Radioactivity & Mining Newsletter 11-2023

Dear Reader,

Here's your monthly overview of relevant news in Policy and Technology. Developments in these - often interdependent - categories can be essential for mining/processing projects and operations affected by Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material: Uranium, Rare-Earths or any other potentially affected commodity like Phosphates, Tantalum/Niobium etc. - if associated with NORM.

Feel free to forward this Newsletter to further specialists. We aim to publish the next issue in about a month - provided sufficient relevant content to be linked to will be available. Enjoy reading!

Best regards,

Dr. Hagen Gunther Jung

POLICY

CNSC renews licences for Cameco uranium operations (world nuclear news)

The renewed licences authorise to continue to operate the Key Lake, McArthur River and Rabbit Lake sites, valid until October 2043 and October 2038, respectively.

Canada’s SRC rare-earth plant nears completion (Fastmarkets)

The plant is scheduled to be fully operational in October-November 2024, with capacity for 400 tonnes per year of neodymium-praseodymium metal.

Malaysia allows Lynas to import radioactive raw material until 2026 (Mining.Com)

The extension of the license comes despite concerns raised by Malaysia regarding radiation levels from the cracking and leaching operations during raw material processing.

'Full government support' for Niger uranium project (world nuclear news)

Global Atomic Corporation's Dasa uranium project is still to make its first yellowcake in 2025 and remains unimpaired by a recent US decision to put a hold financing.

‘Fight’ for reopening of suspended section at Spanish tin-tantalum mine (Mining.Com)

In the company’s view the proper legal process for the granting of the section C permit adhered to all applicable consultative, regulatory and legal requirements.

Canadian integrated radioactive waste management strategy accepted (world nuclear news)

The strategy for radioactive waste other than used nuclear fuel will see Canada's NWMO take responsibility for the disposal of low-level waste in near-surface disposal facilities.

Clean-up of Tajik uranium legacy site completed ahead of schedule (world nuclear news)

Rosatom says that it has completed the work to reclaim the low-grade uranium ore factory and tailings dumps at Taboshar, Tajikistan.

See here what GeoEnergy Consult can do for your project.

TECHNOLOGY

Malaysia allows key plant extension (Mining.Com)

Lynas’ Malaysia refinery, its first outside China, has been embroiled in a radiation dispute at the plant with Lynas challenging an earlier ruling that would have halted operations.

Chromatographic Separation Technology Leads the Way (REIA)

Pilot operation validated the production of rare earth concentrate from a variety of domestic materials employing cutting-edge extraction & separation chromatographic process.

Orano approves Georges Besse II extension (Nuclear Engineering)

The project consists of building a further four modules identical to the 14 existing modules with the same technology and with a reduced environmental footprint.

Franco-Mongolian protocol lays foundations for uranium project (world nuclear news)

BadrakEnergy's on-site pilot at Zuuvch Ovoo in the Gobi desert to test uranium extraction by in-situ leach methods producedd 10 tons of natural uranium concentrate.

Excellent heavy rare earth oxide results from Dubbo Project pilot plant testing (ASM)

Latest pilot plant separation work for the Dubbo Project demonstrates that the process can achieve terbium (Tb) and dysprosium (Dy) oxide purity of >99.99% and >99.95% respectively.

Mining activities recommence at Honeymoon (world nuclear news)

Wellfield pre-conditioning has started as the final step before uranium extraction at the Honeymoon in-situ leach (ISL) uranium project in South Australia.

About GeoEnergy Consult

Throughout a project's life-cycle GeoEnergy Consult supports Operators, Investors or Regulators in managing Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) – from planning over operation until closure.

We provide Technology Consulting [Radiation Safety, Environmental Impact Asssessment/Radioecological Monitoring, Waste/Residues Management, Decontamination, Decommissioning/Remediation] as well as Strategic Consulting [Document/Data Review, Feasibility Assessment, Permitting Support, Stakekeholder Engagement, Policy Support, Compliance Verification/Auditing] – from conceptualization on and optionally including engineering/realisation of developed solutions.

Should any question arise feel free to contact us.

The opinions stated in the linked news are not necessarily those of GeoEnergy Consult or its staff/partners. In case of any illegal or unethical content we distance ourselves from that.