Uranium prices could push aggressively higher in 2024. For one, according to The Wall Street Journal, “Miners are struggling to get enough uranium out of the ground. That is helping to push prices of the nuclear fuel to nearly 16-year highs,” WSJ reported. The reporting added that one of the world’s biggest uranium suppliers, Cameco, “recently said it may need to buy more uranium before the end of this year to meet obligations to customers after suffering setbacks at key mines.” All of which makes Skyharbour Resources (TSXV: SYH) (OTCQX: SYHBF), Uranium Energy (NYSE: UEC), Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE: UUUU) (TSX: EFR), Cameco Corp. (NYSE: CCJ) (TSX: CCO), and Denison Mines Corp. (NYSE: DNN) (TSX: DML) even more attractive.
Also, as just highlighted by The Wall Street Journal, “The market is only getting tighter, according to Jonathan Hinze, president of UxC. Commercial reserves of uranium held by U.S. utilities have been declining since 2016, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. In the European Union, they have been declining steadily since 2013, according to the Euratom Supply Agency.”
Look at Skyharbour Resources Ltd. (TSXV: SYH) (OTCQX: SYHBF), For Example
Skyharbour Resources Ltd.announced plans for an upcoming drill program at its recently optioned 73,294 hectare Russell Lake Uranium Project strategically located in the central core of the Eastern Athabasca Basin of northern Saskatchewan. Skyharbour is planning 5,000 metres of diamond drilling in ten to twelve holes over the next several months at Russell with mobilization and commencement within the next few weeks. Following the initial phase of drilling at Russell Lake, the Company will move the drill rig over to its adjacent 100% owned, 35,705 hectare high-grade Moore Uranium Project to complete a planned 3,000 metres of drilling in eight to ten holes. The combined 8,000 metre winter drill campaign across the company’s core projects is fully funded and permitted with the geologists and drilling crews working out of the exploration camp at the Russell Lake Project, located along the road servicing Cameco’s McArthur River Uranium Mine.
Russell Lake Project Location Map:
http://www.skyharbourltd.com/_resources/images/SKY-RussellLake-20220325-Inset.jpg
Jordan Trimble, President and CEO of Skyharbour, stated: “The upcoming commencement of our winter diamond drill campaign at both our Russell Lake and Moore Uranium Projects marks the first time Skyharbour will be simultaneously co-advancing these two core projects. This fully funded, 8,000 metre drill campaign will provide ample news flow well into the year as we advance the projects using systematic and proven exploration methodologies coupled with new geological models and targeting strategies. We are confident in the discovery potential and exploration upside at both projects given the high-grade mineralization in historical drill holes along with the many highly prospective target areas hosting the geology necessary for high-grade uranium deposition. We will also be carrying out infill and definition drilling at the high-grade zones at Moore along the Maverick Corridor.”
“Skyharbour will have substantial additional news flow and catalysts from its prospect generator business consisting of partner companies advancing some of our other projects throughout the Athabasca Basin. Over the next year, the Company is anticipating the largest combined drilling and exploration programs at its primary projects of Russell and Moore, as well as at its partner-funded projects of Preston, East Preston, Mann Lake, Yurchison, Falcon, and South Falcon East.”
Upcoming Winter Diamond Drilling Program at Russell Lake:
Skyharbour will soon initiate its 2024 Exploration Program at the Russell Lake Project, drilling an initial 5,000 metres to follow up on notable historic exploration and findings and test new targets developed by the geological team. Of particular interest for this drilling program will be the Grayling East and Fork targets within the broader Grayling target area as well as the M-Zone Extension target. This initial drill program will total 5,000 metres in ten to twelve drill holes with all targets being road accessible and near the exploration camp.
Russell Lake Project Target Areas:
https://www.skyharbourltd.com/_resources/images/20240110-MainTargetsRussellLake2024.jpg
At the Grayling East target, additional drill testing of the eastern extent of the 2,200 m long, 100 m thick sub-parallel Grayling conductor and associated thrust fault is planned in areas of broadly spaced drill coverage and prospective geophysics and geology. In this area, several conductors are present within a broad magnetic low, and limited historical drilling encountered intervals of significant structural disruption, highly prospective alteration within the sandstone and underlying basement, with local pathfinder element enrichment associated with faulting and graphitic intervals. Further review of the geophysical and geological data from this area suggests that the historical holes may not have hit the main Grayling thrust, instead intersecting splays of the thrust and/or parallel conductors to the south of the main thrust fault. An initial three to four holes, totalling 2,000 m, are planned to test newly developed targets along the Grayling thrust in this area.
Grayling East and Fork Drill Targets:
https://www.skyharbourltd.com/_resources/images/20240110-ForkGraylingEastTargetsRussellLake.jpg
The Fork target is a newly identified target to the west of the Grayling Zone and on-strike of Denison’s M-Zone target at their adjacent Wheeler River Project, which has seen renewed interest by Denison in recent years. The target consists of a series of northeast striking and bifurcating conductive trends proximal to and related to a northeast trending magnetic low, with a prominent north-trending lineament associated with the McDougall Lake fault also running through the area. Notable resistivity and gravity targets in conjunction with anomalous geochemistry and prospective structure and alteration within the two historical drill holes in this area make for a compelling target. Three angled holes, totalling 1,500 m are planned for this area as part of the 2024 winter drill program.
M-Zone Extension Drill Targets:
https://www.skyharbourltd.com/_resources/images/20240110-M-ZoneExtensionTargetsRussellLake.jpg
Skyharbour has selected additional drill targets in the M-Zone Extension area, along trend from the Grayling Zone and Denison’s M-Zone, where historical drilling intersected basement hosted uranium (up to 0.70% U3O8 over 5.8 m at 374.0 m depth). More recent drilling by Denison in 2020 at the M-Zone encountered additional uranium mineralization with significant faulting, core loss, geochemical anomalies, and radioactivity encountered in other drill holes. Like the Grayling Zone, the mineralization is hosted by a graphitic thrust fault within a significant magnetic low. It is also noted that cross structures associated with Denison’s Phoenix and Gryphon uranium deposits trend onto the Russell Lake property within the M-Zone Extension target area, further enhancing the prospectivity of this target. Three to four holes, totalling 1,500 metres are planned at the M-Zone Extension target on the Russell Lake Project.
Upcoming Winter Diamond Drilling Program at Moore:
Skyharbour will conduct a second phase of drilling consisting of 3,000 metres at its high-grade Moore Project upon completion of the drilling at Russell Lake. Skyharbour plans to carry out infill and expansion drilling at the high-grade Maverick Corridor as well as to test several regional targets including the Grid Nineteen target area. This second phase of drilling will total 3,000 metres in eight to ten drill holes.
Moore Uranium Project Regional Grid Targets Map:
https://skyharbourltd.com/_resources/maps/Moore-Lake-Property-Wide.jpg
Drilling at the Maverick Corridor will focus on identifying new trends and extensions within untested portions of its 4.7 kilometre strike length. Additional drilling is planned within the Maverick Main and East Zones to concentrate on refinement and expansion of the currently identified mineralized zones. The Maverick Main Zone is characterised by basement- and unconformity-hosted mineralization, with a best interval drilled previously by Skyharbour of 6.0% U3O8 over 5.9 metres at 265 metres depth including 20.8% U3O8 over 1.5 metres in hole ML-199 and historical results of 4.03% eU3O8 over 10 metres, including 20% eU3O8 over 1.4 metres at a depth of 265.0 metres in hole ML-61. At the Maverick East Zone Skyharbour previously drilled a high-grade uranium intercept of 1.79% U3O8 over 11.5m at 270.0 metres depth, including 4.17% U3O8 over 4.5 metres and 9.12% U3O8 over 1.4 metres in hole ML-202. A total of four to six holes totalling 1,500 to 1,800 metres of drilling are planned for the Maverick Main and East Zones as well as at other targets on the Maverick Structural Corridor.
Drilling on regional targets at the Moore Project will consist primarily of drill testing the Grid Nineteen area, where the Slice Pond Conductor and accompanying structural zone has been confirmed by drilling over a strike length of 800 metres to date. The Slice Pond target is typified by structurally disrupted, altered, and geochemically anomalous sandstone and basement rocks, including variably graphitic pelitic gneisses, along with a significant unconformity offset and thrust wedge. All holes drilled to date have intersected highly encouraging graphitic and sulphide bearing basement lithologies accompanied by prospective alteration and anomalous levels of B (≤1290 ppm), Th (≤445 ppm), Ni (≤500 ppm), V (≤350 ppm), and U (≤421 ppm). A notable intercept of 0.05% U3O8 over 1.0 metre occurs well into the basement in previously drilled hole ML21-07 on the Slice Pond Conductor. The unconformity intercept of the mineralized structure is still untested. Composite geochemical sampling in the second hole on this conductor, previously drilled hole ML21-09, returned samples highly enriched in U (≤7.5 ppm Upartial) and B (≤161 ppm) over a broad 70 metre interval in the sandstone. A total of four to five holes are anticipated to be drilled at the Grid Nineteen target area as part of the winter drill program at Moore.
Russell Lake Uranium Project Overview:
The Russell Lake Project is a large, advanced-stage uranium exploration property totalling 73,294 hectares strategically located between Cameco’s Key Lake and McArthur River Projects and adjoining Denison’s Wheeler River Project to the west and Skyharbour’s Moore Uranium Project to the east. The northern extension of Highway 914 between the Key Lake Mill and the McArthur River Mine runs through the western extent of the Property and greatly enhances accessibility, with a high-voltage powerline also situated alongside the road. There is a fully permitted exploration camp on the Project suitable for over thirty people located on the highway, within 5 kilometres of Denison’s Phoenix deposit. Skyharbour’s acquisition of Russell Lake creates a large, nearly contiguous block of highly prospective uranium claims totalling 108,999 hectares between the Russell Lake and the Moore uranium projects.
There has been a meaningful amount of historical exploration carried out at Russell Lake, however most of it was conducted before 2010 prior to the discovery of several major deposits in and around the Athabasca Basin. The Property has been the subject to greater than 95,000 metres of drilling in over 230 drill holes prior to Skyharbour’s maiden drill program, with most of this drilling comprising of widely spaced exploratory and reconnaissance drilling. The Property’s claims are in good standing for 2-22 years, with significant assessment credits built-up from previous exploration programs.
Several notable exploration targets exist on the property including the Grayling Zone, the M-Zone Extension target, the Little Man Lake target, the Christie Lake target, and the Fox Lake Trail target. More than 35 kilometres of largely untested prospective conductors in areas of low magnetic intensity also exist on the Property. A total of 9,595 metres of drilling in 19 holes was drilled in three phases during 2023 by Skyharbour at Russell Lake. Uranium mineralization was intersected in the majority of holes at the Grayling Zone over a strike length exceeding one kilometre. Drill hole RSL23-01 intersected one of the best ever drill results from the project, returning a 5.9 metre wide intercept of 0.151% U3O8 at a depth of 338.4 metres, which includes 1.0 metres of 0.366% U3O8 at 343.3 metres depth within a thrust wedge.
Moore Uranium Project Overview:
In June 2016, Skyharbour secured an option to acquire Denison Mine's Moore Uranium Project, on the southeastern side of the Athabasca Basin, in northern Saskatchewan and has fulfilled its earn in. The project consists of 12 contiguous claims totaling 35,705 hectares located 42 kilometres northeast of the Key Lake mill, approx. 15 kilometres east of Denison’s Wheeler River project, and 39 kilometres south of Cameco’s McArthur River uranium mine. Unconformity-type uranium mineralization was discovered on the Moore Project at the Maverick Zone in April 2001. Historical drill highlights include 4.03% eU3O8 over 10 metres, including 20% eU3O8 over 1.4 metres, in ML-161. In 2017, Skyharbour announced drill results of 6.0% U3O8 over 5.9 metres, including 20.8% U3O8 over 1.5 metres at a vertical depth of 265 metres, in hole ML-199. In addition to the Maverick Zone, the project hosts other mineralized targets with strong discovery potential which the Company plans to test with future drill programs. The project is fully accessible via winter and ice roads which simplifies logistics and lowers costs. Large proportions of the property are accessible in the summer as well.
Moore Lake Uranium Project Geophysics Map:
http://skyharbourltd.com/_resources/maps/MooreLake-Basic-geo-revamp.jpg
Other related developments from around the markets include:
Uranium Energy Corp.’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Amir Adnani, spoke at COP28 on sustainable uranium mining and on the growing role of carbon-free nuclear power to meet the increasing global demand for low-cost and net-zero energy supply. Mr. Adnani was also featured in the COP28 Leadership Interviews to discuss UEC's role as the fastest growing uranium company in the world, adopting best practices to enhance sustainability and the Company's 18-year evolution, developing into a long-term and low-carbon supplier with stable North American assets. Additionally, UEC is one of 120 companies endorsing the Net Zero Nuclear Industry Pledge, launched at COP28 on December 5, 2023, committing to industry support for at least a tripling of global nuclear capacity by 2050. Led by the United States, 22 countries including France, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, South Korea, and Canada declared to triple global nuclear energy capacity by 2050 from the 2020 base in support of their net-zero transitions.
Energy Fuels Inc., a leading U.S. producer of uranium, rare earth elements, and vanadium, announced that it has entered into a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with Astron Corporation Limited to jointly develop the Donald Rare Earth and Mineral Sands Project, located in the Wimmera Region of the State of Victoria, Australia. The MOU describes indicative commercial terms and provides Energy Fuels with a binding exclusivity period to end on March 1, 2024, during which Energy Fuels will be entitled to conduct due diligence and the parties will negotiate definitive agreements. The Donald Project is a world-class, world scale, 'shovel-ready' critical mineral deposit that Energy Fuels believes would provide it with another near-term, low-cost, and large-scale source of monazite sand in an REE concentrate that would be transported to the Company's White Mesa Mill in Utah, USA for processing into REE oxides and other advanced REE materials and recovery of the contained uranium.
Cameco Corp. announced that the acquisition of Westinghouse Electric Company (Westinghouse) in a strategic partnership with Brookfield Asset Management alongside its publicly listed affiliate Brookfield Renewable Partners (Brookfield) and institutional partners closed. Cameco now owns a 49% interest and Brookfield owns the remaining 51% in Westinghouse, one of the world’s largest nuclear services businesses.
Denison Minesreported earnings per share of $0.07 for the third quarter of 2023, which was driven by the recognition of a significant gain on the Company's physical uranium holdings, net of operating expenses primarily related to the Company's advancement of its flagship Wheeler River Project. David Cates, President and CEO of Denison commented, "Denison's results from the third quarter reflect an incredibly active time in the Company's modern history. We continue to focus on the advancement of Wheeler River's Phoenix deposit as the first In-Situ Recovery uranium mining project in the Athabasca Basin. Each quarter we are moving closer to a final investment decision for Phoenix, with notable progress having been recently achieved – including the continuation of front-end engineering and design, the commencement of procurement of long-lead items, the advancement of the Environmental Impact Statement review process, and the signing of a landmark Shared Prosperity Agreement with English River First Nation, in which ERFN consents to the development of Wheeler River. The Company also recently reported the completion of the final stage of our history-making Phoenix ISR Feasibility Field Test, where we previously demonstrated our ability to recover uranium bearing solution from the Phoenix deposit, and have now further validated the processing designs and assumptions for the future Phoenix processing plant through the successful completion of the recovered solution management phase.”
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