Overview
Stage | Permitting |
Mine Type | Underground |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
- Room-and-pillar
- Cemented rockfill
|
Mine Life | 12 years (as of Jan 1, 2021) |
The Sheep Mountain Project includes reopening the existing underground facility (the “Sheep Underground”), which includes the Sheep I and Sheep II underground areas.
The Energy Fuels will continue to evaluate its options for processing Sheep Mountain mineralized material, including continuing to pursue permitting for a heap leach facility at the site, or determining whether arrangements can be made to process Sheep Mountain mineralized materials at a third-party processing facility. The project is currently on standby, pending completion of the evaluation of the processing options for the Sheep Mountain Project and improvement in market conditions. Additional work is subject to any actions the Company may take in response to general market conditions. |
Source:
p. 20
The Sheep Mountain Project (Congo Pit and Sheep Underground) held by the Company’s (Energy Fuels Inc.) subsidiary Energy Fuels Wyoming Inc.
Contractors
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Summary:
A primary component of the geology for the Sheep Mountain Project is the Battle Spring Formation. Battle Spring is Eocene in age. Prior to deposition of the Battle Spring Formation and subsequent younger Tertiary formations, underlying Paleocene, Cretaceous, and older formations were deformed during the Laramide Orogeny. During the Laramide Orogeny, faults, including the Emigrant Thrust Fault at the northern end of the project area, were active and displaced sediments by over 20,000 feet. Coincident with this mountain building event, Paleocene and older formations were folded in a series of echelon anticlines and synclines, generally trending from southeast to northwest. The Battle Spring Formation was deposited unconformably on an erosional landscape influenced by these pre-depositional features. Initial stream channels transporting clastic sediments from the Granite Mountains formed in the synclinal valleys.
The geologic setting of the Sheep Mountain Project is important in that it controlled uranium mineralization by focusing movement of the groundwaters, which emplaced the uranium into the stream channels, which had developed on the pre-tertiary landscape. The Battle Spring Formation and associated mineralization at the Sheep Mountain Project is bounded to the east by the western flank of the Sheep Mountain Syncline and to the west by the Spring Creek Anticline. To the north the system is cut off by erosion. To the south the Battle Spring continues into the nor ........
Mining Methods
- Room-and-pillar
- Cemented rockfill
Summary:
The Sheep Underground mine has operated as a conventional underground mine on three separate occasions. No reports of adverse ground conditions, flooding, cave-ins or any other unusual mining conditions are known to EFR. The historic mining method was a modified room and pillar method using conventional techniques. Jacklegs were used to drill out the rounds and underground track haulage was used to transport the mined material to Shaft No. 1.
The mining method proposed going forward is also a conventional method using a modified room and pillar method but utilizing modern mining equipment such as jumbo drills and scoop trams for haulage. A new double entry decline will be constructed starting at the Paydirt Pit and ending below the deposit. Haulage from the mine will be accomplished via a 36-inch conveyor within one of the double declines. The existing shafts will be used for ventilation purposes only, with exhaust fans mounted at both locations. If the existing borehole ventilation shafts can be rehabilitated, they will be used as intake shafts. The deposit is comprised of 16mineralized zones with a total thickness of approximately 350 feet. The deposit will be mined primarily from bottom to top.
Sheep Underground mining method summary:
- Development drifts will utilize dual openings. 10 by 15-foot openings will be used for haulage, and 8 by 10-foot openings will be used for transportation and ventilation.
- Mining panels will utilize multi ........
Flow Sheet:
Summary:
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Source:
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Combined production numbers are reported under
Sheep Mountain Complex
Operational Metrics:
Metrics | |
Ore tonnes mined, LOM
| ...... |
* According to 2021 study.
Reserves at December 31, 2021:
Indicated Mineral Resource - GT cutoff: Underground GT 0.30 (6 feet of 0.05% eU3O8).
Probable Mineral Reserves - GT cutoff: Underground GT 0.45 (6 feet of 0.075% eU3O8).
Mineral Resources are reported inclusive of Mineral Reserves.
Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
Probable
|
3,498 k tons
|
U3O8
|
0.132 %
|
9,248 k lbs
|
Indicated
|
5,546 k tons
|
U3O8
|
0.118 %
|
13,034 k lbs
|
Commodity Production Costs:
| Commodity | Units | Average |
Assumed price
|
Uranium (U3O8)
|
USD
|
......
|
* According to 2021 study / presentation.
Operating Costs:
| Units | 2021 |
UG mining costs ($/t mined)
|
USD
| 80.2 * |
* According to 2021 study.
2021 Study Costs and Valuation Metrics :
Metrics | Units | LOM Total |
UG OpEx
|
$M USD
|
......
|
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Corporate Filings & Presentations:
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