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Toro Energy
Investor Insight
Toro Energy’s significant uranium resource in a tier 1 jurisdiction places the company in a compelling position to leverage a bullish uranium market and the mineral’s strategic role in global decarbonization.
Overview
Australia is the world’s third-largest uranium producer (12 percent) next to Kazakhstan (43 percent) and Canada (13 percent). It is home to the Wiluna Uranium Project, the flagship asset of Toro Energy (ASX:TOE), a uranium exploration and development company also exploring value in other commodities.
The 100-percent-owned Wiluna uranium project includes three key deposits – Lake Maitland, Centipede-Millipede and Lake Way – and offers significant uranium exposure of 87.8 million tons (Mt) at 381 ppm for 73.6 Mlbs U3O8 at 100 ppm cut-off (JORC 2012). It is located only 30 kilometers southeast of Wiluna in Central Western Australia.
The Wiluna uranium project has received state and federal approval (subject to required amendments) and has been granted mining leases.
Considerable research over recent years has identified processing redesign opportunities from unique geological attributes within the uranium deposits, but particularly at Lake Maitland, as well as the ability to extract the inherent vanadium held within the uranium ‘ore’ for a vanadium by-product.
Within the uranium mineralization envelope, the Wiluna project is estimated to contain 141.8 Mt vanadium oxide (V2O5) at 286 ppm for 89.3 Mlbs of V2O5 at 100 ppm V2O5 cut-off (JORC 2012), as of September 24, 2024.
The scoping study for the stand-alone Lake Maitland uranium-vanadium operation option shows potential for exceptional financial returns with a pre-tax NPV of AU$832.8 million, a short payback period of 2.5 years, 48 percent internal rate of return, and low capex of AU$291 million (US$203 million), based on price assumption of US$85/lb U3O8, US$5.67/lb V2O5 and a 70 cents US$:AU$ exchange rate.
In September 2024, the Lake Maitland deposit has been re-estimated using a resource envelope more in line with the other Wiluna uranium deposits; allowed the lowering of the cut-off grade to 100ppm U3O8, expanding Lake Maitland resources by 12 percent and that of the entire Wiluna project by 17 percent (when the expansions at Lake Way and Centipede-Millipede are also included).
The design phase of Toro Energy’s beneficiation and hydrometallurgical pilot plant is on track and in line with plans to finalise construction. The pilot plant will test the improved beneficiation and hydrometallurgical circuit developed by Toro from bench scale research at a closer-to-production scale and as single streams. It will also test potential ore from the three uranium-vanadium deposits that Toro believes will make up an extended Lake Maitland operation – these include Lake Maitland, Lake Way and Centipede-Millipede.
The Lake Maitland deposit is part of a joint venture partnership with two reputable Japanese corporations, Japan Australia Uranium Resource Development. (JAURD) and Itochu.
Toro has been actively evaluating the prospectivity of its Wiluna asset portfolio for minerals other than uranium, including nickel and gold.
The Lake Maitland mining pit re-optimization which incorporated the latest resource estimates and updated financial data has been completed. Mine scheduling is currently underway in preparation for the upcoming scoping study update.
Toro’s Dusty nickel project is located on the northern, eastern and southern shores of Lake Maitland and the Lake Maitland uranium deposit and is focused on two main target areas: Dusty and Yandal One. These properties will be the subject of a proposed demerger, following Toro’s recent strategic review of its non-core assets and future plans to solely focus on its uranium development opportunities and its flagship Wiluna project.
Toro Energy’s management team and board of directors have extensive experience in the mining industry, with combined expertise that includes working at major mining houses, exploration companies, uranium mining operations, corporate financing and government and community relations.
Company Highlights
- Toro Energy is a well-established uranium exploration and development company based in Western Australia, with a strong focus on unlocking value from additional commodities within its highly prospective landholdings.
- The company holds JORC-compliant uranium resources totaling 112.7 million pounds (Mlbs) of uranium oxide (U₃O₈) across its Western Australian projects.
- Toro’s 100%-owned flagship Wiluna Uranium Project, located 30 km southeast of Wiluna in Central Western Australia, hosts a total resource of 87.8 million tonnes (Mt) at 331 ppm for 73.6 Mlbs U₃O₈ at a 100 ppm cut-off. The project encompasses three key deposits: Lake Maitland, Centipede-Millipede, and Lake Way.
- Within the uranium mineralization envelope, Toro has also defined a maiden vanadium resource of 89.3 Mlbs V₂O₅ at a 100 ppm cut-off. A scoping study for a stand-alone Lake Maitland uranium-vanadium operation indicates the potential for exceptional financial returns.
- Beyond uranium, strategic exploration within the Lake Maitland tenure has led to the discovery of massive nickel sulphide and vein-hosted gold deposits, including the Dusty Nickel Project and the Yandal Gold Project.
- Following a recent strategic review, Toro is evaluating a renewed focus on uranium development and is considering the demerger of non-core assets, including its nickel, gold, and base metal projects in Western Australia.
- Toro is led by a highly experienced management team and board of directors, with deep expertise in uranium exploration, mining, and base metal exploration.
Key Projects
Wiluna Uranium Project
Location of the Lake Maitland Uranium and Vanadium Deposit within Toro’s portfolio of Uranium-Vanadium Deposits that make up the company’s Wiluna Uranium-Vanadium Project
Toro Energy’s flagship asset is located only 30 kilometers from the town of Wiluna in the northern goldfields region within central Western Australia. The Wiluna project contains 87.8 Mt at 381 ppm for 73.6 Mlbs U 3O8 at 100 ppm cut-off over three deposits: Centipede-Millipede, Lake Way and Lake Maitland. The asset has been de-risked and optimized to improve yield and has successfully incorporated the processing of a vanadium resource as a by-product. A scoping study was completed for a stand-alone Lake Maitland uranium-vanadium operation.
Project Highlights:
- De-risked Uranium Project: Toro Energy has de-risked the Wiluna uranium asset by securing state and federal approvals, mining leases, and a simplified mining process. Further approvals are needed due to project enhancements. Extensive lab testing has also validated an efficient beneficiation and processing technique, enabling vanadium extraction as a valuable by-product.
- Uranium Exploration assets: Toro also owns 100 percent of three other exploration projects in Western Australia that have a total uranium resource of 39.1 Mlbs Nowthanna (200ppm U3O8 cut-off), Dawson Hinkler (100ppm U3O8 cut-off) and Theseus (200ppm U3O8 cut-off).
- Lake Maitland Pit Expansion: A 2022 pit expansion for a stand-alone Lake Maitland mining and processing operation, based on an updated uranium price, the inclusion of vanadium as a by-product, revised OPEX based on a the new beneficiation and processing flow sheet, increased the potential volume of uranium ore
- Initial Scoping study at proposed Lake Maitland Uranium-Vanadium Operation: Initial scoping study results following the 2022 pit expansion highlight the project’s potential for robust financial returns, increasing the asset to US$608 million in potential gross product value (assumes a US$70/lb U3O8, US$5.67/lb V2O5 price and a US$: AU$0.70 exchange rate).
- 2024 Scoping Study Financial Metrics Update: A refresh of the scoping study on the stand-alone Lake Maitland operation which incorporates current financial metrics and improved uranium pricing has been recently completed resulting an increase in pre-tax NPV to $832.8 million and 48 percent IRR (assumes a US$85/lb U3O8, US$5.67/lb V2O5 price and a US$: AU$0.70 exchange rate).
- Expanded Resource: Reducing the U₃O₈ and V₂O₅ cut-off grade to 100 ppm has significantly expanded resources across all three uranium-vanadium deposits:
- Lake Maitland:
- U₃O₈: +12 percent (3.2 Mlbs) to 29.6 Mlbs, average grade 403 ppm
- V₂O₅: +74 percent (13.4 Mlbs) to 31.4 Mlbs, average grade 285 ppm
- Centipede-Millipede:
- U₃O₈: +25 percent (5.98 Mlbs) to 29.95 Mlbs, average grade 351 ppm
- V₂O₅: +17% (6.6 Mlbs) to 45.2 Mlbs, average grade 281 ppm
- Lake Way:
- U₃O₈: +15 percent (1.79 Mlbs) to 14.12 Mlbs, average grade 406 ppm
- V₂O₅: +9.5 percent (1.1 Mlbs) to 12.7 Mlbs, average grade 307 ppm
- Lake Maitland:
- Pilot Plant Design Commissioned: A detailed pilot plant design is being undertaken to further assess the new processing flowsheet for Lake Maitland at a closer to ‘operational’ scale. The pilot plant design is on track incorporating all aspects of both uranium and vanadium production. A sonic core drilling program will commence to deliver potential ore to the pilot plant currently in design for Wiluna.
- Robust Local Infrastructure: The assets are within an established mining center, which means much of the required infrastructure is readily available. The project has access to power and water, which reduces initial development costs.
- Joint Venture Partnership: Toro Energy has entered into a joint venture partnership with JAURD and Itochu for its Lake Maitland deposit. Both corporations have the right, but not the obligation, to earn a combined 35 percent interest in the project upon contributing US$39.6 million, and an additional proportionate share of expenditure thereafter, once a positive final investment decision has been made based on a definitive feasibility study.
The Dusty Nickel Project – Discoveries of Massive Nickel Sulphide
Toro’s Lake Maitland tenure is located in the Yandal Greenstone Belt within the Yilgarn Craton of Western Australia, a gold district within a world-class gold and nickel province. With little exploration for non-uranium minerals ever conducted on the properties, Toro considers the project area highly prospective for nickel, gold and base metals.
Exploration and diamond drilling have identified four massive/semi-massive nickel sulphide zones within just 4.5 km of a 7.5 km komatiite magnetic trend. Limited testing has been conducted across a 15 km strike of known komatiite-ultramafic target rock. With minimal drilling at Lake Maitland, the full extent of prospective nickel sulphide mineralization remains unknown.
Project Highlights:
- Four zones of massive nickel sulphide discovered: Toro has discovered four zones of massive and semi-massive nickel sulphides: Dusty, Houli Dooley, Jumping Jack and Dimma.
- Yandal OneTarget Area: The Yandal One Target Area is located some 17 kilometers south of the Dusty discoveries and with limited drilling, Toro has proven the existence of another komatiite with the potential to host massive nickel sulphide.
Toro Yandal Gold Project
The Lake Maitland tenure is located only 20 kilometers northeast of the world-class Bronzewing and Mt McClure gold mines within the same Greenstone Belt, the Yandal, within one of the most famous gold provinces in the world, the Yilgarn Craton.
Early exploration by Toro at the Golden Ways target area in the north of the project has uncovered surface rock chip samples of up to 70 g/t gold and significant drilling results, including:
- 5 meters at 4.4 g/t from 22 meters (TERC24)
- Including 2 meters at 9.93 g/t from 22 meters
- 4 meters at 3.3 g/t from 28 meters (TERC25)
- Including 1 meter at 10.9 g/t from 28 meters
- 2 meters at 3.79 g/t from 10 meters (TERC38)
- Including 1 meters at 7.33 g/t from 10 meters
- 3 meters at 1.41 g/t from 9 meters (TERC36)
- Including 1 meters at 2.76 g/t from 10 meters
Management Team
Richard Homsany - Executive Chairman
Richard Homsany has extensive experience in the resources industry, having been the executive vice-president for Australia of TSX-listed Mega Uranium since April 2010. He has worked for North Ltd, an ASX top 50-listed internationally diversified resources company in operations, risk management and corporate, before its takeover by Rio Tinto.
Homsany is an experienced corporate lawyer and certified practicing accountant (CPA) advising numerous clients in the energy and resources sector, including publicly listed companies. He was corporate partner at international law firm DLA Phillips Fox (now DLA Piper), where he advised clients on a range of transactions and matters including capital raising, IPOs, stock exchange listing, mergers and acquisitions, finance, joint ventures, divestments and governance.
Michel Marier - Non-executive Director
Michel Marier joined Sentient in 2009 as an investment manager. Before joining Sentient, Marier worked eight years in the private equity division of la Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec. Marier holds a master’s degree in finance from HEC Montreal and is a CFA charter holder.
Richard Patricio - Non-executive Director
Richard Patricio is the CEO and president of Mega Uranium, a uranium-focused investment and development company with assets in Canada and Australia. Patricio has built a number of mining companies with global operations. He holds senior officer and director positions in several junior mining companies listed on the TSX, TSX Venture, AIM and NASDAQ exchanges. He is currently also a director of NexGen Energy (TSE:NXE, Mkt Cap. C$2.7 billion). He previously practiced law at a top-tier law firm in Toronto and worked as an in-house general counsel for a senior TSX-listed company. He received his law degree from Osgoode Hall and was called to the Ontario bar in 2000.
Dr. Greg Shirtliff – Geology Manager
Dr. Greg Shirtliff, with a PhD in mine-related geology and geochemistry from ANU, has 20+ years of experience across environmental, mine geology, resource development, exploration, and management. His career includes roles at ERA-Rio Tinto’s Ranger Uranium Mine, Cameco Australasia, and currently as Lead Geologist & Technical Manager at Toro Energy. He oversees uranium and mineral resource development, directs exploration strategy, supports EPA approvals, and guides engineering and metallurgical assessments.
Katherine Garvey - Legal Counsel and Company Secretary
Katherine Garvey is a corporate lawyer who has significant experience in the resources sector. Garvey advises public (both listed and unlisted) and proprietary companies on a variety of corporate and commercial matters including capital raising, finance, acquisitions and disposals, Corporations Act and ASX Listing Rule compliance, corporate governance and company secretarial issues. She has extensive experience drafting and negotiating various corporate and commercial agreements including farm-in agreements, joint ventures, shareholders’ agreements, and business and share sale and purchase agreements.
Marc Boudames - Financial Controller
Marc Boudames is experienced in statutory financial reporting, taxation, ERP systems, business analytics, corporate transactions, due diligence, mergers & acquisitions, finance, joint ventures and divestments. He previously worked at RSM Bird Cameron, as general manager –finance & administration for ASX-listed Redport Ltd and Mega Uranium (Australia), a Canadian TSX-listed mining and equity investment company focused on global uranium properties and multi-mineral exploration. He has worked for multiple companies across various industries, including listed and public companies associated with the mining and oil and gas sectors, such as WesTrac, CB&I and Spotless Group.
Uranium development and exploration in Western Australia
Greenvale Energy: Strategic Exploration of Prospective Uranium Assets in Queensland, Northern Territory
Greenvale Energy (ASX:GRV) provides investors with a compelling entry point into the high-growth nuclear energy sector through its highly prospective uranium exploration projects. These are complemented by strategic assets with significant bitumen and renewable geothermal energy potential—all backed by a seasoned management team with a strong track record of delivering shareholder value.
Greenvale is building a diversified portfolio of projects aimed at advancing a sustainable, low-carbon energy future. The company’s assets include early-stage uranium projects in the Northern Territory, the advanced-stage Oasis uranium project in Queensland, and the Alpha Torbanite and Millungera Basin geothermal projects, also in Queensland.
The Alpha Torbanite Project presents a strategic opportunity for Greenvale Energy to support Australia’s infrastructure sector by providing a domestic source of bitumen—a critical material currently supplied entirely through imports. The project hosts a significant Inferred Resource of 28 million tonnes of torbanite and cannel coal, positioning Greenvale to potentially secure a meaningful share of the national bitumen market, which is estimated at around 1 million tonnes annually.
Company Highlights
- Uranium exploration portfolio across the Northern Territory and Queensland
- Advanced-exploration, high-grade Oasis project with intercepts up to 0.72 percent U3O8 (15.8 lbs/ton)
- Strategic coverage of the Northern Territory, with four uranium projects targeting sandstone hosted and unconformity style deposits
- Alpha Torbanite project with 28 Mt inferred resource, positioned to be the only local producer that can supply Australia’s bitumen market (consuming ~1 Mt annually through 100% imported material)
- Millungera Basin geothermal project with potential for 3.4 GW continuous power generation
- Experienced board and management team, Chaired by Neil Biddle, founding director of Pilbara Minerals
- Substantial R&D grant support for the Alpha Torbanite project, having successfully secured over $3 million in non-dilutive grant funding
- Projects aligned to the long-term zero-carbon energy transition
This Greenvale Energy's profile is part of a paid investor education campaign.*
Click here to connect with Greenvale Energy (ASX:GRV) to receive an Investor Presentation
Greenvale Energy
Investor Insight
Greenvale Energy offers investors exposure to the high-growth nuclear energy sector through its highly prospective uranium projects, complemented by strategic assets with high-value bitumen and renewable geothermal energy potential, all managed by an experienced team with a proven track record of shareholder value creation.
Company Highlights
- Uranium exploration portfolio across the Northern Territory and Queensland
- Advanced-exploration, high-grade Oasis project with intercepts up to 0.72 percent U3O8 (15.8 lbs/ton)
- Strategic coverage of the Northern Territory, with four uranium projects targeting sandstone hosted and unconformity style deposits
- Alpha Torbanite project with 28 Mt inferred resource, positioned to be the only local producer that can supply Australia’s bitumen market (consuming ~1 Mt annually through 100 percent imported material)
- Millungera Basin geothermal project with potential for 3.4 GW continuous power generation
- Experienced board and management team, Chaired by Neil Biddle, founding director of Pilbara Minerals
- Substantial R&D grant support for the Alpha Torbanite project, having successfully secured over $3 million in non-dilutive grant funding
- Projects aligned to the long-term zero-carbon energy transition
Overview
Greenvale Energy (ASX:GRV) is an ASX-listed exploration company with a portfolio of projects that will support a sustainable, low-carbon future. The Company has early-stage uranium exploration projects in the Northern Territory, the Oasis advanced-exploration project in Queensland and the Alpha Torbanite and Millungera Basin geothermal projects in Queensland. The Company believes the best way to create long-term shareholder value is by investing in exploration, to make discoveries and grow its resource-base.
The company's uranium projects in Queensland and the Northern Territory are particularly significant as global nuclear energy demand accelerates. With nuclear power projected to grow 300 percent by 2050, with nuclear power forecast to supply 30 percent of global power demand, Greenvale is positioned perfectly to leverage the expanding and globally-significant market opportunity. Major technology companies including Amazon, Google and Meta have committed to supporting the goal of tripling global nuclear capacity by 2050, further validating the sector's growth trajectory.Greenvale's portfolio includes the promising Oasis uranium project with high-grade intercepts up to 0.72 percent U3O8, four uranium projects across the Northern Territory, the Alpha Torbanite project, and the Millungera geothermal project in Queensland.
Key Projects
Uranium Projects
Oasis Project (Queensland)
The Oasis project is an advanced-exploration Project, featuring exceptional high-grade intercepts up to 0.72 percent U3O8 (15.8 lbs/ton). Originally discovered in 1973, the deposit has seen sporadic exploration including significant work by Esso in 1978/79. The project area contains extensive radiometric anomalies with multiple faults and fractures controlling the distribution of uranium mineralization.
Greenvale has developed a comprehensive work program for Oasis, beginning with regional geological field prospecting and reconnaissance, followed geophysical and geochemical surveys across the Oasis prospect and regional areas. These preliminary works are key to develop and refine targets for Greenvale’s planned maiden drill program at Oasis.
Northern Territory Uranium Projects
Greenvale has four strategic uranium projects in the Northern Territory: Jindare project in Douglas River, Henbury, Elkedra and Tobermorey. These projects target sandstone hosted and unconformity style uranium mineralization, with particular focus on areas where uranium-bearing waters may interact with hydrocarbons, creating optimal conditions for uranium deposition. The geology of these assets is similar to uranium deposits in Kazakhstan, the world’s leading producer of uranium.
The Henbury project is particularly noteworthy, located on the edge of the Amadeus Basin, a major hydrocarbon basin in the Northern Territory. Following research from Geoscience Australia, Greenvale is targeting areas at the margins of hydrocarbon cap-rocks near active structures, which represent prime locations for uranium mineralization.
Alpha Torbanite Project
The Alpha Torbanite Project represents a unique opportunity to supply Australia's infrastructure sector with domestically-produced bitumen. The project features a substantial 28 Mt inferred resource of torbanite and cannel coal, positioning Greenvale to potentially capture a significant share of Australia's annual bitumen consumption (currently assessed as approximately 1 Mt all serviced through material imported from overseas).
Torbanite is a rare type of oil shale containing exceptionally high concentrations of algal-derived hydrocarbons that can be processed to produce high-quality bitumen products. This natural conversion capability makes torbanite deposits like Alpha particularly valuable for infrastructure applications as they can yield bitumen substitutes with properties comparable to petroleum-derived products.
To date, the company has been able to secure over $3 million in non-dilutive R&D grant funding to support project development.. The Company's test program continues to show improved results, with test program 7 planned to produce a bulk sample for certification. Certification will underpin the progression of feasibility studies that will define the full economic potential of the project.
Queensland Geothermal Project
Greenvale's Millungera Basin geothermal project targets one of Australia's most prospective areas for geothermal energy. The basin contains the hottest rock formations in Queensland, with a total identified stored thermal energy potential exceeding 611,000 PJ (at 90 percent probability). Technical reports indicate the potential for an estimated annual electricity generation of 29,621 GWh from inferred resource areas, with capacity to produce 3.4 GW continuously.
Management Team
Neil Biddle - Executive Chairman
A geologist with over 40 years' experience in exploration and mining, Neil Biddle was a founding director of Pilbara Minerals, where he oversaw the acquisition, exploration and development of the world-class Pilgangoora lithium project. His extensive industry experience provides Greenvale with strong leadership and strategic direction.
Alex Cheeseman - Chief Executive Officer
A highly experienced Australian resources executive, Alex Cheeseman has over 20 years’ experience in operational leadership and project development across a range of industries. He has held general manager and CEO-level roles in a number of ASX-listed exploration and mining companies with experience in a range of commodities including iron ore, lithium and base metals. He has a demonstrated track record of success in resource project development, capital markets, corporate development and commodity marketing.
Elias Khouri - Non-executive Director
Bringing extensive experience in equity capital markets, Elias Khouri offers expertise in corporate finance, advisory, capital raisings and joint venture negotiations, enhancing the company's financial and strategic capabilities.
John Barr - Non-executive Director
John Barr is a chartered accountant with more than 25 years of experience as a company director. He was a founding director of Mosman Oil and Gas. His extensive Australian and international experience spans manufacturing, mining and oil and gas industries.
Peter Harding-Smith - Chief Financial Officer & Company Secretary
Peter Harding-Smith brings extensive experience in company financial reporting, corporate regulatory and governance areas, business acquisition and disposal due diligence, capital raising, and company secretarial responsibilities.
Zoe Stackhouse - Exploration Manager
Zoe Stackhouse is a geologist with 20 years' experience in unconventional gas exploration and production. Stackhouse also serves as secretary of the Australian Geothermal Association, bringing specialized expertise to Greenvale's geothermal initiatives.
Mark Turner - Technical Consultant (Alpha Project)
An engineer with over 25 years' experience in the energy sector, Mark Turner has a proven track record of major project delivery across oil & gas, water, power, renewables and nuclear projects.
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.*
Click here to connect with Blue Sky Uranium (TSXV:BSK) to receive an Investor Presentation
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.
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