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GTI Energy Limited (ASX: GTR) (GTI or Company) is pleased to advise that the final phase of its 2024 drilling campaign will commence in late October to drill and construct 3 hydrogeologic and water monitoring wells. Following completion of this work, GTI will be in a position to update the Mineral Resource Estimate and Exploration Target for Lo Herma by year end as planned. A decision will then be made on commencing a Scoping Study to demonstrate the economic potential of the project.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Lo Herma drilling for construction of groundwater monitoring wells to commence by late October
- Lo Herma Mineral Resource Estimate and Exploration Target updates on track for late Q4 2024
- Green Mountain drilling permit conditions satisfied
- UEC pays US$175m for Rio Tinto’s Great Divide Basin & Green Mountain assets
GREEN MOUNTAIN PROJECT: DRILLING PERMIT
As previously disclosed on 21 February 2024, the GTI technical team finalised the maiden drill plan at Green Mountain, selecting 16 drill holes for permitting. The drill program is designed to test the validity of the historical Kerr McGee drill hole maps, as well as the interpreted 12 Miles (~19kms) of mineralised regions as determined from the airborne geophysical survey completed during late 2023. All surveys and drilling permit approval conditions have been met and a reclamation bond amount has now been determined by Wyoming’s DEQ & the United States Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The Company will make a final decision regarding timing of drilling at Green Mountain in due course.
UEC ACQUIRES RIO TINTO’S GREEN MOUNTAIN AND GREAT DIVIDE BASIN ASSETS1
NYSE American-listed Uranium Energy Corp (UEC), the largest uranium company in the US, announced on September 23rd that it will acquire all of Rio Tinto's Wyoming assets. The assets include the Sweetwater uranium plant and a portfolio of mining projects, in the Great Divide Basin and at Green Mountain, for US$175 million.
UEC President and CEO Amir Adnani said that, with the acquisition, UEC was building on its transformative purchase of Uranium One Americas in 2021, which expanded its holdings in Wyoming’s Great Divide basin. “We recognised early on that there are meaningful development synergies with the Rio Tinto assets, particularly the Sweetwater plant,” said Mr Adnani. UEC stated that the Rio acquisition will establish UEC’s third hub-and-spoke production platform [in addition to its Texas and Wyoming, Powder River Basin operations] and bolster UEC’s resources by circa 175 million pounds, about half of which UEC considers to be amenable to in-situ recovery (ISR) mining.
UEC said it plans to prioritise ISR-amenable resources for development and near-term production, while conventional resources will provide flexibility for future production growth. UEC stated that the 3,000 t/d Sweetwater plant, which has a licensed capacity of 4.1 million pounds a year, can be adapted for recovery of uranium from loaded resins produced by ISR operations. This would potentially provide UEC with production flexibility for both ISR and conventional mining.
GTI Director & CEO Bruce Lane commented, “we are excited that UEC has acquired these assets from Rio with a plan to build their third ‘hub-and-spoke’ ISR production centre at the Sweetwater mill site. We remain convinced that uranium resources in the Great Divide Basin and Green Mountain district have real potential to be developed in a similar fashion to those in Texas and the nearby Powder River Basin production district. UR Energy’s producing Lost Creek ISR plant and Shirley Basin ISR satellite mine development demonstrate the viability of ‘hub-and-spoke’ production strategies within the district”
FIGURE 1. GTI AND UEC GREAT DIVIDE BASIN/GREEN MOUNTAIN PROJECT LOCATIONS
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This article includes content from GTI 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.
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GTI Energy
Investor Insight
GTI Energy presents an intriguing opportunity for investors seeking exposure to the uranium sector, given its focus on ISR projects in the US aligning well with macro trends in the nuclear energy industry and geopolitical shifts favouring domestic uranium production.
Overview
GTI Energy (ASX:GTR,OTCQB:GTRIF) is an Australia-based uranium exploration and development company focused on uranium projects in Wyoming, USA, that are amenable for in-situ recovery (ISR). In uranium mining, ISR is the lowest cost and least environmentally damaging form of uranium recovery, especially when an alkaline leach and ion exchange processes are utilised.
The company's flagship Lo Herma project in the Powder River Basin is a sandstone-hosted roll front uranium deposit, which contains a recently updated mineral resource of 8.57 million pounds (Mlbs) of U3O8 at average grade of 630 parts per million (JORC code compliant) with a substantial additional exploration target in the range 6 to 11 Mlbs. GTI also holds projects in the Great Divide Basin (inferred resources of 1.66 Mlbs) and Green Mountain areas of Wyoming, as well as earlier-stage conventional uranium/vanadium assets in Utah. To date, GTI has delineated total combined uranium resources of 10.32 Mlbs (indicated and inferred) and substantial combined exploration targets in the range 12 to 20 Mlbs across its Wyoming projects.
Wyoming’s ISR uranium processing assets and GTI project locations
GTI is positioning itself to take advantage of the worsening uranium supply deficit and rapidly growing demand for uranium, particularly from the United States. The US is currently the world's largest consumer of uranium but currently imports more than 95 percent of its supply. The company's strategy centres on developing low-cost ISR uranium projects in Wyoming, a historically significant uranium producing region with existing infrastructure and a supportive regulatory environment.
The uranium market is experiencing a serious supply deficit and a simultaneous significant demand resurgence driven by several factors:
- Supply constraints due to years of underinvestment in new uranium projects and an overreliance on foreign nuclear fuel supply, particularly from Russia & Kazakhstan.
- Rapidly growing global demand for electricity and clean energy with increasing recognition of nuclear power's role in achieving climate goals.
- Geopolitical tensions leading to an east/west bifurcated uranium market leading to a need for secure domestic uranium supplies, particularly in the US which has banned Russian nuclear fuel imports.
- Technological advancements and significant policy support for nuclear power plant re-starts, gigawatt scale new builds and next-generation nuclear reactors including SMR’s.
In the United States specifically, there is strong bipartisan support for revitalizing the domestic uranium industry. Recent initiatives include the creation of a strategic uranium reserve, US$6 billion in grants for existing nuclear plants, and tax credits for new nuclear facilities under the Inflation Reduction Act. The Department of Energy has also advocated for tripling US nuclear capacity to 300 gigawatts by 2050, which would significantly increase uranium demand. Support for nuclear energy is now underpinned by COP28/29 DOE pledges, demand from data centre companies and 14 of the world’s largest banks.
In the longer term, GTI recognizes the potential benefits of consolidation within the fragmented US uranium sector. The company remains open to strategic partnerships, joint ventures, or even merger and acquisition opportunities that could create a more substantial production base. Such moves could potentially accelerate GTI's path to production, create operational synergies, or provide access to additional high-quality assets, enhancing the company's overall value proposition to investors.
Company Highlights
- GTI Energy is focused on ISR-amenable uranium projects in Wyoming, USA.
- The flagship Lo Herma project in the Powder River Basin contains a recently updated mineral resource of 8.57 Mlbs of U3O8 at average grade of 630 ppm.
- GTI also holds projects in the Great Divide Basin and Green Mountain areas in Wyoming, and earlier-stage uranium-vanadium assets in Utah.
- To date, GTI has delineated total combined uranium resources of 10.32 Mlbs (indicated and inferred) and substantial combined exploration targets in the range 12 to 20 Mlbs across its Wyoming projects.
- Wyoming is a historically significant uranium producing region with existing infrastructure and a supportive regulatory environment.
- GTI is well-placed to take advantage of the worsening uranium supply deficit and rapidly growing demand for uranium, particularly from the United States, the world’s largest consumer of uranium.
Key Projects
Wyoming Uranium Projects
GTI's focus on Wyoming ISR projects positions it well to capitalize on trends in the uranium sector. ISR mining is generally faster to build, lower cost and more environmentally friendly than conventional mining methods. Wyoming has a long history of uranium production and hosts current producers and several more additional permitted processing facilities, potentially allowing for rapid development of new projects.
The potential quantity and grade of Exploration Targets is conceptual in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to estimate a JORC-compliant MRE. It is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a MRE in the defined exploration target areas. In addition to drilling conducted in 2024, Exploration Targets have been estimated based on historical drill maps, drill hole data, aerial geophysics (as reported during 2023) and drilling by GTI conducted during 2023 to verify the historical drilling information. There are now 954 drill holes in the Lo Herma project area with the drill programs conducted by GTI during 2023 and 2024 designed, in part, to test the Lo Herma Exploration Target.
The Wyoming projects – comprising the Lo Herma, Great Divide Basin and Green Mountain projects – are located in the Powder River and Great Divide Basins.
Lo Herma
The company’s exploration work is currently prioritizing resource development at Lo Herma, where recent drilling has successfully verified the historical Lo Herma drill hole database.
The Lo Herma project, located just 10 miles from Cameco's Smith Ranch-Highland facility (the largest ISR uranium plant in the US), appears particularly promising. Recent drilling results have confirmed and expanded known mineralization, with the potential to significantly increase the resource base.
The company is undertaking an accelerated program at Lo Herma with the primary objective of expanding its resource base. This ongoing initiative aims to grow the known mineralization both along trend and at depth. GTI is exploring in both the Wasatch formation and the deeper Fort Union formation, which both hold the potential to add significant additional mineralization to the project's resource inventory.
Concurrent with resource expansion, GTI is taking crucial steps to de-risk the Lo Herma project. The company is in the process of completing hydrogeologic and water monitoring wells, which are essential for understanding the project's hydrogeology and planning future production scenarios. Furthermore, GTI has collected core samples for metallurgical testing, a critical step in optimizing the ISR process and demonstrating the project's economic viability.
Looking ahead, GTI has set ambitious targets for advancing Lo Herma through key development milestones, including a potential scoping study in 2025. Positive results from these studies could serve as significant catalysts for the company, potentially leading to a material re-rating of the stock as the project's economic potential becomes clearer.
Great Divide Basin and Green Mountain
The company continues to advance its other Wyoming projects, including those in the Great Divide Basin and Green Mountain areas. Exploration at Green Mountain can commence in 2025 now that the necessary permits are in place, providing potential for additional resource growth and diversification of the company's asset base. Permits are also in place for future drilling at the company’s Great Divide Basin and Utah projects.
The Great Divide Basin project consists of the Thor, Logray, Loki, Odin, Teebo, Wicket and Green Mountain claims. The approximately 13,000-hectare group of projects is prospective for ISR-amenable sandstone-hosted roll-front uranium. The Wyoming projects are situated 5 to 30 kilometers from Ur-Energy’s Lost Creek ISR plant. The projects are also located near Rio Tinto’s Sweetwater/Kennecott Mill.
GTI Energy’s landholding in the Great Divide Basin was bolstered by the acquisition of the Green Mountain project comprising 5,585 hectares of contiguous ISR uranium exploration claims which abuts the Rio Tinto claims at Green Mountain. Historical drill data and geophysics confirm the presence of major uranium mineralisation at the projects.
Green Mountain lies immediately adjacent to the Great Divide Basin project and adjacent to Energy Fuel’s 30 Mlb Sheep Mountain, Ur-Energy’s Lost Soldier, Rio Tinto’s Jackpot & UEC’s Antelope deposits. Green Mountain contains a number of uranium mineralised roll fronts hosted in the fertile Battle Springs formation.
Utah
Henry Mountains Uranium Project
Exploration at Henry Mountains has focused on approximately 5 kms of mineralised trend that extends between the Rat Nest & Jeffrey claim groups and includes the Section 36 state lease block. Uranium and vanadium mineralisation in this location is generally shallow at 20 to 30 meters average depth. The region forms part of the prolific Colorado Plateau uranium province which historically provided the most important uranium resources in the USA. Sandstone-hosted ores have been mined in the region since 1904 and the mining region has historically produced in excess of 17.5 Mt @ 2,400 ppm U3O8 (92 Mlbs U3O8) and 12,500 ppm V2O5 (482 Mlbs V2O5).
Management Team
Bruce Lane - Executive Director
Bruce Lane has significant experience with ASX-listed and large industrial companies. Lane has held management positions in many global blue-chip companies as well as resource companies and startups in New Zealand, Europe and Australia. He holds a master’s degree from London Business School and is a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Lane has led a number of successful acquisitions, fund raising and exploration programs of uranium and other minerals projects during the last 20 years, most notably with ASX listed companies Atom Energy, Stonehenge Metals and Fenix Resources (FEX).
Matt Hartmann - Director
ISR uranium specialist Matt Hartmann is an executive and technical leader with more than 20 years of international experience and substantial uranium exploration and project development experience. He first entered the uranium mining space in 2005 and followed a career path that has included senior technical roles with Strathmore Minerals and Uranium Resources. He is also a former principal consultant at SRK Consulting where he provided advisory services to explorers, producers and prospective uranium investors. Hartmann’s ISR uranium experience has brought him through the entire cycle of the business, from exploration, project studies and development, to production and well field reclamation. He has provided technical and managerial expertise to a large number of uranium ISR projects across the US including, Smith Ranch – Highland ISR Uranium Mine (Cameco), Rosita ISR Uranium Central Processing Plant and Wellfield (currently held by enCore Energy), the Churchrock ISR Uranium project (currently held by Laramide Resources), and the Dewey-Burdock ISR Uranium project (currently held by enCore Energy).
Simon Williamson - Non-executive Director
Simon Williamson was general manager and director of Cameco Australia until late 2023 and has significant uranium industry experience, networks and skills from his 13 years at Cameco. During his tenure with Cameco, Williamson managed relations with key government ministers and departments and community stakeholders. He managed project approvals processes, including negotiations with State and Federal agencies and reviewing the PFS for the Yeelirrie project.
Williamson was intimately involved in obtaining environmental approval for the Kintyre and Yeelirrie uranium projects, including developing and implementing a program of environmental baseline studies, government and community consultation and negotiating land access. Prior to his appointment as general manager, he led the government and regulatory affairs, environmental and radiation safety activities of Cameco in Australia.
James (Jim) Baughman - Executive Director
James Baughman is a highly experienced Wyoming uranium geologist and corporate executive who will help guide the company’s technical and commercial activities in the US. Baughman is the former president and CEO of High Plains Uranium (sold for US$55 million in 2006 to Uranium One) and Cyclone Uranium.
Baughman has more than 30 years of experience advancing minerals projects from grassroots to advanced stage. He has held senior positions (i.e., chief geologist, chairman, president, acting CFO, COO) in private and publicly traded mining & mineral exploration companies during his 30-year career.
He is a registered member of the Society of Mining, Metallurgy, Exploration and a member of the Society of Economic Geologists with a BSc in geology (1983 University of Wyoming) and is a registered professional geologist (P. Geo State of Wyoming). Baughman is a registered member of the Society of Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME) and a qualified person (QP) on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) and Australian Stock Exchange (ASX).
Petar Tomasevic - Non-executive Director
Petar Tomasevic is the managing director of Vert Capital, a financial services company specializing in mineral acquisition and asset implementation. He has worked with several ASX-listed companies in marketing and investor relations roles. Tomasevic is fluent in five languages. He is currently appointed as a French and Balkans language specialist to assist in project evaluation for ASX-listed junior explorers. Most recently, he was a director at Fenix Resources (ASX:FEX), which is now moving into the production phase. He was involved in the company’s restructuring when it was known as Emergent Resources. Tomasevic was also involved in the company’s Iron Ridge asset acquisition, the RTO financing, and the development phase of Fenix’s Iron Ridge project.
Disrupting the uranium supply chain through highly prospective ISR projects in Wyoming
Terra Clean Energy: Advancing an Expansive Uranium Landholding in the Prolific Athabasca Basin
Terra Clean Energy (CSE:TCEC,OTCQB:TCEFF,FSE:C9O0) is advancing its 100 percent-owned South Falcon East Project, strategically located in the southeastern Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan — one of the world’s premier uranium districts. The project stands out among uranium juniors for its shallow mineralization, strong discovery potential, and proximity to established infrastructure.
Anchored by a historical resource of nearly 7 million pounds (Mlbs) U₃O₈ at the Fraser Lakes Zone B, the project also hosts multiple zones of confirmed mineralization and structural alteration. Terra is advancing toward a NI 43-101-compliant resource update in 2025, with the goal of materially expanding its resource base. Situated along the highly prospective Way Lake Conductor — a folded, uranium-enriched corridor — the project offers significant upside for new discoveries beyond the existing resource.
South Falcon East, Terra Clean Energy’s flagship project, spans 12,234 hectares on the southeastern margin of the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, just 55 km east of the historic Key Lake uranium mill. The project hosts the Fraser Lakes Zone B deposit, with a historical inferred resource of 6.96 Mlbs U₃O₈ at 0.03% and 5.34 Mlbs ThO₂ at 0.023 percent, contained within 10.35 Mt using a 0.01 percent U₃O₈ cutoff. While not yet classified under NI 43-101, Terra considers the resource data reliable and a strong foundation for future exploration and growth.
Company Highlights
- Unique, Shallow Uranium System: Only micro-cap in the Athabasca Basin advancing a near-surface uranium deposit, with significantly reduced exploration and potential development costs.
- Pounds-in-the-ground Upside: Historical resource of 6.96 Mlbs U₃O₈ and 5.34 Mlbs ThO₂, with considerable expansion potential from historical and recent drilling.
- Prime Location: Situated 55 km east of the Key Lake Mill within the prolific Athabasca Basin – home to the world’s highest-grade uranium deposits.
- Strong Technical Leadership: Led by a team with extensive uranium exploration and capital markets experience, including veterans from Skyharbour Resources and Azincourt Energy.
- Resource Update Underway: 2024–25 infill and step-out drilling will support an NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimate, incorporating higher-grade intercepts from Terra’s 2024 campaign.
- Re-rating Potential: Market cap under $5 million despite having a historical uranium resource, confirmed mineralized zones, and near-term catalysts.
This Terra Clean Energy profile is part of a paid investor education campaign.*
Click here to connect with Terra Clean Energy (CSE:TCEC) to receive an Investor Presentation
Terra Clean Energy
Investor Insight
With a clear, discovery-focused strategy, Terra Clean Energy is advancing one of the most unique near-surface uranium opportunities in the Athabasca Basin, targeting rapid resource growth and re-rating potential through continuous exploration, aggressive drilling, and disciplined capital deployment.
Overview
Terra Clean Energy (CSE:TCEC,OTCQB:TCEFF,FSE:C9O0) is unlocking value from its wholly owned South Falcon East project, located in the southeastern Athabasca Basin in Saskatchewan, Canada. The project uniquely positions Terra among uranium juniors due to its shallow mineralization and proximity to world-class infrastructure.
With a historical uranium resource of nearly 7 million lbs (Mlbs) U₃O₈ at Fraser Lakes Zone B, and multiple zones of confirmed mineralization and structural alteration, Terra is targeting an updated NI 43-101 resource in 2025, aiming to significantly grow its asset base. The project’s location along the Way Lake Conductor – a folded, fertile corridor – offers blue-sky potential for additional discoveries.
As global demand for uranium surges due to energy security concerns and the electrification boom (AI, EVs, nuclear baseload), Terra offers investors a rare combination of historical resource foundation, shallow mineralization, and transformational growth potential at a micro-cap valuation.
Company Highlights
- Unique, Shallow Uranium System: Only micro-cap in the Athabasca Basin advancing a near-surface uranium deposit, with significantly reduced exploration and potential development costs.
- Pounds-in-the-ground Upside: Historical resource of 6.96 Mlbs U₃O₈ and 5.34 Mlbs ThO₂, with considerable expansion potential from historical and recent drilling.
- Prime Location: Situated 55 km east of the Key Lake Mill within the prolific Athabasca Basin – home to the world’s highest-grade uranium deposits.
- Strong Technical Leadership: Led by a team with extensive uranium exploration and capital markets experience, including veterans from Skyharbour Resources and Azincourt Energy.
- Resource Update Underway: 2024–25 infill and step-out drilling will support an NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimate, incorporating higher-grade intercepts from Terra’s 2024 campaign.
- Re-rating Potential: Market cap under $5 million despite having a historical uranium resource, confirmed mineralized zones, and near-term catalysts.
Key Project
South Falcon East – Fraser Lakes B Deposit
Located in the southeastern margin of the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, South Falcon East is Terra Clean Energy’s flagship project, covering approximately 12,234 hectares of prospective uranium ground. The property lies 55 km east of the historic Key Lake uranium mill and hosts the Fraser Lakes B deposit, which hosts an inferred historical resource of 6.96 Mlb U₃O₈ at 0.03 percent and 5.34 Mlb thorium dioxide (ThO₂) at 0.023 percent, within 10.35 Mt of material using a 0.01 percent U₃O₈ cutoff grade. While this resource is not currently classified under NI 43-101, Terra believes the data is reliable and serves as a robust foundation for continued exploration.
The mineralization is hosted in fractured and altered pegmatites and graphitic pelitic paragneiss, with the uranium accompanied by thorium and elevated concentrations of copper, nickel, vanadium, zinc, bismuth, molybdenum, lead and cobalt. Alteration assemblages include illite, dickite, kaolinite, chlorite, fluorite and hematite; these are classic markers of basement-hosted unconformity uranium systems. This setting, along with widespread clay alteration and structural disruption, mirrors some of the most prolific uranium systems in the basin, including Eagle Point, Millennium and Roughrider.
Fraser Lakes B sits on the central limb of the Way Lake Conductor, a folded EM corridor extending more than 25 km across the project area. This conductor hosts three major fold limbs (West, Central, and East), but only the central limb, where Fraser Lakes B is located, has been materially drilled. The deposit currently exhibits a strike length of approximately 1,400 meters, dipping northwest, and remains open in all directions. A north-northeast-trending fault, known as the T-Bone Lineament, intersects the deposit’s eastern margin, suggesting additional structural complexity and potential uranium conduits along strike.
Historic drilling from 2008 to 2015 by Skyharbour Resources and JNR Resources identified numerous mineralized intervals. Highlights include:
- 0.165 percent U₃O₈ over 2 m (within a broader 6 m grading 0.103 percent U₃O₈) in FP-15-05.
- 0.183 percent U₃O₈ over 1 m in WYL-50.
- 0.242 percent U₃O₈ over 0.5 m in WYL-61.
- 0.057 percent U₃O₈ over 5.5 m in the same hole.
These results demonstrate multiple stacked mineralized horizons over widths up to 65 m, open to depth and laterally.
In early 2024, Terra’s Phase 1 drill program confirmed the presence of uranium-bearing pegmatites in close proximity to historical intercepts. Hole SF-0059 intersected 13.5 m of mineralization, including 0.07 percent eU₃O₈ over 1.1 m, while SF-0060 returned intervals such as 0.02 percent eU₃O₈ over 1.3 m at 142.15 m. These intercepts confirm the extension of mineralization along strike and at depth from FP-15-05 and support the hypothesis of lateral continuity and stacked mineralized bodies.
Planning for an extensive summer 2025 drill program is underway, which consists of approximately 2,500 meters. The program will test areas identified during the winter 2024 program, where it is interpreted that a north-northwest trending brittle structure, a north dipping structure with strong clay alteration, and mineralized pegmatites with hydrothermal hematite alteration hosted in graphitic pelitic gneiss all intersect.
In addition to Fraser Lakes B, the company is evaluating regional targets such as T-Bone Lake, which has returned values up to 0.055 percent U₃O₈ over 0.9 m and features promising clay alteration and structural complexity similar to known high-grade deposits.
The overarching exploration thesis is that the Way Lake Conductor may host a clustered uranium system, with multiple deposits along its folded structure. Very little drilling has been conducted outside the current Fraser Lakes B footprint, giving Terra significant discovery potential across the entire 25 km strike length.
Management Team
Greg Cameron – President, CEO and Director
A seasoned capital markets professional, Greg Cameron has two decades of experience in business development, strategy and M&A. He is a former senior banker at Canaccord Genuity and Macquarie, and managing director at Colby Capital. He brings transactional and restructuring expertise critical to junior exploration growth.
C. Trevor Perkins – VP, Exploration
A professional geologist, C. Trevor Perkins has a track record in uranium exploration, including major results in the Athabasca Basin. He also serves as VP exploration for Azincourt Energy and has led exploration strategy and drill execution across multiple high-impact programs.
Alex Klenman – Director
Alex Klenman is a veteran junior mining executive with 30+ years’ experience, including uranium-specific roles. He is the CEO and director of Azincourt Energy, and has raised more than $18 million for Athabasca exploration. Klenman brings deep investor relations and financing expertise.
Tony Wonnacott – Director
Tony Wonnacott is a Toronto-based securities lawyer with more than 25 years of experience in capital markets. Instrumental in multiple successful listings and over $1 billion in financings and M&A transactions.
Brian Shin – CFO
Brian Shine is a chartered professional accountant with 15 years’ experience across roles in public companies. He specializes in reporting, risk management and corporate finance.
Jordan Trimble – Technical Advisor
Jordan Trimble is the CEO of Skyharbour Resources and a leading voice in the uranium investment community. He brings global capital markets insight and technical expertise, enhancing Terra’s industry reach and credibility.
North Shore Announces Binding Term Sheet for Rio Puerco Uranium Project in New Mexico, USA
North Shore Uranium Ltd. (TSXV:NSU)("North Shore" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that on June 23, 2025, it signed a binding term sheet (the "Term Sheet") with Resurrection Mining LLC ("Resurrection"), an arm's length party, to acquire up to 87.5% of the Rio Puerco uranium project ("Rio Puerco" or the "Project") in northwestern New Mexico (the "Transaction").
TRANSACTION AND PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
- Historical resource estimate of 6.0 million tonnes at an average grade of 0.09% eU 3 O 8 for 11.4 million lbs. of U 3 O 8 reported in 2009
- Substantial historical dataset to guide and optimize future exploration programs
- Preliminary review of historical data suggests the potential for In-Situ Recovery ("ISR") mining, the lowest cost method for producing uranium
- Located in the Grants Uranium District, the largest producer of uranium in the United States and near two significant active uranium projects, Marquez-Juan Tafoya (Anfield Energy Inc.) and Cebolleta (Premier American Uranium Inc.)
- Strong US government support for nuclear power and uranium mining projects and a stated objective to reduce reliance on foreign nuclear fuel
- Executive Orders issued by President Trump in late May 2025 include a call for quadrupling US nuclear capacity by 2050, accelerating new reactor development, strengthening the US nuclear fuel supply chain and reforming the US regulatory environment
- Staged earn-in structure allows the Company to optimize exploration programs
- Would provide North Shore with uranium exposure in two North American jurisdictions, the Athabasca Basin in Saskatchewan, Canada and the western USA
Brooke Clements, President and CEO of North Shore stated: "The Rio Puerco project in New Mexico offers us exposure to a uranium project in the USA with excellent upside and signficant historical exploration data including a historical resource estimate. The US government has recently enacted policies designed to accelerate nuclear power and uranium mining activity in the country. In the 1970s, Kerr-McGee commenced mine construction at Rio Puerco, but activity was halted after a short trial-mining phase due to low uranium prices. The Project offers a great opportunity to confirm and expand upon previous work through drilling, modern 3-D modelling and continued assessment of the ISR potential. On completion of the Transaction with Resurrection, we will have uranium exposure in two North American jurisdictions that have seen signficant uranium production, the Grants Uranium District and the Athabasca Basin, at a time when future supply-demand fundamentals look great for the industry."
Rio Puerco is located at the eastern end of the Grants Uranium District, approximately 60 kilometres northwest of Albuquerque, New Mexico (Figure 1). Mines that operated between 1950 and 2002 contributed to make the Grants Uranium District the leading historical uranium producing district in the United States.
Figure 1: Rio Puerco Location Map, New Mexico. Roca Honda (Energy Fuels), Marquez-Juan Tafoya (Anfield Energy) and Cebolleta (Premier American Uranium) are advanced exploration/development stage uranium projects.
RIO PUERCO PROJECT SUMMARY
Rio Puerco consists of 37 Bureau of Land Management mining claims and significant historic exploration and mining data as well as the rights to a water well. Historical exploration and development work by Kerr-McGee Corporation ( "Kerr McGee" ) in the 1960s and 1970s, and geologic and resource modelling work completed by two Australian companies in 2009 and 2011 validate the potential for Rio Puerco to host a significant uranium resource.
Uranium was first discovered at Rio Puerco in 1968. The claims covering the discovery were ultimately optioned to Kerr-McGee who drilled over 1,000 holes. Based on the results of that work, they began the development of the Rio Puerco Mine in the 1970s. The uranium mineralization is hosted in sandstone of the Jurassic-aged Morrison Formation, host to almost all of the significant uranium deposits in the Grants Uranium District. The mine was intended to be a room and pillar underground mine but was never put into production. Activity ceased after a short trial mining phase likely due to low uranium prices at the time. The underground mine infrastructure included a 260m vertical shaft, ventilation shafts, mining adits and support buildings. The mining shaft remains at the site and road access to the site is excellent.
In 2009, Monaro Mining NL ( "Monaro" ) commissioned an independent geological review and resource estimate for Rio Puerco using exploration data generated by Kerr-McGee in the 1960s and 1970s. The data used for the resource estimate consisted of historical maps and data from 764 drill holes including downhole gamma-ray data converted to percent equivalent U 3 O 8 (e U 3 O 8 ), geological logs and drillhole survey data. They reported a JORC 2004-compliant inferred resource of 6.0 million tonnes at an average grade of 0.09% eU 3 O 8 using a cutoff grade of 0.03% eU 3 O 8 for 11.4 million lbs. of contained U 3 O 8 1 (the " Historic Resource" ). JORC is the Australian Joint Ore Reserves Committee, a professional code of practice that sets minimum standards for public reporting of Mineral Resources.
In 2011, Australian-American Mining Corporation Ltd. commissioned a technical report on Rio Puerco. This most recent report validated and confirmed the Historic Resource 2 .
No significant exploration or development work has occurred at Rio Puerco since the 1970s.
HISTORICAL RESOURCE ESTIMATES FOR THE RIO PUERCO PROJECT
The historical resource outlined in this news release has not been verified and should not be relied upon. It is a historical estimate and not current and does not comply with Canadian NI 43-101 guidelines for the reporting of Mineral Resources. A qualified person has not verified the historical resource on behalf of the Company and North Shore has completed no work programs at Rio Puerco. Though not current, the Company views the historical resource estimates as reliable and sufficient to justify the initiation of work programs aimed at validating and potentially expanding upon the estimates. There is no guarantee that the work programs envisioned by North Shore will ultimately result in the definition of NI 43-101 compliant resources.
RIO PUERCO TERM SHEET
Completion of the Transaction is contingent on North Shore completing satisfactory due diligence, execution of a definitive agreement, completion of a minimum $750,000 financing by North Shore and approval by the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange" ). A finder's fee may be payable to an arms-length third party upon completion of the Transaction. The following highlights key terms of the Term Sheet executed by North Shore and Resurrection, all currency references are in Canadian dollars:
- Milestone 1: upon completion of the Transaction, a $125,000 cash payment and issuance of 9.99% of the issued and outstanding shares of the Company, post-financing.
- Milestone 2, to earn a 40% interest in the Project: on or before 18 months after completion of the Transaction, a $250,000 payment in cash or common shares, at the option of North Shore, and $750,000 in exploration expenditures.
- Milestone 3, to earn an aggregate 65% interest in the Project: on or before 36 months after completion of the Transaction, a $375,000 payment in cash or common shares, at the option of North Shore, and $1,000,000 in additional exploration expenditures.
- Milestone 4, to earn an aggregate 87.5% interest in the Project: on or before 60 months after completion of the Transaction, a $500,000 payment in cash or shares, at the option of North Shore, and $1,500,000 in additional exploration expenditures.
- North Shore may elect to not continue to sole-fund exploration expenditures at any time after earning a 40% interest in Rio Puerco at which time North Shore and Resurrection will enter into a joint venture agreement to govern the funding of Rio Puerco on a proportional basis.
- Carried interest: On completion of Milestone 4, North Shore will provide Resurrection with a 12.5% free-carried interest in the Project through completion of an NI 43-101-compliant Preliminary Economic Assessment at which time Resurrection can elect to form a participating joint venture or convert their interest into a 1.0% net smelter returns royalty. North Shore will be granted a right of first refusal on Resurrection's 12.5% interest.
- Bonus payments: For the 78 month period after completion of the Transaction, North Shore will pay Resurrection a $100,000 bonus for each million lbs. of uranium estimated in current resources defined by the Company above 5 million and up to 20 million lbs. in accordance with NI 43-101 standards, if and when such resources are defined.
- Other terms: Resurrection shall have a participation right to maintain its 9.99% interest in the common shares of North Shore for 5 years from completion of the Transaction and the right, but not the obligation, to appoint one nominee to the North Shore Board of Directors. All share issuances will be subject to Canadian and US securities law and will be priced in accordance with Exchange policies.
NEXT STEPS
After completion of the Transaction, North Shore will begin working towards defining the first NI 43-101-compliant uranium resource at Rio Puerco. The Company's initial work will aim to verify historical data and determine whether a resource can be defined in accordance with NI 43-101. First, geologic models of the previously defined deposit will be prepared using drill hole summary logs containing the interpreted zones of uranium mineralization. A number of confirmation drill holes are required to confirm the historic uranium grade and uranium disequilibrium, and for metallurgical testing. For the first program, 20 to 40 holes are contemplated, a combination of diamond core holes and rotary holes where a downhole gamma ray probe is used to determine uranium content. After the results of that program are received and interpreted, a comprehensive drilling plan would be developed aimed at defining a resource. Data from the drill programs will be used to further evaluate the amenability of ISR mining.
ABOUT NORTH SHORE
The nuclear power industry is in growth mode as more nuclear power will be required to meet the world's ambitious CO 2 emission-reduction goals and the needs of new power-intensive technologies like AI. In this environment, new discoveries of economic uranium deposits will be very valuable, especially in established uranium-producing jurisdictions like Saskatchewan and New Mexico. North Shore is well-positioned to become a major force in exploration for economic uranium deposits. The Company is working to achieve this goal by exploring its Falcon and West Bear properties at the eastern margin of the Athabasca Basin in Saskatchewan, expanding its exploration efforts to include the Grants Uranium District in New Mexico and by evaluating other quality opportunities in the United States and Canada to complement its portfolio of uranium properties. North Shore summarized its exploration efforts at its Falcon property in a May 27, 2025 , news release.
QUALIFIED PERSON
Mr. Brooke Clements, MSc, P.Geol., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and the President and CEO of North Shore, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure in this press release.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
Brooke Clements,
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
For further information:
Please contact: Brooke Clements, President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
Telephone: 604.536.2711
Email: b.clements@northshoreuranium.com
www.northshoreuranium.com
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on the Company's current expectations and estimates. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "project", "appear", "interpret", "coincident", "potential", "confirm", "suggest", "evaluate", "encourage", "likely", "anomaly", "continuous" and variations of these words as well as other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "could", "may", "should", "would" or "will" occur. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results implied or expressed in such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others: the completion and expected terms of the Transaction, the parties' abilities to meet the closing conditions of the Transaction, the number of securities to be issued by the Company in connection with the Transaction, receipt of all necessary approvals for the completion of the Transaction, the completion of satisfactory due diligence, execution of a definitive agreement, completion of a minimum $750,000 or any financing by the Company, and the Company's ability to meet the Milestones, make the bonus payments or meet other terms of the Transaction; the highly speculative nature of the Transaction given the early-stage nature of Rio Puerco; the actual results of current and planned exploration activities including the potential for the definition of a mineral deposit of potential economic value at the Company's Falcon property in Saskatchewan; that drilling results, geophysical survey results and/or interpretations thereof are defining potentially mineralized corridors; results from future exploration programs including drilling; interpretation and meaning of completed and future geophysical surveys; conclusions of future economic evaluations; changes in project parameters as plans to continue to be refined; possible variations in grades of mineralization and/or future actual recovery rates; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; the availability of sufficient funding on terms acceptable to the Company to complete the planned work programs; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing; and fluctuations in metal prices. There may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or results or otherwise. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. Any forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.
1 Monaro Mining NL, 2009, 250% increase in uranium resource inventory at Rio Puerco deposit, New Mexico USA: Monaro Mining NL ASX news release: (link)
2 Boyer, D. and Ostensoe, E., 2011, NI 43-101 technical report, Rio Puerco deposit, Sandoval county, New Mexico, USA: Independent report commissioned by Australian-American Mining Corporation Ltd.: (link)
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