RE:Re Re NXE postsToridog - its way too early to claim which of NXE or FCU will be the lowest cost to mine and mill, as it will require a more detailed study of the characteristics of the NXE deposit, and in fact all deposits.
Certainly NXE is deep, and hi grade which adds to the complexity, and if a stand alone mill, that also is a higher cost mill. One thing for a certainty, is that NXE should be a lot easier and less expensive to mine than freezing CIGAR Lake and McArthur River, and much less hazardous and risky.
But with that statement, that is perhaps why you now see signs of cooperation between NXE and FCU managements. Of note is the hiring of RPA who can now scope out an integrated mine and mill plan for both projects. That is huge in my opinion, but we not likely see that study started until late this year or early 2017, as it is premature to the finding/enlarging of more uranium for both companies
NXE and FCU have the potential to be an extremely complimentary combined mining and milling project to maximize profits much more as a combined project than 2 individual projects. By blending ores to avoid a hi grade mill design and operation for NXE ores would be huge economic advantage.
So a combined FCU NXE project will be a 20-30 year mine life, perhaps even longer, and a whole new modern urainum mining complex, one of the finest in the world.
Firstly there is all the infrastructure which is obvious, power line, townsite and amenities, roads, service facilities, airport, mill and all its service requirements.
So in terms of overall sequencing it sort of goes like this......................
Infrastructure construction begins and in parallel stripping of the first FCU open pit which provides the first feed ores to the mill. THis mined out open pit later provides a pond for water treatment. In parallel with that the construction of the dyke begins and is completed. Perhaps stripping of the R000 mine is done in parallel with the dyke.
THen the dyke area over R780 is dwatered and mining begins on R780 hi grade.
NXE safe mine development will be more complex and take longer to construct so it is mined later to blend its hi grade ores with the lower grade ores from underground later in the life of R780. Envisioned is a shaft right to the bottom off to one side of the deposit. THen the ore is mined from the bottom up backfilling as necessary with concrete (tailings mixtutre perhaps). SO horizontal drifts are made towards the hi grade ores, using host rock for shielding, and the ore is mined and dropped down into trams, over to the shaft up and over to the ore blending facility. THis technique moves upward thru the deposit.
Much later in the overall project life, perhaps ores from Shea Creek or toll milled at this new facility, and that would greatly improve the economics of the 100 million lbs there.
Including Shea Creek 100 million, the 200 million NXE, and the 108 million FCU we now have over 400 million lbs of uranium. But that number is sure to grow quite quickly towards 500 million.
This 500 million lbs potential will now be attracting interest from several takeover candidates with various arrangements for cost sharing etc.
Hopefully it becomes a competitive situation for us investors so we can all retire to paradise somewhere.
Gonna be an exciting year or 2 coming to see how this all transpires. toriddog wrote: I certainly am not bashing NXE and Arrow deposit. In fact I hope it ends up a very large mine. My posts are to point out the large difference in these two investments.
- NXE has drilled about 100 holes all in an area 250m x300 m. Some holes are very high grade. The deposit is deep enough that it will be expensive to mine but not difficult. My view is the only expansion will need to be deeper as holes around the deposit have had no mineralization. Most importantly at this time all U308 in in the inferred category and it is going to cost in pile of money to move it into the indicated category which is needed, not an option.
- FCU has drilled 500 holes and I am very confident that when the next 43-101 and PEA update comes out PLS will have 200 million pounds all in the indicated category. They have the cash to cover this and more drilling which is expanding the deposit with almost every hole. PLS is now nearly 3 km long. Vast difference in size and can be open pit mined.
At the current stock prices FCU shares are a far better investment and much lower risk. When NXE gets to the same stage as PLS is right now, I am in, if it proves up. I will get the shares at somewhere around the current FCU share price as they will need to raise much more money than they have now. DILULTION !!!!
Hope they both turn out very profitable to all . I am still up 100% on FCU shares as I control risk and buy at the right time, not when traders and pumpers are active. They will all be gone ,long before NXE reaches the FCU stage. If you don't like my posts push the ignore button !!