enCore doubles uranium extraction capacity at Alta Mesa
Nasdaq- and TSX-V-listed enCore Energy announced on Thursday the successful startup of its second ion exchange (IX) circut at the South Texas Alta Mesa in-situ recovery (ISR) uranium central processing plant (CPP).
The new IX circuit will double the flow capacity at Alta Mesa, increasing the processing rate to 5 000 gallons a minute. The additional capacity is expected to enhance the plant’s ability to capture uranium from process water pumped from recovery wells in the wellfield. Flow rate, a critical factor in maximising uranium extraction, will now be substantially improved with the new setup.
"At any given concentration of dissolved uranium in water, the more solution you pump, the more uranium that can be captured," explained enCore chairperson William Sheriff.
"At the Alta Mesa CPP, we have learned that our extraction process is faster than anticipated, which is expected to be positive for revenue and return on investment."
In conjunction with the installation of the second IX circuit, enCore has expanded its wellfield, adding additional injection and extraction wells to the currently permitted and operational Wellfield 7 (PAA-7). This expansion effectively uses about 75% of the Alta Mesa CPP’s current processing capacity. As the company moves forward, additional wells will be brought on line systematically to maximise capacity and further increase uranium recovery.
"The work on the second IX circuit and additions to the wellfield have been under way for several months. While we are pleased to see the second IX circuit operating, we look forward to full utilisation of this increase in capacity. With additional drill rigs and accelerated effort, we look forward to steady advancement of our uranium capture rates," Sheriff added.
The startup of the second IX circuit is part of enCore’s broader strategy to scale its uranium operations and deliver increased output in support of the growing demand for clean energy.
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