Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) has formally applied for statutory approval of an underground exploration decline at its Ranger operations.
In its Annual Statement of Reserves and Resources released to the ASX on 30 January 2009, ERA announced the discovery of a significant ore body in an area known as Ranger 3 Deeps, located in an easterly direction and adjacent to the current Ranger 3 operating pit.
The company’s current Mineral Resource Statement includes a total of 34 thousand tonnes of uranium oxide from the Ranger 3 Deeps zone or related to Ranger 3 Deeps.
ERA had announced the definition of a significant mineral exploration target at Ranger 3 Deeps in a release to the ASX on 17 November 2008.
ERA has approved $4 million to study the feasibility of constructing an exploration decline at Ranger 3 Deeps, to enable close spaced underground exploration drilling of the resource and to undertake underground exploration drilling to the north where the resource remains open.
The study is expected to be concluded in the second half of 2009.
Subject to receiving the necessary approvals, construction of the exploration decline may commence in the first half of 2010.
A full copy of the referral for the exploration decline project will be available on DEWHA’s website, and further details are available on ERA’s website.
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