Mining Intelligence and News
United States

Daneros Mine

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Categories

Overview

Mine TypeUnderground
StageRestarting
Commodities
  • Uranium
  • U3O8
Mining Method
  • Room-and-pillar
  • Split-shooting
Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotDaneros project is one of three past-producing, fully-permitted, uranium mines in Utah, and is a large-scale, fully-developed and permitted underground mine.

The mine operated from 2009 until October 2012 when it was placed on standby.

IsoEnergy is evaluating plans to restart operations at the Daneros and Rim mines, both of which were previous producers of uranium and vanadium, and are currently permitted for production, after the reopening of the Tony M mine.

IsoEnergy has a toll milling arrangement with Energy Fuels(EFR) for its Tony M, Daneros, Rim and Calliham projects, which guarantees the Company access to the White Mesa Mill, the only operational conventional uranium mill in the U.S. On December 21, 2023, EFR announced its plans to restart the White Mesa Mill uranium circuit in 2025.

The 2024 exploration program has commenced in Utah, focusing on the Tony M Mine, the Rim Mine, and the Daneros Mine.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
IsoEnergy Ltd. 100 % Indirect
The Daneros mine is held by Consolidated Uranium Inc., wholly owned subsidiary of IsoEnergy Ltd.

Deposit type

  • Sandstone hosted

Summary:

The Daneros uranium deposit can be classified as Phanerozoic Sandstone; Tabular/Peneconcordant; Basal-channel Type in the classification scheme of Dahlkamp (1993). The Shinarump Member of the Chinle is the only host rock horizon with this type of deposit on the property. The property is not known to hold any potential for any other type of deposit.

The uranium deposit at the Daneros Mine, like nearly all others in the White Canyon district, is in the lower part of the Shinarump, especially where it has scoured into the Moenkopi. The lithology, facies, sedimentary structures, and locations within the channel deposits all were important in controlling the migration of fluids and localization of the deposits. Coarser-grained rock is more favorable than finegrained sand or silt units. Most of the uranium mineralization is overlying impermeable siltstones of the Moenkopi or local siltstone lenses internal of the Shinarump. The lateral edges of channels where they are bounded by mudstones are also favorable locations for mineralization. Sandstones and conglomerates bounded on the top by siltstones or clay layers are also favorable. Intersections of channels and meanders have been found to be favored locations. The most favorable sites are in the coarser sandstone/conglomerates adjacent to finer sediments that contain vegetal matter. The uranium was transported into the area in oxidized groundwaters. The permeability differences related to the grain size of the various facies confined, concentrated, and slowed the flow of the oxidized waters. The accumulations of carbonaceous material created local reducing environments. These reducing conditions caused the dissolved uranium minerals to precipitate.

Uraninite (pitchblende) is by far the dominant primary uranium mineral in the Shinarump deposits. It occurs as distinct grains, fine grained coatings on and pore-fillings between detrital quartz grains, partial replacement of feldspar grains, and as replacement in carbonized wood and other remains of organic matter. Metallic sulfide minerals are often abundant. Where secondary oxidation has occurred, minor amounts of uranyl carbonates, sulfates, and phosphates are found. The source of the uranium is not well established. Overlying shaley units of the Chinle contain clays derived from volcanic ash that is uraniferous. The source area of the arkosic sediments was also a uranium-rich province.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

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Production

Production Costs

Commodity production costs have not been reported.

Heavy Mobile Equipment

Fleet data has not been reported.

Personnel

Mine Management

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Aerial view:

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