Application of UNFC-2009 for monitoring project maturity of Central Jordan
Uranium Project (CJUP)
By Ahmad Dajani and Hussein Allaboun
Jordanian Uranium Mining Company (JUMCO)
UNECE Resource Classification Week April 24-28, 2017
Background
Population: 9.5 M
Area: 89.3 K Km2
Coastal shoreline
length: 27 Km
Phosphate, oil shale,
NO crude oil
Water Scarcity:
mounting challenge!
the country spends
more than 20% of its
GDP on energy imports
UNECE Resource Classification Week April 24-28, 2017
Introduction: Country-Wide Airborne Magnetic and Spectrometric Survey
Performed in the early 1980’s
Identified relatively high-level radiometric anomaly areas.
Regions with the highest observed radioactive activities were identified and subjected to near surface radiometric surveys (car borne, hand held surveys, grab samples, …etc.)
Four uranium potential areas identified.
• Central Jordan Area (CJA); • Hasa-Qatarana Area (HQA); • Wadi Bahiya/Bayer Area (WBBA); and • Sahab Elabiad/Shediyya Area (SESA).
Exploration activities (Phase I):
• Surficial mineralization (JUMCO):
• 1967 Trenches (4m (L) x5m (D) x1.5m (W) & a 10m ramp)
• 200m x200m Grid
• 19, 685 Samples assayed
• Deep mineralization (JFUMC):
• 5,691 boreholes with a total combined length of 90,789m
• 13, 000 Samples assayed
• 878, 822 gross gamma radiometry readings
UNECE Resource Classification Week April 24-28, 2017
Uranium ores in parts per million (ppm)
Extraction and Process Development
Left image: http://www.newcrest.com.au/media/section_headers/header_t1a.jpg
Right image: http://www.automotivemobile.info/cakes/yellow-cake-uranium
Uranium oxide concentrate (yellow cake)
Industrial processing of ores
Uranium resource in the CJUP area reported in Phase I Estimation (2014)
Region UNFC-2009 Criteria Ore tonnage (Mt) Grade (ppm U) Metal (tU)
Surficial
Mineralization
E2,F2.2,G3
67.5 135 9,100
Deep Mineralization 201.7 108 21,757
Total 269.2 114 30,857
UNECE Resource Classification Week April 24-28, 2017
IMA-1
CJUP Exploration Phases
Phase I (2014) • 200m x 200m exploration Grid. • 1963 Trench included in report. • Exploration Carried out in 5
Areas. (KZ,RS,RQ,SN,SS)
Phase II (2016) • 3055 Trench included (Not
included in JORC 2014) • 200X200 Grid in new Areas • 100X100 in selected areas (IMA)
After Phase II (2016) (Current Activity)
• Infill Grid 50X50 in Selected Areas.
• Explore new Areas 200x200 Grid
• Phase I (2014) • Phase II (2016) • After Phase II
Trenching activities in CJUP
Pilot Scale Testing (Phase III_A): Sample Collection
Pilot Scale Testing (Phase III_A): Physical
Preparation & Leaching
Uranium Extraction Process Development: Phase III_A
• The developed industrial process was tested on pilot scale and uranium was produced from this operation in the form of Yellow cake in October 2016
Recovery area 300: In fabrication
Leaching Cribs: Civil Works Under construction (Capacity160 Ton)
Uranium resource classification of Phase II Estimation (2016)
UNFC-
2009
Class
UNFC-
2009
Sub-class
UNFC-
2009
Criteria
(E,F,G)
JORC
2012
Category
Surficial Mineralization Deep Mineralization Both Mineralization
Tonnage
(Mt)
Grade
(U ppm)
Metal
(tU)
Tonnage
(Mt)
Grade
(U ppm)
Metal
(tU)
Tonnage
(Mt)
Grade
(U ppm)
Metal
(tU)
Potentially
Commercial
Project
Development
Pending
2,2.1,2 Indicated 20.5 148 3053 34 113 3816 54.5 126 6869
Potentially
Commercial
Project
Development
Pending
2,2.1,3 Inferred 67.2 127 8564 167.7 107 17977 235.0 113 26457
Total quantities 87.8 132 11617 201.7 108 21793 289.5 115 33326
UNECE Resource Classification Week April 24-28, 2017
Conclusions
• The project progressed from a “Potentially Commercial Projects/Development on Hold” project in Phase I to a more mature “Potentially Commercial Projects/Development Pending” in Phase II.
• The application of UNFC-2009 to the CJUP in Jordan clearly demonstrates the advantage of tracking the project from a lower maturity level of assessment (Phase I) to a higher level (Phase II).
• UNFC-2009 is an effective tool for taking decisions on whether or not to make further financial commitments in order to demonstrate the continued viability of the project.
UNECE Resource Classification Week April 24-28, 2017
Thank You
UNECE Resource Classification Week April 24-28, 2017