2023-05-10
ENRG Elements has verified a correlation between existing drilling data and historical geophysical surveys following an orientation electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) survey at its Agadez uranium project in Niger.
The company believes it can now pursue a more targeted exploration strategy with less extensive drilling in its bid to uncover more uranium mineralisation in the region. Management is now planning to roll out more ERT surveys this year.
ERT is an advanced surface geophysical method used to determine the subsurface resistivity of an underlying strata. The electrical testing technique sees current induced into the ground using two current electrodes.
Data is then collected by an automated multi-electrode resistivity meter that calculates the resistivity for each lithology and aids in the interpretation of uranium targets within the host rocks. It means that results can significantly improve the accuracy and identification of the geological faults which control the mineralisation.
We are very pleased about these orientation survey results. The work gives us the opportunity to use ERT not only to identify additional targets, but also to potentially reduce the timeframe needed to increase our resource base by narrowing down the search area and enabling us to better target our drilling program.
ENRG bolstered its Agadez uranium mineral resource estimate in May by more than 100 per cent to 31.1 million tonnes grading 315 parts per million triuranium octoxide for 21.5 million pounds of yellowcake. The company’s improved resource estimate includes an increase in grade of 6.8 per cent from 295ppm to 315ppm triuranium octoxide.
ENRG acquired Agadez from Endeavour Financial AG and its subsidiary Niger Exploration SARL in May last year for the bargain price of US$100,000 (AU$151,000), plus 120 million of its shares.
Following the transaction, ENRG immediately updated the deposit’s inventory to a JORC 2012-compliant resource of 16.5 million tonnes at 295ppm triuranium octoxide equivalent for 10.7 million pounds.
The company’s revised estimate follows a flurry of activity at its Takardeit uranium deposit, where a maiden drilling campaign saw 5500m target near-surface sandstone-hosted uranium mineralisation in an extensive paleo-drainage system.
Agadez sits in the highly-prospective Tim Mersoi Basin in Niger – one of the globe’s premier uranium mining districts. The 114,000-square-kilometre basin extends into Mali, Algeria, Benin and Nigeria and hosts French nuclear giant Orano’s 134-million-pound Somair and 75-million-pound Imouraren mines.
The basin boasts Africa’s biggest and highest-grade uranium ores, totalling 439,400 tonnes of uranium.
In Africa currently, only South Africa has an operational nuclear power plant, while Russia’s State-owned energy corporation, Rosatom, last year started construction of Egypt’s first nuclear plant. Uganda also revealed plans in March to start generating 1000 megawatts from nuclear power by 2031. Last year, global uranium giant Cameco restarted the world’s biggest high-grade uranium mine in Canada, reversing a slump which had lasted more than a decade in the sector. The downturn came partly because of the Ukraine war and also because of global efforts to reduce carbon emissions.