ASX- and OTCQX-listed Lotus Assets has accomplished its infill and exploration drilling programmes on the Letlhakane uranium venture, in Botswana.
The corporate reported on November 12 that it had drilled 21 holes at Letlhakane.
The mineral useful resource estimate (MRE) at Letlhakane, constrained by pit shells based mostly on affordable prospects of eventual financial extraction, stands at 155.3-million tonnes grading 345 ppm triuranium octoxide (U₃O₈), containing 118.2-million kilos of U₃O₈, of which 34.4-million kilos, or 29%, are labeled as indicated mineral sources.
Lotus highlighted that infill drilling at Gorgon West had confirmed continuity, with additional thick zones of uranium mineralisation intersected. Exploration drilling within the western a part of the mining lease, which examined historic intercepts outdoors the present mineral sources, confirmed uranium mineralisation in all holes drilled, with intercepts reaching as much as 1 128 ppm equal U₃O₈ (eU₃O₈).
Noteworthy drill intersections at Gorgon West included gap GODD0102, which intersected 4.22 m at 414 ppm eU₃O₈ from 68.7 m, together with a 1.30 m interval at 1 084 ppm eU₃O₈ from 79.9 m; gap GODD0107, which intersected 11.8 m at 267 ppm eU₃O₈ from 85.2 m; gap MOKR2681, with 7.7 m at 355 ppm eU₃O₈ from 69.2 m; and gap GODD0107, which returned 5.1 m at 345 ppm eU₃O₈ from 72.4 m.
Extra vital reverse circulation drill intersections from the exploration goal included gap MOKR2678, which returned 2.4 m at 805 ppm eU₃O₈ from 97.8 m and a pair of.6 m at 645 ppm eU₃O₈ from 108 m; gap MOKR2683, which intersected 2.9 m at 463 ppm eU₃O₈ from 78.3 m; and gap MOKR2673, which returned 4.07 m at 340 ppm eU₃O₈ from 41.4 m.
All further infill drill holes intersected mineralisation, supporting continuity and grade as Lotus stated it was working to improve the Letlhakane MRE classification. An replace to the Letlhakane MRE is beneath approach, integrating current drilling outcomes, and is predicted to be accomplished later this month.
Lotus stated it was additionally conducting trade-off research for Letlhakane, overlaying elements reminiscent of acid consumption, downstream course of optimisation and mining methodology. The corporate stated it deliberate to supply an replace on these research within the fourth quarter.
Moreover, Lotus is assessing the feasibility of in-situ restoration (ISR) extraction, with a possible future discipline leach trial into consideration.
In parallel with Letlhakane’s improvement, Lotus stated it was advancing efforts to restart uranium manufacturing at Kayelekera, in Malawi.
“Our infill programme at Letlhakane has delivered . . . outcomes, with 162 out of 164 holes drilled intersecting uranium mineralisation. This confirms the continuity and grade of this substantial uranium useful resource.
“We’re additionally enthusiastic about our exploration drill programme delivering mineralised intercepts throughout all holes drilled. We will likely be additional assessing this to see if further mineral sources might be ascribed to this space.
“We are actually targeted on updating the MRE, whereas additionally progressing metallurgical testing and evaluating the potential for ISR extraction for the deeper parts of the orebody,” Lotus CEO Greg Bittar stated.
