enCore planning second uranium plant in Texas

In-Situ Recovery (ISR) uranium extraction company enCore Energy, which has claimed it will be the next United States uranium producer in 2023, confirmed it will be restarting uranium production from the Alta Mesa processing plant, as it has a formal decision to advance work at its second south Texas facility.

Resumption of uranium production is scheduled for early 2024; it is already targeting a start this year for its South Texas Rosita uranium processing plant.

Work in progress at Alta Mesa includes the construction of equipment staging areas and drill pads in the fully permitted Production Authorization Area (PAA), which is planned for initial production due to a proximal location adjacent to the plant. Development drilling, production and injection well installation will start this month.

At the same time, encore said its technical staff are identifying equipment maintenance and limited repair needs involving the ion exchange system, uranium precipitation, drying and packaging circuits ahead of the restart of production after having been on standby since 2013.

The Alta Mesa processing plant is enCore’s third fully licensed production facility, along with Rosita and Kingsville Dome. There are only 11 licensed and constructed uranium production facilities in all of the United States, the company confirmed.

“The Alta Mesa Processing Plant can reach commercial production levels with limited required capital, from funds on hand, within an estimated 10 months of today’s announced production decision,” officials said.

“Advancing the Alta Mesa processing plant, in conjunction with planned production in 2023 at the Rosita Uranium processing plant, will cement enCore Energy’s position as the early leader in In-Situ Recovery (ISR) uranium production in the U.S.”

Alta Mesa’s operations are located on private land, with 100% of minerals privately owned. The plant utilizes well-known ISR technology to extract uranium in a non-invasive process through the use of natural groundwater and oxygen, coupled with a proven ion exchange process, to recover the uranium.

Source: encoreuranium.com