Record uranium production at Langer Heinrich mine

LANGER Heinrich concluded 2011 on a high note, producing significantly more uranium in the last quarter of the year than in any of the previous three quarters.

The mine produced nearly 1,2 million pounds of uranium in the fourth quarter of 2011, an increase of 40,5 per cent compared to the third quarter. Production was also 33 per cent higher than that of the second quarter and nearly 50 per cent more than what was mined in the first quarter of 2011.In total, Langer Heinrich delivered about 3,7 million pounds of uranium last year, Paladin Energy’s fourth quarter report, released yesterday, shows.Tonnage through the process plant increased by 26 per cent in the fourth quarter with a throughput of 630 397 tonnes of ore crushed.Paladin, owner of Langer Heinrich, said overall plant efficiency during the quarter improved from 80,2 per cent in the third quarter to 83,8 per cent.Paladin said the construction phase of the mine’s Stage 3 expansion project has been completed.’Ramp-up of the plant is expected to be completed in the March quarter of 2012 with the project at an overall 99 per cent state of completion,’ Paladin said. The company said all technical aspects of the Stage 4 feasibility study were finished at the end of 2011. The economic modelling and sensitivity analysis are currently underway.’It is expected that the study economic results will be available March/April,’ Paladin said.John Borshoff, managing director of Paladin, said the company remains optimistic about the future of uranium. A comprehensive study undertaken by Paladin has concluded that ‘primary [global] production must at least double by 2020 and that projected demand requirements can only be met with the development of mines with operating costs significantly higher than those currently in production’.Borshoff said the uranium spot price is beginning to show signs of strengthening post-Fukushima as new demand emerges.’As the market effects of the Fukushima incident continue to work their way through the overall nuclear/uranium market, price improvement is anticipated throughout the year, although periods of volatility can be expected,’ he said.

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