing use of nuclear power and a shift away from Russian uranium, we are positioned well as we move into the final stages of construction ahead of commissioning,” Craib adds.