ONTARIO — Pele Mountain Resources of Toronto has commissioned a long-term research study to minimize the environmental impact of its proposed Eco Ridge uranium project near Elliot Lake. A contract has been awarded to MIRARCO Mining Innovation at Laurentian University in Sudbury, ON, to test various biologically mediated heap leach scenarios for the recovery of uranium. The results are expected to aid in selecting an optimal recovery process and the planning of a low-cost, low-maintenance closure strategy.
Pele has proposed underground uranium mining with uranium processing through a combination of underground bioleaching and surface heap leaching at Eco Ridge. Approximately 65% of the ore would be leached underground and 35% of the ore will be trucked to the surface and placed on the heap. The preliminary design for the heap leach cells, prepared by SNC Lavalin, aims to fully contain the leach solutions and to allow for progressive decommissioning. No tailings pond is planned at the mine site. The proposal is before the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission and the federal government's Major Project Management Office.
The Eco Ridge deposit contains 5.68 million tonnes grading 0.051% U3O8 in the indicated resource category and 37.26 million tonnes grading 0.044% U3O8 in the inferred category. See www.PeleMountain.com for additional information.
Uranium mines in the Elliot Lake area produced more than 300 million lb of uranium oxide from 1956 to 1996.
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