Application of UNFC-2009 for monitoring project maturity ... · Ahmad Dajani and Hussein Allaboun...

Application of UNFC-2009 for monitoring project maturity of Central Jordan

Uranium Project (CJUP)

By Ahmad Dajani and Hussein Allaboun

Jordanian Uranium Mining Company (JUMCO)

UNECE Resource Classification Week April 24-28, 2017

Background

Population: 9.5 M

Area: 89.3 K Km2

Coastal shoreline

length: 27 Km

Phosphate, oil shale,

NO crude oil

Water Scarcity:

mounting challenge!

the country spends

more than 20% of its

GDP on energy imports

UNECE Resource Classification Week April 24-28, 2017

Introduction: Country-Wide Airborne Magnetic and Spectrometric Survey

Performed in the early 1980’s

Identified relatively high-level radiometric anomaly areas.

Regions with the highest observed radioactive activities were identified and subjected to near surface radiometric surveys (car borne, hand held surveys, grab samples, …etc.)

Four uranium potential areas identified.

• Central Jordan Area (CJA); • Hasa-Qatarana Area (HQA); • Wadi Bahiya/Bayer Area (WBBA); and • Sahab Elabiad/Shediyya Area (SESA).

Exploration activities (Phase I):

• Surficial mineralization (JUMCO):

• 1967 Trenches (4m (L) x5m (D) x1.5m (W) & a 10m ramp)

• 200m x200m Grid

• 19, 685 Samples assayed

• Deep mineralization (JFUMC):

• 5,691 boreholes with a total combined length of 90,789m

• 13, 000 Samples assayed

• 878, 822 gross gamma radiometry readings

UNECE Resource Classification Week April 24-28, 2017

Uranium ores in parts per million (ppm)

Extraction and Process Development

Left image: http://www.newcrest.com.au/media/section_headers/header_t1a.jpg

Right image: http://www.automotivemobile.info/cakes/yellow-cake-uranium

Uranium oxide concentrate (yellow cake)

Industrial processing of ores

Uranium resource in the CJUP area reported in Phase I Estimation (2014)

Region UNFC-2009 Criteria Ore tonnage (Mt) Grade (ppm U) Metal (tU)

Surficial

Mineralization

E2,F2.2,G3

67.5 135 9,100

Deep Mineralization 201.7 108 21,757

Total 269.2 114 30,857

UNECE Resource Classification Week April 24-28, 2017

IMA-1

CJUP Exploration Phases

Phase I (2014) • 200m x 200m exploration Grid. • 1963 Trench included in report. • Exploration Carried out in 5

Areas. (KZ,RS,RQ,SN,SS)

Phase II (2016) • 3055 Trench included (Not

included in JORC 2014) • 200X200 Grid in new Areas • 100X100 in selected areas (IMA)

After Phase II (2016) (Current Activity)

• Infill Grid 50X50 in Selected Areas.

• Explore new Areas 200x200 Grid

• Phase I (2014) • Phase II (2016) • After Phase II

Trenching activities in CJUP

Pilot Scale Testing (Phase III_A): Sample Collection

Pilot Scale Testing (Phase III_A): Physical

Preparation & Leaching

Uranium Extraction Process Development: Phase III_A

• The developed industrial process was tested on pilot scale and uranium was produced from this operation in the form of Yellow cake in October 2016

Recovery area 300: In fabrication

Leaching Cribs: Civil Works Under construction (Capacity160 Ton)

Uranium resource classification of Phase II Estimation (2016)

UNFC-

2009

Class

UNFC-

2009

Sub-class

UNFC-

2009

Criteria

(E,F,G)

JORC

2012

Category

Surficial Mineralization Deep Mineralization Both Mineralization

Tonnage

(Mt)

Grade

(U ppm)

Metal

(tU)

Tonnage

(Mt)

Grade

(U ppm)

Metal

(tU)

Tonnage

(Mt)

Grade

(U ppm)

Metal

(tU)

Potentially

Commercial

Project

Development

Pending

2,2.1,2 Indicated 20.5 148 3053 34 113 3816 54.5 126 6869

Potentially

Commercial

Project

Development

Pending

2,2.1,3 Inferred 67.2 127 8564 167.7 107 17977 235.0 113 26457

Total quantities 87.8 132 11617 201.7 108 21793 289.5 115 33326

UNECE Resource Classification Week April 24-28, 2017

Conclusions

• The project progressed from a “Potentially Commercial Projects/Development on Hold” project in Phase I to a more mature “Potentially Commercial Projects/Development Pending” in Phase II.

• The application of UNFC-2009 to the CJUP in Jordan clearly demonstrates the advantage of tracking the project from a lower maturity level of assessment (Phase I) to a higher level (Phase II).

• UNFC-2009 is an effective tool for taking decisions on whether or not to make further financial commitments in order to demonstrate the continued viability of the project.

UNECE Resource Classification Week April 24-28, 2017

Thank You

UNECE Resource Classification Week April 24-28, 2017