Paladin Starts Up at Kayelekera


Paladin Energy, 85% owner of the Kayelekera uranium project in Malawi, recently commissioned the mine and is
targeting annual output of 3.3 million lb/y of yellowcake. (Photo courtesy Paladin Energy)
Paladin Energy has commissioned the new Kayelekera open-pit uranium mine in northern Malawi and is ramping it up to design capacity of 3.3 million lb/y of U3O8. The project is expected to have a mine life of seven years and a project life of 11 years based on existing resources. Capital expenditures to develop the project totaled about $185 million. Project operating costs are expected to range from $19.50/lb of U3O8 produced during the first seven years of operation to $23/lb over the life of the project. These costs are inclusive of full onsite power generation.

Paladin Energy is 85% owner of Kayelekera. The Republic of Malawi holds the remainder of the project as a free carried interest.

The principal mineralized lenses that form the bulk of the Kayelekera orebody are hosted within distinct arkose units and occur to a depth of up to 100 m. The lenses are superimposed vertically along a trend lying approximately parallel to the synclinal axis of a fault-bounded structure. Project development was based on a reserve of 10.46 million mt at an average grade of 0.11% U3O8 and containing 11,377 mt of U3O8.

Paladin also reports that it is nearing completion of a Stage II expansion at its 100%-owned Langer Heinrich uranium mine in Namibia (See related article, p. 74). Ramp-up to expanded production capacity of 3.7 million lb/y of U3O8 from the previous level of about 2.6 million lb/y was expected to be complete by mid-year 2009. Commissioning and ramp-up time was expected to be relatively short; because no new process technologies have been introduced to the project, and experienced operators are on hand to get the expansion running.

All mechanical equipment and vendor packages had been delivered to the Langer Heinrich site by late March. Construction of the two new 3,600-m3 leach tanks was nearing completion. Two of the four new 35- m-dia thickeners had been completed and were ready for water filling and cold commissioning. The remaining two were near completion and were scheduled for cold commissioning in April. The erection of a new ion exchange expansion package and the interconnecting steelwork and piping were complete. The final tie-ins to the existing system and tank and pump modifications were scheduled for completion in April.

As featured in Womp 2009 Vol 04 - www.womp-int.com