Alligator Energy Ltd (ASX:AGE, OTC:ALGEF) continues to make progress in preparations for the In-Situ Recovery (ISR) Field Recovery Trial (FRT) at the Samphire Uranium Project near Whyalla in South Australia.
In a key development, fabrication of the FRT processing plant by Adelaide Control Engineering is essentially complete with the ion exchange and wellhouse modules beginning Factory Acceptance Testing on March 19, 2024.
Following the testing the modules will being transported to Whyalla ahead of securing the necessary approvals to conduct the trial.
Alligator is preparing the scope for on-site assembly for requests to quote from Whyalla-based construction contractors/businesses.
“Important step”
Alligator’s CEO Greg Hall said: “The completion and acceptance testing of the FRT pilot process containerised IX and wellhouse modules is an important step, and along with the Reverse Osmosis plant testing (also completed) ensures the company will be ready for FRT construction upon granting of the Retention Lease and approval of the PEPR operating plan.”
Progress is also being made with consultation and other permitting activities for the trial.
RL proposal
In August 2023, AGE submitted its full Retention Lease (RL) Proposal to the Department for Energy and Mining (DEM) to conduct a pilot ISR field trial.
A public review and consultation period for this proposal concluded in late September 2023 with formal feedback received from DEM on December 20, 2023, regarding the public and various SA Government Department’s submissions.
Alligator’s formal responses to the matters raised from the consultation have been submitted to DEM and the company has been advised the review period for this response will take six to eight weeks pending no further clarifications being required.
A Program for Environmental Protection and Rehabilitation (PEPR) is being drafted and will be submitted post granting of the RL.
Approval of the PEPR is the final step in the regulatory process to commence on-site construction of the FRT infrastructure with FRT construction and commissioning plans under development for initiation.
"Alligator has communicated widely to stakeholders the detail of its field recovery trial plans, the minimal and very localised impact this will have, and the important uranium recovery, environmental, rehabilitation and economic data it will provide,” Hall said.
Inferred resource area outline (blue) and indicated resource area outline (red) of the Blackbush mineral resource estimate.
Ongoing drilling
On-site drilling is continuing in a bid to increase uranium resources while a ground gravity survey is underway, designed to delineate the palaeochannel system south of the known Samphire uranium deposits of Blackbush and Plumbush.
Since January 29, 2024, the company’s rotary mud drilling contractor has been drilling on a rotation basis of two weeks on and one week off to the west, northeast and south of the Blackbush mineral resource envelope.
To date 30 holes have been drilled for 2,437 metres) with the first-round program scheduled to continue through to mid-April when a break of four to six weeks will be taken to facilitate pastoral activities including lambing.
This work continues to identify potential extensions to the uranium roll-front system.
During the drilling break Alligator will update the market on the first-round results and data. Drilling will resume mid-late May and will continue to the end of the year when a full JORC-compliant mineral resource update will be undertaken.
“Potential extensions”
"The resource extension drilling at Blackbush is indicating potential extensions to the current mineralised envelope, and the first-round drilling data, results and interpretation will be released to shareholders and the market in the coming months,” Hall said.
"An extension of the ground gravity survey onto EL 6350 to the south of the Plumbush deposit – Alligator’s first work on this EL, is targeting anticipated palaeochannel extensions to the south of the current channels. There are existing historical intersections of uranium above cut-off grade within this tenement.”
With 64 kilometres of known palaeochannel strike length, only 10% of the prospective system (Blackbush deposit and portion of Plumbush prospect) have been well explored, with a further 32% only partly drill-tested on wide drill spacings.
Data from the gravity survey is expected to complete Alligator's understanding of extensions to the system adding further potential target areas to its pipeline of future exploration drilling programs.