A-Cap discovers high-grade uranium
Keikantse Lesemela | Tuesday December 16, 2014 19:37
In a statement released yesterday, A-Cap Chief Executive Officer, Paul Thompson said the results indicated the presence and continuity of high-grade mineralisation in shallow zones targeted for early production. “We are very happy with the excellent results from our last drilling programme, which continues to confirm the presence and continuity of high grade mineralisation in shallow zones targeted for early production. This is good news for project economics,” he said.
The feasibility studies are ongoing, and the Environmental Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) will be completed by March 2015.
Thompson noted that the mining licence would be submitted in the second quarter of 2015, after the completion of the ESIA study.
“Our feasibility work is progressing very well and we are on track and on budget. Ongoing evaluations of surface miners are proving to be positive with potential for further reductions in mining costs. The drilling programme completed in November was carried out to further define potential early start pits,” he explained.
Thompson further said feasibility work was progressing well with excellent progress on resource work, mining, metallurgy and process design as well as environmental studies. “This project is on track and on budget for completion in the first quarter of next year, to support a mining licence application in the second quarter of 2015,” he said.
He added that the company was planning to mine on flitches of 0.25 metres and anticipate reduced dilution, reduction in tones but an increase in grade. According to the statement, grade control will be undertaken using a GPS fitted vehicle to provide better sampling in a pit to a depth of around 0.3 metres.
Two haulage scenarios are currently being investigated for delivery of ore. These include trucking the ore to strategically located belt feeders, which then convey it to the ROM pad. These initiatives also have the potential to further reduce the operating costs.
Earlier this year, the A-Cap reported that it was raising capital of $5.8-million (P53 million) for the development of the Letlhakane uranium project, and further drilling the company’s Mea and Bolau coal projects in the country.