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Aura Energy Limited (ASX: AEE, AIM: AURA) (“Aura” or “the Company”) is pleased to announce that the Company has applied for multiple highly prospective exploration tenements adjacent to and surrounding its existing Tiris Uranium Project ("Tiris” or “Tiris Project”) in Mauritania.
KEY POINTS:
- Aura Energy Ltd has applied for an additional ~13,000 km2 of exploration tenements in the Tiris Uranium Province in Mauritania.
- The new exploration license applications target areas with strong synergies with the Tiris West resource of 11.2Mlbs (16.4Mt @ 305ppm U3O8)1.
- The goal is to confirm Aura’s radiometric analysis that the Tiris region is a world-class uranium province.
- Aura believes the Tiris Uranium Project now has the potential to confirm a world-class scale.
- The Tiris Project's Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) study is approaching completion, with Tiris East exploration and preconstruction activities to commence shortly.
Aura is delighted that His Excellency Mr. Nany Chrougha, Mauritania’s Minister of Mines, is supporting His Excellency President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani’s goal of ensuring the development of a strong resources industry in Mauritania. This goal has seen the reopening of the Mining Cadastre and the Ministry has begun accepting applications for exploration tenure, including Aura’s application.
Aura has completed the application processes and filed exploration tenure applications covering an extensive 13,000 km2. The new tenure application areas were selected following a detailed 12-month evaluation program based on historical drilling and radiometric data and analogues from the Company’s successful uranium discoveries, which underpin the Tiris Uranium Project. This analysis led to the recent Exploration Target announced for the existing Tiris East Resource areas2, for which drilling is planned to commence before the end of 2023. The Company is confident that the proven model for successful exploration can be extended across the wider Tiris Zemmour region by extending the exploration footprint.
Subject to the successful granting of these applications, Aura will work to progressively confirm and test exploration targets within these tenements through 2024 and 2025.
Figure 1 - Exploration Tenement Applications
Chairman Phil Mitchell commented:
“Our geologists are confident that the Tiris Zemmour region of Mauritania is a world-class uranium region, similar in importance to the uranium market as the Pilbara region in Western Australia is for iron ore. We believe Aura’s uranium-enriched carnotite zone extends across the north-eastern Mauritania area of Tiris Zemmour, and our exploration success to date provides validation for pursuing further strong growth platform for Aura’s shareholders and our Mauritanian partners.
“With the potential for our current Tiris West resource to be materially expanded, the Company strategy is to:
- progressing development of the already defined resource in Tiris East as a new uranium producer; and
- undertaking a significant resource expansion exploration study on the new tenure.”
Aura’s Managing Director and CEO David Woodall said,
"Aura Energy has already established a commanding position with its Mineral and Reserves and Resources at Tiris West, which has put us in a position to consider a final investment development decision in the coming months.
“Combined with our recently announced Exploration Target, these tenement applications – if successful – will give us an opportunity to be a driving force to realise the full potential of this region, which we believe could be truly world-class in scale.
“Our development strategy for Tiris is complemented by our exploration strategy, which aims to grow our resources and allow scaled-up production over time in a capital-efficient manner.
“We look forward to working with our stakeholders to progress our applications, ultimately growing the Tiris Project into a global-scale project that contributes to Mauritania's economic and social development.”
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Aura Energy, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
AEE:AU
Blue Sky Uranium: Argentina’s Emerging Uranium Resource Developer
Blue Sky Uranium (TSXV:BSK,OTC:BKUCF)provides investors with a compelling opportunity to gain exposure to the uranium market through its strategic foothold in Argentina’s emerging uranium sector. Backed by a substantial resource base, robust project economics, and a strong joint venture partnership, the company has a clear pathway to potential production.
Blue Sky Uranium is positioning itself as a leading force in uranium exploration and development in Argentina. As part of the renowned Grosso Group—pioneers in Argentine mineral exploration since 1993 and contributors to four major mineral discoveries—Blue Sky leverages decades of in-country expertise and well-established local partnerships.
The company’s flagship Amarillo Grande Project is a unique, company-led discovery marking Argentina’s newest uranium-vanadium district. Spanning over 145 kilometers and covering more than 300,000 hectares in Rio Negro Province, this district-scale project hosts the largest NI 43-101-compliant uranium resource in Argentina at its Ivana deposit. With this strategic asset, Blue Sky is well-positioned to become the country’s first domestic uranium supplier, supporting a growing nuclear energy program that currently relies entirely on imported fuel.
Company Highlights
- Significant Uranium Resource: Controls the largest NI 43-101 compliant uranium resource in Argentina with 17 Mlbs U3O8 in indicated resources and 3.8 Mlbs in inferred resources, plus valuable vanadium credits.
- Positive Economics: 2024 PEA shows robust economics with after-tax NPV8 percent of US$227.7 million and 38.9 percent IRR at base case uranium price of US$75/lb.
- Low-cost Production Potential: Near-surface mineralization with no blasting required, hosted in loosely consolidated sediments, making for potentially low mining costs.
- Strategic JV Partnership: Secured an earn-in agreement with COAM to advance the Ivana deposit with no funding required by Blue Sky through development. COAM will spend up to US$35 million to earn up to a 49.9 percent interest, and can further earn up to 80 percent by funding development costs to production (up to US$160 million).
- Strong Uranium Market Fundamentals: Global uranium market faces supply deficits with increasing demand from nuclear power generation, with prices strengthening significantly since 2023.
- Domestic Market Opportunity: Argentina has three operational nuclear plants with others under construction or planned, yet imports all uranium for fuel. National legislation guarantees purchase of domestically produced uranium.
- ISR Project Pipeline: New projects in the Neuquen Basin provide future growth through potential in-situ recovery operations, a method that produces 57 percent of the world's uranium with minimal environmental impact.
This Blue Sky Uranium profile is part of a paid investor education campaign.*
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Blue Sky Uranium
Investor Insight
Blue Sky Uranium offers investors an entry into the uranium market via its strategic position in Argentina's uranium sector, significant resource base, favorable project economics, and strong joint venture partnership providing a clear path to potential production without dilutive financing requirements.
Company Overview
Blue Sky Uranium (TSV:BSK,OTC:BKUCF) is emerging as a frontrunner in uranium exploration and development in Argentina. As a member of the Grosso Group, which has pioneered resource exploration in Argentina since 1993 and been involved in four major mineral discoveries, Blue Sky benefits from deep regional expertise and established relationships.
The company's flagship Amarillo Grande Project represents an in-house discovery of Argentina's newest uranium-vanadium district. This district-scale project spans 145 kilometers and encompasses more than 300,000 hectares of mineral rights in Rio Negro Province. With the largest NI 43-101 compliant uranium resource in Argentina at its Ivana deposit, Blue Sky is strategically positioned to potentially become the first domestic supplier to Argentina's growing nuclear industry, which currently imports all its uranium fuel.
As global uranium markets experience their strongest fundamentals in over a decade, Blue Sky is positioned to leverage this growing trend. Global demand for uranium is projected to outpace supply, with a significant supply deficit forecast in the coming years. This supply-demand imbalance is being driven by the re-emergence of nuclear energy as a critical component in the global transition to cleaner energy sources. Concerns about energy security, particularly in Europe, combined with nuclear energy's ability to provide reliable baseload power with zero carbon emissions, have led to policy shifts favoring nuclear energy expansion in many countries. This renaissance is reflected in uranium prices, which have surged from lows of around $20/lb in recent years to more than $80/lb in 2024, with contracts and spot prices showing sustained strength.
Beyond Amarillo Grande, Blue Sky is expanding its portfolio with projects in the Neuquen Basin targeting uranium deposits amenable to in-situ recovery (ISR) methods, further diversifying its growth potential in line with these positive market trends.
Company Highlights
- Significant Uranium Resource: Controls the largest NI 43-101 compliant uranium resource in Argentina with 17 Mlbs U3O8 in indicated resources and 3.8 Mlbs in inferred resources, plus valuable vanadium credits.
- Positive Economics: 2024 PEA shows robust economics with after-tax NPV8 percent of US$227.7 million and 38.9 percent IRR at base case uranium price of US$75/lb.
- Low-cost Production Potential: Near-surface mineralization with no blasting required, hosted in loosely consolidated sediments, making for potentially low mining costs.
- Strategic JV Partnership: Secured an earn-in agreement with COAM to advance the Ivana deposit with no funding required by Blue Sky through development. COAM will spend up to US$35 million to earn up to a 49.9 percent interest, and can further earn up to 80 percent by funding development costs to production (up to US$160 million).
- Strong Uranium Market Fundamentals: Global uranium market faces supply deficits with increasing demand from nuclear power generation, with prices strengthening significantly since 2023.
- Domestic Market Opportunity: Argentina has three operational nuclear plants with others under construction or planned, yet imports all uranium for fuel. National legislation guarantees purchase of domestically produced uranium.
- ISR Project Pipeline: New projects in the Neuquen Basin provide future growth through potential in-situ recovery operations, a method that produces 57 percent of the world's uranium with minimal environmental impact.
Key Projects
Amarillo Grande Project (Flagship)
The Amarillo Grande project, located in Rio Negro Province, represents Blue Sky's cornerstone asset and a district-scale opportunity in Argentina's uranium sector. Spanning 145 kilometers and covering approximately 300,000 hectares, this project encompasses three main property areas: Ivana, Anit and Santa Barbara. Each area contributes to the project's significant potential as an emerging uranium-vanadium district.
Ivana
The Ivana property hosts the project's flagship Ivana deposit, the crown jewel of Blue Sky's portfolio and the largest NI 43-101-compliant uranium resource in Argentina. Located in the southern portion of the Amarillo Grande project, the deposit features a 5-kilometer-long arcuate mineralized corridor with a high-grade core that ranges from 200 to over 500 meters in width and reaches up to 23 meters in thickness.
The deposit's resource estimate, updated in February 2024, includes 19.7 million tons (Mt) of indicated resources grading 333 parts per million (ppm) uranium and 105 ppm vanadium, containing approximately 17 million pounds (Mlbs) of U3O8 and 8.1 Mlbs of V2O5. Additionally, the deposit hosts 5.6 Mt of inferred resources grading 262 ppm uranium and 109 ppm vanadium, containing approximately 3.8 Mlbs of U3O8 and 2.4 Mlbs of V2O5. Importantly, about 80 percent of the current resource is classified in the higher-confidence indicated category, providing a solid foundation for economic studies and development planning.
The Ivana deposit’s near-surface mineralization makes it ideal for low-cost mining, as no drilling, blasting or crushing would be required for resource extraction. The deposit's location in a semi-desert region with low population density, minimal environmental risks, and good accessibility further enhances its development potential.
The 2024 preliminary economic assessment (PEA) for the Ivana deposit demonstrates compelling returns, with an after-tax NPV (8 percent discount) of US$227.7 million and an IRR of 38.9 percent at a base case uranium price of US$75/lb. At a spot case price of US$105/lb, these figures improve dramatically to an NPV of US$418.3 million and an IRR of 57 percent. The initial capital cost of US$159.7 million (including contingency) is modest relative to the project's scale, with a payback period of just 1.9 years at the base case price. Operating costs are also favorable, with average life-of-mine all-in sustaining costs of US$24.95/lb U3O8 (net of vanadium credits), positioning Ivana in the lower half of the global cost curve.
Advancement of the Ivana deposit has accelerated through a strategic joint venture. Strategic partner Abatare Spain SLU (COAM) is part of the Corporación América Group which has major stakes in the energy, airport, agribusiness, services, infrastructure, transportation, and technology sectors, with assets and operations in Argentina and 10 other countries. The partners have established a new operating company, Ivana Minerales S.A. (JVCO). Under the agreement COAM will spend up to US$35 million within 36 months to earn up to 49.9 percent indirect interest in Ivana. Furthermore, following the completion of a feasibility study, COAM can earn up to 80 percent by funding the costs and expenditures to develop and construct the project to commercial production. In addition, JVCO has the option to explore and acquire several exploration targets neighbouring Ivana.
Anit
The Anit property located north of Ivana, features a remarkable 15-kilometer airborne radiometric anomaly with extensive surface uranium and vanadium mineralization. Historical drilling along a 5.5-kilometer stretch averaged 2.6 meters at 0.03 percent U3O8 and 0.075 percent V2O5, indicating significant mineralization potential throughout the property. Blue Sky retains 100 percent control of this area, providing substantial upside beyond the Ivana deposit that is currently the focus of the COAM joint venture.
Santa Barbara
The Santa Barbara property represents the company's initial uranium discovery in the Rio Negro basin, made in 2006. This property exhibits widespread uranium and vanadium mineralization along an 11-kilometer surface trend. While exploration here is less advanced than at Ivana, the geological similarities and surface indicators suggest potential for both near-surface mineralization and deeper blind deposits that could be identified through future exploration campaigns.
ISR Projects
Blue Sky has strategically expanded its uranium project portfolio beyond Amarillo Grande with two new projects in the Neuquen Basin that target uranium deposits potentially amenable to in-situ recovery (ISR) methods. This approach to uranium extraction involves dissolving minerals in place using fluids that are then pumped to surface for processing, resulting in minimal surface disturbance and no tailings or waste rock generation. Globally, ISR methods account for approximately 57 percent of world uranium production.
Chihuidos Project
The 100 percent-controlled Chihuidos project encompasses 60,000 hectares with geological characteristics similar to productive ISR uranium operations elsewhere in the world. Blue Sky benefits from access to historical borehole and seismic data collected during previous oil and gas exploration in the region, allowing for more efficient target identification.
Corcovo Project
The Corcovo project adds another 20,000 hectares of prospective ground under option to Blue Sky. Like Chihuidos, the company is leveraging existing geological data to identify high-priority targets while advancing the permitting process for field exploration. These ISR projects represent significant growth opportunities for Blue Sky beyond its flagship Amarillo Grande Project.
San Jorge Basin Projects
Blue Sky has also secured strategic positions in the San Jorge Basin: the Sierra Colonia and Tierras Coloradas projects. While less advanced than the Amarillo Grande project, these properties have been selected based on favorable geological characteristics and historical indicators of uranium mineralization. The company is applying the exploration model and expertise developed at Amarillo Grande to efficiently evaluate and advance these new prospects. These projects represent Blue Sky's commitment to building a diverse portfolio of uranium assets across Argentina while maintaining focus on near-term development priorities at Ivana.
Management Team
Joseph Grosso – Chairman and Director
Founder of Grosso Group Management, Joseph Grosso has been a pioneer in Argentina's exploration and mining sector since 1993. He was involved in multiple major discoveries in Argentina, including the Gualcamayo gold mine, Navidad silver project, and Chinchillas silver-lead-zinc mine.
Nikolaos Cacos – President and CEO, Director
Nikolaos Cacos is one of the company's founders with over 30 years of management experience in mineral exploration. He has extensive expertise in strategic planning and administration of public resource companies.
David Terry – Technical Advisor and Director
David Terry is a professional economic geologist with over 30 years in the resource sector. He has extensive experience in exploration, development and project management in the mining industry.
Pompeyo Gallardo – VP Corporate Development
Pompeyo Gallardo brings 29 years of experience in corporate finance, with strengths in budgeting and control, project structuring, project financing, and financial modeling and analysis.
Martin Burian – Director
With over 30 years in investment banking to the mining sector, Martin Burian currently serves as managing director at RCI Capital Group.
Darren Urquhart – CFO
A chartered professional accountant, Darren Urquhart has 20 years of experience in public practice and industry.
Connie Norman – Corporate Secretary
Connie Norman has extensive experience in corporate secretarial and regulatory compliance services for public companies.
Guillermo Pensado – Technical Consultant
Guillermo Pensado is a geologist with extensive experience in the mining sector. He is now focused on the Ivana JV operations.
Luis Leandro Rivera – General Manager (JVCO)
Recently appointed to lead the Ivana joint venture company, Luis Leandro Rivera brings 30 years of experience in all facets of mining from exploration to operations, including most recently serving as senior vice-president of the Latin American region for AngloGold Ashanti, where he oversaw management of four mines in two countries.
