About Ablation
Ablation is an innovative but quite simple process for the physical separation of the uranium bearing minerals from the gauge material.
In Ablation, the slurry from UBHM is ejected from two opposing injection nozzles to create a high energy impact zone. This high-energy impact separates the mineralized patina (coating) of uranium from the underlying grain. The uranium bearing particles are found in the fine fractions separated in a subsequent screening process.
Ablation test work has continued to confirm the suitability of the Ablation process to concentrate the Hansen ore. Ablation results in the recovery of ~95% U3O8 in ~10% of mined material.
The use of Ablation has a number of benefits in the development of Hansen:
- The production of a high-grade, high-value concentrate that can be transported off site for further processing, or sold
- A significant reduction in feedstock required to be processed in an off-site mill, with a ~ 90% reduction in reagents used in the milling process
- A reduction in process plant footprint with a consequent reduction in environmental impact
- Reduced cost of transporting concentrate to one of several available off-site milling facilities
Figure 2 below shows a view under the microscope of the sandstone grains prior to Ablation. Figure 3 shows a view after Ablation, where the patina (containing the uranium) surrounding the sandstone grain has been removed. Post Ablation a clean sand product remains.
The Company has established a 50%:50% joint venture with Ablation Technologies LLC for the utilisation of the Ablation on mineral deposits, globally. This joint venture is currently commercialising the Ablation process.