RE:RE:RE:RE:Platreef Mine up and running 3rd qtr 2024 - 25 years prep Kazakhstan’s national atomic company Kazatomprom, the world’s largest producer and seller of natural uranium, has forecast a potential dip in its production numbers this year due to a shortage of sulphuric acid.
In some conventional uranium mills, sulphuric acid is the leaching agent and it is a critical ingredient in Kazatomprom’s operations.
A significant amount of global sulphuric acid production is a spinoff from the oil and gas industry and forecasters have been tipping a potential shortfall in supplies for some time.
chintzy wrote: There is also the sale of by-product sulphuric acid from the smelter which will gap-down the cash cost 10 or 15 cents more and below a dollar to possibly a .8 handle. I came across this article on the state-of-the-art sulphuric acid plant they are building into the smelter. Every aspect of this mine is top-notch.
They forecast production of 650-800K tonnes of sulpuric acid annually. If they do 700 at present prices that is almost 10 cents/lb., less any cost. If price and production both go up while Cu goes to $15K/tonne when the Lobito Corridor and the smelter are online the cash flow will be rediculous.
https://im-mining.com/2024/01/10/kamoa-kakula-copper-complex-in-drc-to-install-mecs-sulphuric-acid-plant/