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Crownpoint-Churchrock Uranium Project
Technical Reports
Technical Report on the Churchrock Uranium Project, McKinley County, New Mexico, USA; Report for 43-101 - January 2024
Mineral Resource Estimate Technical Report on the Churchrock Uranium Project, NI 43-101 – November 2017
Technical Report on the Crownpoint Uranium Project, McKinley County, New Mexico, USA, NI 43-101 Report – November 2018
| Location | The Crownpoint-Churchrock Uranium Project consists of two discrete ISR-amenable uranium deposits, Crownpoint and Church Rock, covered by a single NRC licence. Laramide’s Church Rock deposit is 12 miles northeast of Gallup, New Mexico. Laramide’s Crownpoint deposit is located 25 miles northeast of Church Rock deposit near the town of Crownpoint. |
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| Ownership | 100% Laramide Resources Ltd. |
| Proposed Mine Type | Deposits are amenable to In Situ Recovery (ISR) |
| Commodities | Uranium |
| Current Status | The NRC licence provides for the construction of a Central Processing Plant at the Crownpoint location, with a maximum capacity of 3 million pounds U3O8 per annum. While the NRC permit to build the facility has been granted, a mining study by Laramide has not been filed to support the technical feasibility or economic viability of the Central Processing Plant. Laramide PEA confirms potential for long-life, low-cost in situ recovery uranium operation. Work to satisfy final State of New Mexico permits is required to demonstrate the ability to restore the aquifer following the ISR mining process. |
| Mineral Resources | The Mineral Resource estimate for Church Rock was prepared by SLR (formerly RPA) based on drill hole data available as of September 30, 2017. Using a 0.5 ft-% eU3O8 Grade Thickness (GT) cut-off, Inferred Mineral Resources at Church Rock total 33.9 million tons at an average grade of 0.08% eU3O8 for a contained metal of 50.8 million pounds U3O8. No Mineral Reserves have been estimated for the Project. The Mineral Resource estimate for Crownpoint was prepared by SLR (formerly RPA), based on drill hole data available as of September 1, 2018. Using a 0.5 ft-% eU3O8 Grade-Thickness product (GT) cut-off, Inferred Mineral Resources with an effective date of October 24, 2018 total 4.2 million tons at an average grade of 0.106% eU3O8 containing 8.9 million pounds U3O8 of which Laramide controls 2.5 million tons at an average grade of 0.102% eU3O8 containing 5.1 million pounds U3O8. No Mineral Reserves have been estimated for the Project. Due to the historical nature of the drilling data, the classification of Mineral Resources on Church Rock and Crownpoint is limited to Inferred, until new confirmation data can be obtained. |
Overview
Laramide holds an extensive property position in the western-most part of the Grants uranium mining district. The Crownpoint-Churchrock Project represents one of the largest and highest grade undeveloped In Situ Recovery (ISR) uranium assets in the USA.
The Church Rock Uranium Project consists of all or portions of eight sections of land totalling approximately 4,680 acres. The properties are accessible from New Mexico State Highway 566 that crosses the Project, and locally via dirt roads. The mineral rights to the properties consist of a mix of unpatented and patented mining claims and private mineral leases.
Crownpoint consists of portions of three sections of land totalling approximately 615 acres. The properties are accessible from the town of Crownpoint along West Route 9, which crosses the Project, and locally via dirt roads. The mineral rights to the properties consist of a mix of unpatented mining claims and private mineral rights.
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Existing Infrastructure
At the Project, infrastructure is available for future exploration and mine development, with paved road access to the Project and dirt road access locally. Power lines and natural gas supplies which could be used for mining operations are located near and around the Project area.
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History
During a period of nearly three decades (1951-1980), the Grants Mineral Belt (Grants District) yielded more uranium than any other district in the United States. The Grants district is a large area in the San Juan Basin, extending from east of Laguna to west of Gallup, a length of 100 miles, and is approximately 25 miles to 30 miles wide north-south. The region includes the Barnabe Montano, Laguna, Marquez, Ambrosia Lake, Smith Lake, Crownpoint – Church Rock, and Nose Rock sub-districts.
Most of the uranium production in New Mexico has come from the Grants District along the southern margin of the San Juan Basin in McKinley and Cibola (former Valenica) Counties. The principal host rocks for the uranium mineralization in the Grant District are fluvial sandstones within the Late Jurassic Morrison Formation, called the Westwater Canyon and Brushy Basin members, and the overlying Early Cretaceous Dakota Sandstone.
The history of exploration and mine development activities for the Church Rock Uranium Project dates to the late 1950s. Exploration and development activities continued through the early 1990s by Uranium Resources Inc. (URI). The properties were acquired by Laramide in January 2017 from URI (now Westwater Resources, Inc.)
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Geology & Mineralization
Laramide’s 2017 independent Mineral Resource Estimate on Church Rock Uranium Project
The following description and table summarize the Church Rock Deposit’s Mineral Resource Estimate. Due to the historical nature of the data the resource estimate is classified as Inferred, until additional new confirmation data can be obtained. The Project is located in the Church Rock sub-district of the greater Grants Mineral Belt uranium district of northwestern New Mexico.
The Church Rock Resource Estimate was completed utilizing the Grade x Thickness (GT) Contour Method, an industry standard for estimating uranium roll-front type deposits hosted within groundwater-saturated sandstones. The mineralization at Church Rock has been previously shown to be amenable to ISR techniques.
Table – 1 Mineral Resource Estimate by Sand Unit – November 16, 2018
Laramide Resources Ltd. – Crownpoint DepositClassification
Sand Unit
Tonnage
(Tons)Grade
(% eU3O8)Contained Metal
(U3O8 lbs)Inferred
Dakota Sandstone
632,000
0.115
1,452,000
Morrison Formation – Brushy Basin
64,000
0.147
189,000
Morrison Formation – Westwater Canyon (A Sand)
1,714,000
0.075
2,556,000
Morrison Formation – Westwater Canyon (B Sand)
7,890,000
0.077
12,145,000
Morrison Formation – Westwater Canyon (C Sand)
4,498,000
0.092
8,290,000
Morrison Formation – Westwater Canyon (D Sand)
6,588,000
0.067
8,894,000
Morrison Formation – Westwater Canyon (E Sand)
6,110,000
0.068
8,310,000
Morrison Formation – Westwater Canyon (F Sand)
5,557,000
0.068
7,583,000
Morrison Formation – Westwater Canyon (G Sand)
595,000
0.084
1,005,000
Morrison Formation – Westwater Canyon (H Sand)
231,000
0.086
396,000
Inferred Total
33,879,000
0.075
50,820,000
- 1. CIM (2014) definitions were followed for Mineral Resources.
- 2. Mineral Resources are reported at a grade x thickness (GT) cut-off of 0.5 ft-%.
- 3. A minimum thickness of 2.0 feet was used.
- 4. A minimum cut-off grade of 0.02% eU3O8 (based on historic mining costs and parameters from the district) was used to define the mineralization envelope.
- 5. Internal maximum dilution of 5.0 feet was used.
- 6. Grade values have not been adjusted for disequilibrium (equilibrium factor = 1.0).
- 7. Tonnage factor of 15 ft3/ton (based on historical density used by the mining operators) was applied.
- 8. Mineralized areas-defined by isolated or widely-spaced drill-holes-or located within:the area previously subject to past production, were excluded•from the estimate.
- 9. Totals may not add due to rounding.
Laramide’s 2018 independent Mineral Resource Estimate on Crownpoint Uranium Project
The following description and tables summarize the Crownpoint Deposit’s Mineral Resource Estimate. Due to the historical nature of the data the resource estimate is classified as Inferred, until additional new confirmation data can be obtained. The Project is located in the Crownpoint sub-district of the greater Grants Mineral Belt uranium district of northwestern New Mexico.
The 2018 Mineral Resource Estimate supersedes various “historical estimates” for purposes of NI 43-101 reporting (see press release dated October 10, 2018 and December 20, 2018) and considers planned In Situ Recovery (ISR) of uranium consolidating the significant work completed by previous operators on the Project.
The Resource Estimate expands on the Company’s New Mexico uranium resources including the 50.8 million pounds U3O8 of Inferred Resource estimated for the Church Rock Project (see Press Releases October 10, 2017 and November 22, 2017). Importantly, both of the Resource Estimates fall under the Company’s NRC license which is the identified location for the 3 million lb U3O8 per annum Central Processing Plant (CPP) under the permit.
The Crownpoint Resource Estimate was completed utilizing the Grade x Thickness (GT) Contour Method, an industry standard for estimating uranium roll-front type deposits hosted within groundwater-saturated sandstones. The mineralization at Crownpoint has been previously shown to be amenable to ISR techniques.
Table – 1 Mineral Resource Estimate by Sand Unit – November 16, 2018
Laramide Resources Ltd. – Crownpoint DepositTotal Resource
Laramide Controlled Resource
Classification
Sand Unit
Tonnage (000 Tons)
Grade
(% eU3O8)Contained Metal
(000 lbs U3O8)Tonnage (000 Tons) Grade
(% eU3O8)Contained Metal
(000 lbs U3O8)% Controlled
Inferred Jmw A Sand 436
0.091
797
416
0.091
753
94.4%
Jmw B Sand 907
0.099
1,802
655
0.099
1,300
72.1%
Jmw C Sand 444
0.088
784
250
0.092
458
58.4%
Jmw D Sand 179
0.114
408
115
0.108
249
61.0%
Jmw E Sand 2,198
0.114
5,006
1,061
0.109
2,320
46.3%
Total Inferred 4,163
0.106
8,798
2,497
0.102
5,079
57.7%
Table – 2 Mineral Resource Estimate by Section – November 16, 2018
Laramide Resources Ltd. – Crownpoint DepositTotal Resource
Laramide Controlled Resource
Classification
Section
T17N, R13WTonnage
(000 Tons)Grade
(% eU3O8)Contained Metal
(000 lbs U3O8)Tonnage
(000s Tons)Grade
(% eU3O8)Contained Metal
(000s lbs U3O8)% Controlled
Inferred NW¼ Section 9 675
0.096
1,293
675
0.096
1,293
100.0%
S½ Section 24 3,466
0.108
7,468
1,800
0.104
3,749
50.2%
NE¼ Section 25 23
0.076
35
23
0.076
35
100.0%
Total Inferred 4,163
0.106
8,798
2,497
0.102
5,079
57.7%
- 1. CIM (2014) definitions were followed for Mineral Resources.
- 2. Mineral Resources are reported at a GT cut-off of 0.5 ft-% eU3O8.
- 3. A minimum thickness of 2.0 ft was used.
- 4. A minimum cut-off grade of 0.03% eU3O8 is based on historic mining costs and parameters from the district was used.
- 5. Internal maximum dilution of 5.0 ft was used.
- 6. Grade values have not been adjusted for disequilibrium.
- 7. Tonnage factor of 15 ft3/ton is based on the tonnage factor historically used by the mining operators in the area.
- 8. Mineralized areas defined by isolated or widely spaced drill holes, or located within the area previously subject to past production, were excluded from the estimate.
- 9. Numbers may not add due to rounding.
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