Beneficiation of Brannerite

June 2009AusIMM International Uranium Conference

Mineral Laboratories

Amdel is a member of the Bureau Veritas

Group

Contents

1. Disclaimers

2. Mineralogy – know your enemy

3. Heavy Liquid Separations

4. Spiralling

5. Flotation

6. Magnetic Separations

7. Summary

Beneficiation of Uranium Brannerite Ores

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

• Thanks to our client who has kindly allowed me to release this information.

• The client has requested their identity NOT be disclosed so as to comply with ASX disclosure requirements. So any information thatcould reveal this has been withheld.

• The information presented is based on lab scale testing and not plant scale.

• No technicians were harmed in the production of these test results.• Copious quantities of beer were consumed in the production of this

presentation and hence don’t believe anything you read.

• Further for those who DON’T ask any difficult questions, the beers are on me at the bar at 5.30pm today.

Beneficiation of Uranium Brannerite Ores

Brannerite – an introduction

• (U4+,Ca)(Ti,Fe3+)2O6 complex• Radioactive

• SG 4.2 - 5.4

• Refractory ore – more difficult to leach• Paramagnetic

In our case we have 5 bulk composites from different sections of the ore body.

Courtesy: Mindat.org

Indicative Head Grades – Fusion ICP (OES & MS)

Beneficiation of Uranium Brannerite Ores

Bulk Chemistry of our Samples

MnO (<0.01%)P2O5 (0.8%)

Th (150-310ppm)Fe2O3 (1.5%)

MgO (1.8%)

CaO (1.5%)

U (100-395ppm)

TiO2 (0.5%)

Na2O (6.3%)

K2O (1.8%)

Al2O3 (14.3%)

SiO2 (70%)

Head grade of U from 100 to 395 ppm.

Beneficiation of Uranium Brannerite Ores

Bulk Mineralogy of our Samples - QEMSCAN

• Brannerite predominantly liberated or high grade middling in -1.0mm sample

• Average grain size from 5 – 25 microns, but up to 250 microns top size

Brannerite0%

Mica8%

Fe Mn Oxides0% Pyrite

0%

Others1%

Calcite0%

Rutile/anatase1%

Apatite2%

Thorite0%

Other Silicates1%

Feldspar63%

Quartz24%

Beneficiation of Uranium Brannerite Ores

Assay by Size

Observed

• High grade U in the -20 micron fractions

• U in the large size fractions

• Cumulative grade by size shows U evenly distributed by mass

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

0.000 0.025 0.050 0.075 0.100 0.125 0.150 0.175 0.200 0.225 0.250 0.275 0.300

Size (mm)

U (

pp

m)

Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 3 Sample 4 Sample 5

• Screened from 3.35mm to 20 microns

Beneficiation of Uranium Brannerite Ores

Processing Implications from Mineralogy

• Beneficiation prior to grinding unlikely to be successful• High SG likely to favour gravity separation

• Concentration Criterion of 1.9-2.7 depending on SG value of Brannerite

• Leach likely to involve high free acid levels 50g/L• Acid consuming minerals present in significant proportions

• Presence of Mica likely to affect flotation performance

• Presence of Phosphate has some possible implications for flotation• Paramagnetic properties presents magnetic separation potential

Recovery the driver for this client

Density Gradient

Beneficiation of Uranium Brannerite Ores

Heavy Liquid Separations for Gravity Separation Assessment

• Gradient of heavy liquids from low SG at top to higher SG at bottom

• Eye-ball technique - qualitative• -150, +75 micron fraction

• Showed potential for separation at an SG of 2.7

Beneficiation of Uranium Brannerite Ores

Heavy Liquid Separations for Gravity Separation Assessment

• Likely to quantify the maximum performance for gravity separation

• Each sample subjected to HLS at SG of 2.7

• Results include -20 micron fraction

89.70% 89.30%

78.90%81.30%

11.80% 11.70%12.60%11.70%7.80%

88.10%

3633

1367

2194 2159

4386

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 3 Sample 4 Sample 5

Rec

ove

ry t

o +

2.7

SG

Fra

ctio

n

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

5000

U G

rad

e (p

pm

)

Wt% U Recovery U Grade

• Significant rejection of mass by gravity separation possible

Beneficiation of Uranium Brannerite Ores

Spirals

• -1.0mm feed material• Deslime at 250 microns

prior to spiral• Bulk Density 30%

• Flowrate ~1000kg/hour wet

65.9%

72.5%74.0%

76.3%

84.8%85.5%

73.2%

79.6%78.0%

90.2%

519

271

138

305 299

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 3 Sample 4 Sample 5

Rec

ove

ry (

%)

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

U G

rad

e (p

pm

)

Wt% U Recovery U Grade

Beneficiation of Uranium Brannerite Ores

Spiral Enhancement

• Observed tail was dominated by large white grains

• Deslime the tail post spiral at 250 microns

• +250 micron tail comprised 90% of the mass and assayed at 89 ppm U

65.9%69.0%

85.5%

94.9%

519534

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Sample 1 Sample 1 with Tail Deslimed at 250 microns

Rec

ove

ry %

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

U G

rad

e (p

pm

)

Wt% U Recovery U Grade

• Suggests potential for sequential scavenger/cleaner spiral arrangement

Range of Collectors Tested

Beneficiation of Uranium Brannerite Ores

Sighter Flotation – 2.5L cell

• Anionic collectors performed better than the cationic one• Fatty acid achieved 79.4% recovery at a grade of 1096ppm in 26.6% of the weight.

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

U Recovery (%)

U G

rad

e (p

pm

)

mono/di phosphoric acid esther (-) fatty acid (-) alkyl hydroxamate (-) talow diamine acetate (+)

Beneficiation of Uranium Brannerite Ores

Bulk Flotation – 15L cell

• Average U recovery 89%, peaking at 95%

• Average U grade 1096 ppm

• Average mass rejected 78%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

Float Number

Rec

ove

ry (

%)

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

U G

rad

e (p

pm

)

Wt Recovery (%) U Recovery (%) U Grade (ppm)

• Increased float time to 40 minutes

• 45 floats conducted to produce a bulk concentrate

Conducted as part of our new WHIMS commissioning

Beneficiation of Uranium Brannerite Ores

Magnetic Separation

• Very visual split achieved• Initial Frantz testing done on a 38-212 micron split of Sample 4

• U grade 2571ppm in 9.6% of the mass but only 61.5% recovery

Beneficiation of Uranium Brannerite Ores

SAMPLE

WHIMS Pass 1

TAIL

WHIMSScavenger

WHIMSCleaner 1

WHIMSCleaner 2

WHIMSCleaner 3

MIDS CON

Non Mags

Non Mags

Mags

Mags

Mags

Mags

Non Mags

Non Mags

Non Mags

AMDEL WHIMS Standard Test Sequence

Mags

Beneficiation of Uranium Brannerite Ores

Magnetic Separation

• Test at 2 magnetic intensities, 10kG and 18kG

• High intensity expected to be required for paramagnetic Brannerite

20.9%

34.7%

43.3%

73.7%

83.7%

74.1%

18.0%

87.9%

2436

2930

833 811

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Sample 1 - WHIMS 10kG Sample 1 - WHIMS 18kG Sample 4 - WHIMS 10kG Sample 4 - WHIMS 18kG

Rec

ove

ry (

%)

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

U G

rad

e (p

pm

)

Wt% U Recovery U Grade

• Significantly different behaviour amongst the two samples tested

Beneficiation of Uranium Brannerite Ores

Quick Comparison of the Three Beneficiation Techniques

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Spiral Flotation Magnetic Separation

Beneficiation Method

Rec

ove

ry %

)

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

U G

rad

e (p

pm

)

Wt% U Recovery U Grade

Leach, IX and SX

Beneficiation of Uranium Brannerite Ores

Glimpse of Next Stage

• Up to 95% U extraction but at some significant acid consumptions ~254kg/T

• IX and SX results to come

Questions…

PS don’t forget beers on me at 5.30pm today.