Laterite Leach Tests

ANSTO Minerals Report C1206 to Lagoon Creek Resources – Westmoreland Deposits
TABLE 3.1
Ore Samples
Hole ID From (m) To (m) U3O8 (ppm) wt (kg) Total (kg)
Junnagunna “Steep” JDD08-023 45 65 2250 70
Mineralisation JDD08-023 80 90 2910 34
JDD08-026 20 70 850 179 283
Garee Upper Lens WDD08-009 30 50 540 69
(Redtree) WDD08-012 35 55 540 68
WDD08-037 12 36 610 86
WDD08-040 16 36 5270 74 297
Garee Lower Lens WDD08-011 62 82 2580 73
(Redtree) WDD08-012 60 80 510 68
WDD08-040 88 103 3210 74 215
Jack Lens WDD08-054 1.5 ? 20 90 35
Mineralisation (Redtree) WDD08-055 0 25 1040 69 104
In previous ANSTO work, the ore types examined, which contained predominantly uraninite,
coffinite and primary and secondary phosphate uranium minerals, were from Redtree,
Junnagunna, Huarabagoo, Outcamp and Black Hills. The mineralogical and elemental
compositions of these ores are reported in Appendix B, which shows that elemental
compositions of the samples tested in the nineties are similar to the compositions of the
current ores (see Appendix A).
The previous testwork on leaching performance of the old ore samples is also compared in
Appendix B. The leaching work, although extensive, focussed more on the impact of ore
variability than a detailed optimisation of leaching conditions. That said, uranium extraction
was typically >92% for leaching at pH 1.5 and 500 mV for 24 h at a nominal P80 grind of 150
µm. Grind size, in particular, was not optimised, but there were indications that a coarser
grind could be used. Acid addition was typically 10-20 kg/t, but ore samples containing high
Fe concentrations required additions up to ~55 kg/t. Where low uranium extractions were
obtained, a higher proportion of the uranium was present as phosphate minerals, particularly
ningyoite.
3.2 Composite Samples - Preparation and Head Analyses
A list of half core samples prepared into 4 composite samples for the current testwork
program is given in Table 3.2. Each bag of sample was checked against a list provided by the
client and the weights, to within the nearest kilogram, confirmed.
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