Elevate Uranium aims to complete the design and construction of its U-pgrade™ demonstration plant in the first half of next year, with operations slated to begin in late 2025.
The plant is intended to showcase the capabilities of Elevate Uranium’s proprietary beneficiation process, which is being positioned as a cornerstone of the Koppies Project’s development in Namibia.
The Company’s Managing Director Murray Hill said bulk metallurgical test work is already underway, with six tonnes of uranium ore samples excavated from the Koppies resource currently undergoing analysis in Perth.
“The company is focused on operating a U-pgrade™ demonstration plant and proving that U-pgrade™ works on Koppies ore late CY2025. Resource expansion and exploration programs continue in Namibia at the Hirabeb, Namib IV, Capri, and Marenica uranium projects,” he said.
The test work includes mineralogical analysis and bench-scale testing, with results anticipated in early 2025 to inform the plant’s final design.
“Exploration activities across Elevate Uranium’s Namibian portfolio continue to yield promising results. Drilling at Hirabeb, within the Koppies Project area, has revealed mineralisation adjacent to the existing resource,” he added.
The company has initiated a search for engineering firms in Australia to design and construct the U-pgrade™ demonstration plant.
“This process is expected to conclude with the awarding of the engineering contract by the end of 2024. Once built, the plant will be containerized and shipped to Namibia, where it will operate continuously to process ore from the Koppies resource at scale,” he said.
These developments are part of Elevate Uranium’s broader strategy to solidify its technological and resource base.
Concurrently, infill drilling at Namib IV is delivering significant intersections, complementing previous findings from broad-spaced exploration drilling.
Similar success is being recorded at Capri, where both infill and greenfield drilling are progressing, while Marenica exploration efforts are focused on targets beyond the known resource area.
Notable intersections include 1.5 meters at 292 ppm eU₃O₈ from Hirabeb, 18.0 meters at 267 ppm eU₃O₈ from Namib IV, 4.5 meters at 942 ppm eU₃O₈ from Capri, and 12.0 meters at 439 ppm eU₃O₈ from Marenica.
“Elevate Uranium is focused on proving the benefits of its U-pgrade™ beneficiation process as it progresses towards the development of the Koppies Project,” said Hill.
He noted that drilling on the Koppies Project at Hirabeb has intersected mineralisation adjacent to the current resource area, and at Namib IV the company continues to record impressive intervals from our infill program.
“Where we are proving the extent of mineralisation identified by previous broad-spaced exploration drilling programs,” he added.
The Koppies demonstration plant is expected to play a pivotal role in validating Elevate Uranium’s beneficiation process.
The bulk metallurgical test work in progress will help refine the plant’s components and provide the operational framework necessary for continuous performance.
Meanwhile, resource expansion initiatives across Hirabeb, Namib IV, Capri, and Marenica aim to bolster the company’s project portfolio.
Maiden resource estimates for Namib IV and Capri are targeted for completion in 2025, reinforcing the company’s growth trajectory.
