Boss Resources Ltd (ASX:BOE) has achieved positive result from the initial technical evaluation for reducing capital and operating expenditure at its Honeymoon Uranium Project in South Australia.
Following its feasibility study in January 2020, Boss embarked on technical optimisation studies with Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) for completing an ion exchange (IX) process detail design and testing.
The initial study results indicate that the company can achieve up to a 10% saving in capital expenditures amounting to a total of US$6.3 million.
Process optimisation
Boss in consultation with ANTSO devised a series of tests to achieve the IX process optimisation by reducing the heat generated during the elution of uranium from the Ion Exchange (IX) resin.
The company also made some more changes in the manufacturing process that lead to additional cost savings.
Boss managing director and CEO Duncan Craib said: “Boss continues to work on opportunities to optimise Honeymoon as a first-mover uranium restart operation – this outstanding IX testwork result is one example, with an identified 10% saving in CAPEX amounting to US$6.3 million and an OPEX saving of US$1.22 per pound of U308.
“We will continue working towards NPV accretive technical advancements and revising estimates contained within the January 2020 FS, strengthening Honeymoon’s potential to be one of the lowest-cost uranium producers globally.”
Restarting operations
Buoyed by the initial exciting results, Boss plans to restart the Honeymoon Uranium Project.
Simultaneously, Boss’s exploration team is also completing a comprehensive desktop review of the extensive historical exploration database information to define new uranium exploration targets.
With the financial support from the South Australian government to utilise innovative techniques, exploration is focussing on expansions to known uranium discoveries.
The new mineralised target areas will form the basis of a study to assess and define third-stage production ramp-up to produce more than 3 million pounds per annum of uranium.