호주 우라늄 탐사업체인 Extract사는 Rio Tinto가 34년간 운영중인 나미비아 Rossing 우라늄 광산과 자사 Husab 프로젝트의 통합개발을 위한 협의를 진행중인 것으로 알려졌다.
Husab(Rossing South) 프로젝트는 최근 나미비아 정부로부터 환경승인을 받은 바 있으며 생산될 경우 연간 우라늄 15백만 파운드를 생산할 예정이다.
PERTH (miningweekly.com) − Exploration company Extract Resources said on Monday that it was in discussions with Rio Tinto regarding a potential combination of the Husab uranium project with the neighbouring Rossing mine, in Namibia.
The ASX- and TSX-listed uranium developer said that a combination of the two uranium mines could capture significant synergies.
Extract is developing a 15-million-pound a year uranium oxide operation at Husab, and has recently received environmental approval from the Namibian government.
Husab, near Swakopmund, is the world’s fifth-largest known primary uranium deposit.
Rio’s Rössing mine has been mining and processing uranium in Namibia for the past 34 years. It is the third-largest uranium mine in the world, and in 2009 mined 54,5-million tons of rock and produced 4 150 t of uranium oxide.
Extract also stated that it was also in discussions with major shareholder Kalahari Minerals to explore various methods to simplify the Extract/Kalahari shareholding structure.
“These discussions remain confidential and incomplete and there is no certainty that the parties will reach any agreement,” the company stated.
Kalahari holds a 41,08% interest in Extract through its Kalahari Uranium subsidiary.
Extract’s share price jumped more than 3% on Monday on the ASX to A$9,92 a share.