AZARGA URANIUM CORP. (TSX:AZZ) (“Azarga Uranium” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce the positive results of a second hydrologic study, focused on the permeability of the Wind River formation confined aquifer, the primary host of uranium mineralization at the Company’s Gas Hills Uranium Project (“Gas Hills”) located in Wyoming. The first study, announced by URZ Energy Corp. on 1 May 2018, focused on piezometric surface conditions and demonstrated that the majority of the deposits at the Gas Hills property had sufficient water pressure in the Wind River formation confined aquifer to conduct in-situ recovery (“ISR”) mining operations.
Blake Steele, CEO & President, stated “this favorable report on permeability in the mineralized Wind River formation confined aquifer at Gas Hills coupled with the favorable piezometric surface conditions confirm that these two important hydrologic parameters are suitable for ISR uranium mining. We are very encouraged by the results of these two studies and we will continue to evaluate future ISR development options at Gas Hills, consistent with the Company’s strategy of developing US-focused ISR uranium projects.”
Permeability is an important parameter for ISR mining operations. The higher the permeability (also referred to as hydraulic conductivity), the more water that can be injected into and pumped out of the mineralized aquifer per unit of time (e.g., gallons per minute), a positive for ISR mining operations. Azarga Uranium engaged Hydro-Engineering L.L.C. (“Hydro-Engineering”), the same firm used to conduct the piezometric surface study, to conduct the permeability study. Hydro-Engineering is an experienced consulting firm based in Casper, Wyoming, having conducted numerous hydrologic reports for mine permit applications for several existing and planned uranium mines in Wyoming.
Hydro-Engineering performed a comprehensive review of pump test data for the Gas Hills and pump test data for other mining operations and planned mining operations in Wyoming proximal to Gas Hills. A summary of Hydro-Engineering’s review is presented below for each project:
| Project Name and Owner | Hydraulic Conductivity Range (feet/day) | Permeability Range (darcy) |
|---|---|---|
| Gas Hills; Azarga Uranium | 1.0 to 5.7 | 0.8 to 2.7 |
| Gas Hills (Peach); Cameco | 0.5 to 6.0 | 0.3 to 2.89 |
| Lost Creek; Ur-Energy | 0.27 to 2.78 | 0.13 to 1.3 |
Hydro-Engineering concluded that the hydraulic conductivity at Gas Hills is comparable to hydraulic conductivity values at other ISR mining operations and planned mining operations in Wyoming proximal to Gas Hills. Thus, the permeability of the mineralized Wind River formation confined aquifer at Gas Hills is suitable for ISR uranium mining.
About Azarga Uranium Corp.
Azarga Uranium is an integrated uranium exploration and development company that controls ten uranium projects, deposits and prospects in the United States of America (“USA”) (South Dakota, Wyoming, Utah and Colorado) and the Kyrgyz Republic, with a primary focus of developing in-situ recovery uranium projects in the USA. The Dewey Burdock in-situ recovery uranium project in South Dakota (the “Dewey Burdock Project”), which is the Company’s initial development priority, has received its Nuclear Regulatory Commission License and draft Class III and Class V Underground Injection Control (“UIC”) permits from the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) and the Company is in the process of completing other major regulatory permit approvals necessary for the construction of the Dewey Burdock Project, including the final Class III and Class V UIC permits from the EPA.
Source: Azarga Uranium Corp.