ValOre Metals (TSX:VO) focuses on high-quality metals and projects. The company's flagship uranium asset Angilak is located in Nunavut, Canada, covers 59,583 hectares, and has district-scale potential for uranium along with precious and base metals. The company is also exploring its Brazilian project targeting PGEs and gold.
The Angilak project has significant upside potential due to its land area and deposits. The area represents Canada’s highest grade uranium resource outside Saskatchewan and one of the highest grade uranium resources on a global basis, according to ValOre VP of exploration Colin Smith.
ValOre Metals is also exploring its Pedra Branca PGE project in northeastern Brazil. As another district-scale mining project, the asset covers 56,852 hectares with multiple PGE and gold deposits. Ownership of the asset gives ValOre control of an entire PGE belt. The company has three additional projects for future exploration: Hatchet Lake, Baffin Gold and Genesis.
The company a member of the Discovery Group, an alliance of nine publicly traded companies with a track record of successfully increasing shareholder value, often through tactful exits via mergers and acquisitions.
This ValOre Metals profile is part of a paid investor education campaign.*
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Sprott Asset Management CEO John Ciampaglia has called 2022 a “Dawn of a New Nuclear Renaissance” as governments worldwide strive to reduce emissions and realize they won’t likely meet their targets with wind and solar power alone. Nuclear energy currently supplies 10 percent of the world’s electricity, and as more nuclear power plants remain in operation and new ones come online, demand for uranium, a crucial element used to produce nuclear energy, will continue to rise.
In fact, in Q3 2022, uranium price reached a yearly high of US$52.27, a US$10 increase from January 2022. Based on the projected demand increase and a dwindling supply, some analysts anticipate the spot price for uranium to double to US107.70 by 2030. Investors can capitalize on this potential growth through commodity investing, energy ETFs or stocks of miners targeting uranium. When investing in a miner, investors benefit from both market trends and the company’s growth and successes.
ValOre Metals (TSX:VO) is a Canadian exploration mining company focusing on high-quality metals and projects. Angilak, the company’s flagship uranium asset located in Nunavut, Canada, covers 59,583 hectares and has district-scale potential for uranium along with precious and base metals. The company is also exploring its Brazilian project targeting PGEs and gold.
ValOre is a member of the Discovery Group, an alliance of nine publicly traded companies with a track record of successfully increasing shareholder value, often through tactful exits via mergers and acquisitions. An experienced management team leads the company toward its goal of improving shareholder value at every opportunity.
Discovery Group’s track record of value creation includes over US$2.4 billion through mergers and acquisitions since 2016. The company’s track record includes Great Bear acquired by Kinross Gold for US$1.8 billion, Kaminak Gold acquired by Gold Corp for US$520 million and Northern Empire acquired by Coeur Mining for US$117 million. ValOre’s directors were involved in many of Discovery Group’s successes, including the Kaminak and Northern Empire acquisitions.
ValOre’s Angilak project has significant upside potential due to its land area and deposits. The area represents Canada’s highest grade uranium resource outside Saskatchewan and one of the highest grade uranium resources on a global basis, according to ValOre VP of exploration Colin Smith.
ValOre Metals is also exploring its Pedra Branca PGE project in northeastern Brazil. As another district-scale mining project, the asset covers 56,852 hectares with multiple PGE and gold deposits. Ownership of the asset gives ValOre control of an entire PGE belt. The company has three additional projects for future exploration: Hatchet Lake, Baffin Gold and Genesis.
An experienced management team leads ValOre towards creating shareholder value as it continues to explore its significant assets. The team’s expertise includes mineral exploration, corporate administration, and international finance. Combined with added support from the Discovery Group, ValOre is poised to continually increase shareholder value through the exploration of its district-scale assets.
The Angilak project covers 59,583 hectares within Canada’s Nunavut Territory. The project contains the highest-grade uranium resource of scale outside of the Athabasca Basin. ValOre recently commenced an C$11 million exploration campaign throughout the project focusing on high-priority targets.
Project Highlights:
The Pedra Branca project in northeast Brazil covers 56,852 hectares, including over 70 kilometers of a prospective Archean mafic-ultramafic “Troia Unit.” The district-scale asset gives ValOre complete control of the entire PGE belt. ValOre is presently compiling and reviewing historical data, conducting geological mapping, and conducting Trado auger drilling/trenching.
Project Highlights:
In addition to the Angilak and Pedra Branca projects, ValOre also owns three additional projects with tremendous potential for future exploration.
Project Highlights:
Jim Patterson is a principal of Discovery Group and has been actively involved in marketing and corporate development activities for the group of companies since 2002. Paterson has 23 years of industry experience, including capital raises, acquisitions, joint-ventures, spin-outs, RTOs, and IPOs. He is the chairman and CEO of Valore Metals Corp. and was a driving force behind more than $60 million in equity financings for ValOre that lead to multiple discoveries and a 200 percent increase in mineral resources at ValOre’s Angilak uranium project.
Paterson was a long-standing and active director of Kaminak Gold Corp. (acquired by Goldcorp.) and founding director of Northern Empire Resources Corp. (acquired by Coeur Mining). In 2007, He founded Corsa Capital Ltd. Corsa’s 2008 IPO led to a 2010 transaction which created a leading U.S. metallurgical coal producer with a C$250 million market capitalization.
Paterson is a director of Great Bear Royalties Corp., and Strategic Advisor to Great Bear Resources Ltd., Genesis Metals Corp., Kodiak Copper Corp., and Ethos Gold Corp.
Dale Wallster is a geologist and a prospector with over 40 years experience, focused on targeting and discovery of unconformity-related uranium, structurally-controlled gold, and VMS deposits.
He was president and founder of Roughrider Uranium Corp., a company acquired by Hathor Exploration Limited. Wallster and his team are widely credited in the mineral exploration sector for the discovery of Hathor's Roughrider deposit. In January 2012, Hathor became a wholly owned subsidiary of Rio Tinto as part of a C$650 million acquisition.
Jim Malone was chairman of the WNA's Fuel Technology Working Group, widely recognized as a nuclear industry and nuclear fuel expert, with more than 50 years of experience in the downstream business. He was the chairman of Hathor Exploration at the time of Rio Tinto’s acquisition for $650 million, and senior vice-president at Lightbridge Corporation.
Garth Kirkham has over 30 years of experience in 3D geoscience computer modeling. He is currently heading Kirkham Geosystems Ltd., which provides consulting services to the environmental, mining, geotech and oil & gas industries.
He obtained a bachelor's degree in science from the University of Alberta in 1983, completing his degree with majors in geophysics, geology and mathematics, and is a registered professional geoscientist in Alberta, Northwest Territories, BC, Ontario and Manitoba.
Darren Klinck is an accomplished mining executive with a wide range of management experience working throughout Australasia & The Americas. He was president & CEO of Bluestone Resources following the acquisition of the Cerro Blanco gold project in Guatemala in 2017, where he led the team that financed and advanced the project through resource expansion, feasibility and engineering phases of the project development. Prior to that, he spent more than ten years with OceanaGold as a member of the executive committee that achieved significant growth and business expansion to become a multi-mine, international gold mining company growing from a sub-C$100 million market capitalization to greater than C$3 billion market capitalization.
Over the past 20 years, Klinck has been instrumental in negotiating both equity and debt financing packages totaling more than $800 million and has significant experience leading teams in emerging markets with a strong focus on corporate social responsibility and community engagement programs, as well as extensive government relations activities.
Robert Scott, CPA, CA, CFA brings more than 20 years of professional experience in accounting, corporate finance, and merchant and commercial banking and has served on the management teams and boards of a number of Canadian publicly traded companies. He is a founder and president of Corex Management Inc., a private company providing accounting, administration and corporate compliance services to privately held and publicly traded companies. Scott currently holds senior management and board positions with a number of TSX Venture Exchange issuers including Riverside Resources Inc., Great Bear Resources Ltd. and Northern Empire Resources Corp.
Colin Smith is a registered professional geologist (P.Geo.) in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories with over 16 years experience developing, executing and managing exploration campaigns in North and South America, ranging from early-stage project generation to near-mine resource delineation. Smith’s passion for exploration and discovery has garnered him technical expertise with structurally hosted gold, ultramafic-associated PGEs, porphyry copper-gold, diamonds, unconformity-related uranium and coal. Smith started with ValOre in August 2018, overseeing new project review for the company. This followed his role as senior exploration geologist with SSR Mining Inc. at the Seabee Gold Operation in northern Saskatchewan, where he designed and implemented all Seabee-based exploration activities, resulting in multiple auriferous discoveries and resource delineation. Smith holds a B.Sc. in geology from the University of British Columbia (2007), and an M.Sc. in economic geology from the University of Victoria (2012).
Thiago Diniz is an exploration geologist with over eight years of experience working on early- to advanced-stage fertilizer, base and precious metals projects, both in Brazil and Canada, including three world-class mineral deposits (Troilus Au-Cu, in Quebec, Canada; and Belo Sun – Au, and Brazil Potash, in Brazil). He is experienced in the development and management of large-scale drilling, field mapping and metallurgical programs. Diniz is a registered P.Geo. in Ontario and Quebec (Géo) and holds a B.Sc. in geology from Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (2013) and a M.Sc. in economic geology from Queen’s University, Kingston (2019).
Jeff Dare has over ten years of professional experience managing external reporting and corporate compliance for TSX Venture Exchange and CSE listed issuers. He currently serves as the corporate secretary and advisor of a number of listed issuers, and works closely with external partners and service providers in the areas of legal, compliance, transfer agency, audit, banking and insurance. He obtained his BA from Simon Fraser University.
Valore Metals Corp. (TSXV: VO) is pleased to announce that the company will be presenting at Red Cloud's 2022 Fall Mining Showcase. We invite our shareholders and all interested parties to join us there.
The annual conference will be hosted in-person, at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel from November 9-10, 2022.
Jim Paterson, CEO will be presenting on November 10th at 3:40pm Eastern Standard time.
For more information and/or to register for the conference please visit: https://redcloudfs.com/fallminingshowcase2022/.
We look forward to seeing you there.
For further information:
Valore Metals Corp.
Dustin Zinger
1.604.653.9464
contact@valoremetals.com
https://valoremetals.com/
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NexGen Energy Ltd. ("NexGen" or the "Company") (TSX: NXE) (NYSE: NXE) (ASX: NXG) is pleased to announce the commencement of an expanded 2023 exploration program designed to follow-up positive results from the 2022 exploration drill program and to test prospective areas that have been highlighted by detailed 2022 geophysical surveys. Additionally, NexGen has planned a substantial geophysical program in 2023 for drill target generation across high priority areas of NexGen's mineral tenure (SW1, SW2 and SW3) in the southwest Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan . The geophysical program includes cosmic ray muon tomography initiated in 2022 on the Patterson Corridor at NexGen's 100% owned Rook I property as part of Ideon Technologies' early access program for first implementation of innovative muon detecting instrumentation in boreholes.
Leigh Curyer, Chief Executive Officer, commented: "Through exploration drilling and strategic geophysical surveys, NexGen is progressing high priority targets to advance towards the discovery of additional material mineralization. The focus of this expanded exploration program is to test for new "Arrow-type" mineralized zones across our dominant land position in the southwest Athabasca Basin. The application of muon tomography in 2022 is another example of NexGen's identification and application of industry leading techniques which focuses on further optimization of drilling time, cost, and elite environmental management.
It's an exciting time at NexGen with the permitting and licensing of Rook I advancing, as we transition into detailed engineering and in parallel, a targeted drill program incorporating extensive data analysis. NexGen is delivering a key component in addressing three major global challenges – decarbonization, energy security and access to energy for all, in a manner that is setting new standards in sustainability for all stakeholders, incorporating a highly efficient use of capital."
Grant Greenwood , Vice President, Exploration, commented: "The 2022 exploration program has highlighted numerous areas for follow-up drilling in 2023 and speaks to the systematic testing of NexGen's vast and many prospective targets across NexGen's land tenure. The 2023 drill program builds upon previous drill results and the 2022 geophysical program has elevated numerous targets for further investigation where pronounced stacked anomalies are now drill-ready. Also, with the recent discovery of high-grade mineralization by F3 adjacent to NexGen's SW1 property, we are excited to refine approximately 12 km of strike length along this trend which exists on our property as just one component of the 2023 program."
2023 Drilling
2023 exploration drilling will systematically test priority conductors that have been highlighted by encouraging 2022 drilling results, as well as geophysical survey results that identified drill-ready stacked anomalies. This drill program – targeting nine (9) conductive trends – has a planned total of 22,500 metres with up to three (3) drill rigs in operation.
Drill target areas:
Muon Tomography uses energy from supernova explosions in space to provide 3D imaging down to 1km beneath the Earth's surface and is the only straight-line geophysical methodology that can accurately determine location of any density anomalies indicative of uranium mineralization. As part of the 2022 exploration program, NexGen partnered with Ideon Technologies' early access program for borehole muon tomography, becoming one of the first companies globally to embrace the innovative new approach to mineral exploration that integrates proprietary detectors, inversion technologies, and software algorithms to produce 3D density models of features – like uranium pods – underground. It provides the ability to accurately locate subsurface anomalies and reduces the need for expensive drilling activity while lowering environmental impact and increasing exploration certainty in the subsurface.
NexGen Energy is a Canadian company focused on delivering clean energy fuel for the future. The Company's flagship Rook I Project is being optimally developed into the largest low cost producing uranium mine globally, incorporating the most elite standards in environmental and social governance. The Rook I Project is supported by a NI 43-101 compliant Feasibility Study which outlines the elite environmental performance and industry leading economics. NexGen is led by a team of experienced uranium and mining industry professionals with expertise across the entire mining life cycle, including exploration, financing, project engineering and construction, operations and closure. NexGen is leveraging its proven experience to deliver a Project that leads the entire mining industry socially, technically and environmentally. The Project and prospective portfolio in northern Saskatchewan will provide generational long-term economic, environmental, and social benefits for Saskatchewan, Canada , and the world.
NexGen is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "NXE" and on the Australian Securities Exchange under the ticker symbol "NXG" providing access to global investors to participate in NexGen's mission of solving three major global challenges in decarbonization, energy security and access to power. The Company is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia , with its primary operations office in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan .
All technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Grant Greenwood, P.Geo, NexGen's Vice President, Exploration, a qualified person under National Instrument 43-101.
A technical report in respect of the FS is filed on SEDAR ( www.sedar.com ) and EDGAR ( www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml ) and is available for review on NexGen Energy's website ( www.nexgenenergy.ca ).
Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors
This news release includes Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources classification terms that comply with reporting standards in Canada and the Mineral Reserves and the Mineral Resources estimates are made in accordance with NI 43-101. NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators that establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects. These standards differ from the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") set by the SEC's rules that are applicable to domestic United States reporting companies. Consequently, Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources information included in this news release is not comparable to similar information that would generally be disclosed by domestic U.S. reporting companies subject to the reporting and disclosure requirements of the SEC Accordingly, information concerning mineral deposits set forth herein may not be comparable with information made public by companies that report in accordance with U.S. standards.
The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable United States securities laws and regulations and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. "Forward-looking information" includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates, the 2021 Arrow Deposit, Rook I Project and estimates of uranium production, grade and long-term average uranium prices, anticipated effects of completed drill results on the Rook I Project, planned work programs, completion of further site investigations and engineering work to support basic engineering of the project and expected outcomes. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negative connotation thereof or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connotation thereof. Statements relating to "mineral resources" are deemed to be forward-looking information, as they involve the implied assessment that, based on certain estimates and assumptions, the mineral resources described can be profitably produced in the future.
Forward-looking information and statements are based on the then current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates and forecasts about NexGen's business and the industry and markets in which it operates. Forward-looking information and statements are made based upon numerous assumptions, including among others, that the mineral reserve and resources estimates and the key assumptions and parameters on which such estimates are based are as set out in this news release and the technical report for the property , the results of planned exploration activities are as anticipated, the price and market supply of uranium, the cost of planned exploration activities, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms, that third party contractors, equipment, supplies and governmental and other approvals required to conduct NexGen's planned exploration activities will be available on reasonable terms and in a timely manner and that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner. Although the assumptions made by the Company in providing forward looking information or making forward looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate in the future.
Forward-looking information and statements also involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performances and achievements of NexGen to differ materially from any projections of results, performances and achievements of NexGen expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or statements, including, among others, the existence of negative operating cash flow and dependence on third party financing, uncertainty of the availability of additional financing, the risk that pending assay results will not confirm previously announced preliminary results, conclusions of economic valuations, the risk that actual results of exploration activities will be different than anticipated, the cost of labour, equipment or materials will increase more than expected, that the future price of uranium will decline or otherwise not rise to an economic level, the appeal of alternate sources of energy to uranium-produced energy, that the Canadian dollar will strengthen against the U.S. dollar, that mineral resources and reserves are not as estimated, that actual costs or actual results of reclamation activities are greater than expected, that changes in project parameters and plans continue to be refined and may result in increased costs, of unexpected variations in mineral resources and reserves, grade or recovery rates or other risks generally associated with mining, unanticipated delays in obtaining governmental, regulatory or First Nations approvals, risks related to First Nations title and consultation, reliance upon key management and other personnel, deficiencies in the Company's title to its properties, uninsurable risks, failure to manage conflicts of interest, failure to obtain or maintain required permits and licences, risks related to changes in laws, regulations, policy and public perception, as well as those factors or other risks as more fully described in NexGen's Annual Information Form dated February 25, 2022 filed with the securities commissions of all of the provinces of Canada except Quebec and in NexGen's 40-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and Edgar at www.sec.gov .
Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or statements or implied by forward-looking information or statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements due to the inherent uncertainty thereof.
There can be no assurance that forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or reissue forward-looking information as a result of new information or events except as required by applicable securities laws .
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SOURCE NexGen Energy Ltd.
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HIGHLIGHTS
Surface sampling at Moose Lake Prospect (Sample# 212412 – 6.9% TREO).
Figure 1: Cluff Lake Project – Targets identified through historical data review and new geophysical interpretation.
The targets have been refined following the interpretation of new airborne gravity gradiometry (AGG) and magnetic data, re-processing of historical airborne EM data (MEGATEM) and initial fieldwork at the Cluff Lake Project.
An earlier review of historic exploration data from the Cluff Lake area identified seven prospective targets from geological mapping, surface sampling, diamond drilling and re-processed historical geophysical data. The results of this review were reported on 7th June 2022 in the ASX announcement titled “Highly prospective Uranium targets identified at Cluff Lake Project near historical uranium mine”.
Subsequent to that, the Company completed an airborne gravity gradiometry survey in June 2022 and, following an interpretation of these and other data, high-priority targets have been defined (Figure 1).
The airborne gravity survey was designed to identify gravity lows which can be caused by clay alteration of the host rock, potentially due to hydrothermal fluids associated with unconformity uranium deposits (see Figure 3).
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Valor Resources, 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.
Global Atomic Corporation ("Global Atomic" or the "Company"), (TSX: GLO) (OTCQX: GLATF) (Frankfurt: G12) confirmed that based on initial reports joint venture zinc recycling operation employees have been contacted and are physically unharmed. The plant appears to have received only minor damage due to this week's earthquake.
At the time of the earthquake, the zinc operation was under a scheduled maintenance shutdown. As communications and power are restored in the region, a thorough assessment of the plant will be conducted .
Global Atomic President and CEO, Stephen G. Roman commented, " We extend our sympathies and condolences to all those affected by this event. The plant was a new build in 2019 and built to modern standards, which include preventive engineering and construction methods employed in earthquake regions. The impact of this earthquake in the region was extensive and we will provide further updates as more information is known".
Global Atomic Corporation ( www.globalatomiccorp.com ) is a publicly listed company that provides a unique combination of high-grade uranium mine development and cash-flowing zinc concentrate production.
The Company's Uranium Division includes four deposits with the flagship project being the large, high-grade Dasa Project, discovered in 2010 by Global Atomic geologists through grassroots field exploration. With the issuance of the Dasa Mining Permit and an Environmental Compliance Certificate by the Republic of Niger , the Dasa Project is fully permitted for commercial production. The Phase 1 Feasibility Study for Dasa was filed in December 2021 and estimates yellowcake delivery to utilities to commence in 2025. Mine excavation began in Q1 2022.
Global Atomic's Base Metals Division holds a 49% interest in the Befesa Silvermet Turkey, S.L. (BST) Joint Venture, which operates a modern zinc production plant, located in Iskenderun, Türkiye . The plant recovers zinc from Electric Arc Furnace Dust (EAFD) to produce a high-grade zinc oxide concentrate which is sold to zinc smelters around the world. The Company's joint venture partner, Befesa Zinc S.A.U. (Befesa) holds a 51% interest in and is the operator of the BST Joint Venture. Befesa is a market leader in EAFD recycling, with approximately 50% of the European EAFD market and facilities located throughout Europe , Asia and the United States of America .
The information in this release may contain forward-looking information under applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to: statements with respect to completion of any proposed financings; Global Atomics' development potential and timetable of its operations, development and exploration assets; Global Atomics' ability to raise additional funds on satisfactory terms to the Company; the future price of uranium; the estimation of mineral reserves and resources; the completion and timing of the MRE; conclusions of economic evaluation; the realization of mineral reserve estimates; the timing and amount of estimated future production, development and exploration; impacts of third-parties and Government policies on the Company's operations; cost of future activities; capital and operating expenditures; success of exploration activities; mining or processing issues; currency exchange rates; government regulation of mining operations; and environmental and permitting risks. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "is expected", "estimates", variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "could", "would", "might", "will be taken", "will begin", "will include", "are expected", "occur" or "be achieved". All information contained in this news release, other than statements of current or historical fact, is forward-looking information. Statements of forward-looking information are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Global Atomic to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to those risks described in the annual information form of Global Atomic and in its public documents filed on SEDAR from time to time.
Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date such statements are made. Although management of Global Atomic has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to be materially different from those forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance upon forward-looking statements. Global Atomic does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable securities law. Readers should also review the risks and uncertainties sections of Global Atomics' annual and interim MD&As.
The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy and accuracy of this news release.
SOURCE Global Atomic Corporation
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“The costs have gone up significantly,” John Ciampaglia, CEO of Sprott Asset Management, told the Investing News Network (INN) in a late 2022 conversation. “We think the cost — or the price that you would need to see in uranium to incent development of any new greenfield project — is somewhere between US$75 and US$100.”
For nearly a decade, uranium prices saw little movement, leaving many investors disappointed. But in September 2021, uranium market watchers started to see some light at the end of the tunnel as supply cuts from major producers like Kazakhstan's Kazatomprom (LSE:KAP) and Canada's Cameco (TSX:CCO,NYSE:CCJ), alongside the emergence of the Sprott Physical Uranium Trust (TSX:U.UN), set the stage for uranium prices to finally make gains.
In 2022, the Russia-Ukraine war, uranium supply challenges related to conversion and enrichment and the realization that nuclear energy is fundamental to combating climate change helped to light a fire under uranium prices, which hit an 11 year high of US$64.61 in mid-April. Analysts who are bullish on yellowcake, such as Uranium Insider's Justin Huhn and veteran investor and speculator Rick Rule, have continued their calls for a potential uranium market rebound.
If the minimum price for a return to good times in the uranium sector is US$50 to US$60, what was the highest price for uranium? Read on for the answer to that question, as well as a look at what factors have shaped historical prices. We'll also consider what all this means for the uranium price now and in the future.
Before discovering the highest price for uranium, it's worth looking at how this commodity is traded. To truly understand how prices are set, investors need to know how yellowcake is bought and sold.
While it is possible to trade uranium futures on the NYMEX or through CME Group (NASDAQ:CME), investors can't take actual possession of the metal as they can with precious metals. The obvious reason is that uranium is highly radioactive; therefore, international laws exist that regulate all aspects of the uranium supply chain, from how it is mined and refined to how it is transported and stored, as well as how it changes hands in the marketplace.
Unlike other commodities such as gold and silver, physical uranium does not trade on the open market. Buyers are often utilities companies that purchase enriched uranium for use as nuclear fuel through privately negotiated contracts with sellers. Uranium contracts often range between two and 10 years and are either set at a long-term fixed price or use the current uranium spot price as a base price, with economic corrections to be made at later dates based on an agreed-upon formula.
A one time uranium delivery can be bought based on the spot price at the time of purchase, but this only occurs in about 15 percent of uranium deals. Uranium spot market buying is often conducted by producers looking to fulfil contracts in the face of output shortfalls, as Kazatomprom did in August 2020.
The uranium spot price is mostly influenced by supply and demand dynamics. Bullish experts believe we've seen the bottom of the uranium market cycle and that price increases are supported by attractive supply and demand fundamentals.
About 10 percent of the world's energy needs are met by nuclear energy generated by the 440 existing reactors. With 59 nuclear reactors in various stages of construction worldwide, the nuclear energy sector is the key driver of demand for uranium.
China alone is constructing 21 new reactors, and three new reactors are under construction in Russia with another 11 planned; India has eight nuclear reactors under construction.
On the supply side, years of ultra-low uranium prices have meant fewer companies are searching out new uranium resources to bring to market, while major producers have shuttered mines and mothballed expansion projects.
Examples of shuttered projects include Cameco's closure of the Saskatchewan-based McArthur River mine in 2018 and the uranium giant's temporary closure at Cigar Lake in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Cameco announced a return to normal operations at McArthur River in November 2022, and the company plans to produce 15 million pounds of uranium per year from these operations by 2024; however, that's 40 percent below the annual licensed capacity.
McArthur River and Cigar Lake are considered the world's top two uranium-producing mines. Both are located in Canada, once ranked as the world's second largest uranium-producing country after Kazakhstan. However, output cuts have dropped Canada down to fourth place behind Australia and Namibia. Uzbekistan rounds out the top five producers.
Responsible for more than 40 percent of global uranium production, Kazakhstan began cutting its annual production levels in 2018. An improving uranium market in 2022 led Kazatomprom, the country's top uranium-producing company, to reverse direction and announce a planned increase to its production levels for 2023 and 2024.
The uranium price peaked at US$136.22 in early June 2007, an impressive increase after it started the year at US$72.
Uranium's top price is a far cry from where it was at the dawn of the 21st century, trading at a low of US$7. The commodity began its upward trend in 2003 as nuclear power took a larger role in meeting global energy demand, especially in China and India.
Part of what caused the massive price uptick came from the supply side — Cameco's massive Cigar Lake mine in Saskatchewan flooded in 2006, delaying the start of production for several years. Being one of the largest undeveloped uranium deposits in the world, the unexpected delay took a serious toll on the market and contributed to the exponential growth in prices in 2007.
Uranium price chart, 2013 to 2023.
Chart via TradingEconomics.
However, the high price levels seen in 2007 didn't last. The 2008 economic crisis sent prices for uranium crashing alongside other commodities. By early 2009, prices had fallen below the key US$50 level and slid further in 2010 to the US$40 range. Signs of a global economic recovery and the coinciding rising demand for energy metals in 2011 was very price positive for uranium.
Still, the low price environment over the years prior significantly sidelined uranium exploration and development, heightening supply-side concerns. As a result, prior to Fukushima uranium prices were shooting up past the US$70 level.
After the Fukushima fallout, the U3O8 spot price was on a slow slide to lows not seen since the start of the century, bottoming at US$18 in November 2017. For the next three years, the price of uranium struggled to break US$25.
As mentioned, in 2020, the uranium spot price began moving higher, increasing more than 30 percent in the first half of the year. By September 2021, prices had hit a nine year high of US$50.80.
Uranium kicked off 2022 at US$43.66. Civil unrest in Kazakhstan due to mounting energy prices in the nation, along with the launch of Russia’s war in Ukraine, were behind the positive performance for uranium in the first few months of the year. Between late February and mid-April, uranium prices rose from US$43.94 to hit an 11 year high of US$64.61.
On the demand side, utilities companies are finally returning to the uranium market to boost their fuel supplies. “Utilities have begun to respond by signing new long-term uranium supply agreements to secure price and supply,” Ciampaglia told INN.
At the same time, uranium supply challenges related to conversion and enrichment also aided in pushing uranium prices higher. From April 2021 to April 2022, the price of uranium climbed by a massive 106.47 percent.
However, by the end of June 2022, uranium had fallen to the US$50 range as the broader commodities market faced economic turbulence brought on by the US Federal Reserve's efforts to curtail rising inflation by hiking interest rates. Despite a rally to a high of US$53.27 at the end of August, by the end of September the U3O8 spot price contract had slipped to US$49.18.
Even so, uranium prices have seen support as countries around the world look to nuclear power to help bridge the gap in the transition to cleaner energy sources. This is evidenced by the market’s ability to sustain prices above the US$48 level throughout the end of 2022 and into the first quarter of 2023.
Will the uranium price rebound even higher? That question is still to be answered, although Justin Huhn, founder and publisher of Uranium Insider, had some advice for uranium market watchers when INN spoke with him in early 2023. He highlighted his positive long-term outlook by comparing the current uranium market cycle to the nine innings of a baseball game.
"We're probably somewhere on the tail end of inning three," he said. "I think we've got a long ways to go, and in these types of markets the mania phase usually happens in inning eight and nine. So there's a lot of excitement ahead of us still."
We've answered the question, "What was the highest price for uranium?" But it remains to be seen if uranium will continue its rebound. The main factors to watch continue to be growth in the number of nuclear reactors online and under construction, as well as decreasing mine supply.
For more information on entering the uranium market, click here to read our overview of stocks, exchange-traded funds and uranium futures.
This is an updated version of an article first published by the Investing News Network in 2020.
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Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Editorial Disclosure: The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.
