Highlights

  • Leach testing achieved uranium recoveries of 81% to 86%.
  • Acid consumption of about 3kg/t during active extraction.
  • Uranium dissolution effectively complete after about seven days.
  • Lower-grade composite (167ppm U3O8) achieved recoveries comparable to other deposits.

Atomic Eagle Limited (ASX:AEU) has completed metallurgical testing on diamond core from the newly identified Muntanga East uranium deposit in Zambia. The results show extraction characteristics consistent with the broader Muntanga Project.

Recovery and Leach Kinetics

Bottle roll tests achieved 86% and 82% uranium recovery after 25 days, while column leach tests simulating heap conditions recorded 81% recovery. The company stated that uranium dissolution was effectively complete after about seven days, with around 80% of the uranium in readily dissolvable minerals.

The composite samples averaged a head grade of 167ppm U3O8, lower than material previously tested at other project deposits, yet delivered comparable recoveries.

Low Reagent Consumption

Acid consumption was about 3kg/t during active extraction. Column tests continued for 62 days, but only modest additional recovery occurred after 15 to 20 days, while total acid consumption rose to 7.0-7.6kg/t.

CEO Phil Hoskins said a defining strength of Muntanga is its ability to achieve high recoveries through simple heap leach processing with low reagent consumption, supporting extraction from lower-grade material.

Physical Properties and Next Steps

The material showed low fines content and hydraulic conductivity of 4,396-4,537 L/m²/h, about four times typical design thresholds. Stacking assessments simulating 6-metre heap heights indicated favourable bulk density and porosity.

The results will feed into ongoing technical studies and mine development planning. Muntanga East's shallow mineralisation and proximity to the central resource area position it for potential integration into future operations.

Key Takeaways

  • Muntanga East testing delivered 81-86% uranium recoveries with rapid leach kinetics.
  • Acid consumption remained low at about 3kg/t during active extraction.
  • Results will be incorporated into technical studies and development planning.