UraniumMining & Metals Australia, Africa and Asia

ContentsCompany overview 1

Beyond Zero 2

From concept to closure 3

Uranium ore processing 5

Industry experience 7

Langer Heinrich Uranium Project, Namibia 8

Husab Uranium Project, Namibia 9

Etango Uranium Project, Namibia 9

Other selected experience 10

AMEC is a focused supplier of high value consultancy, engineering and project management services to the world’s mining, oil and gas, clean energy, environment and infrastructure markets. AMEC designs, delivers and maintains strategic and complex assets for its customers.

AMEC has developed some of the most challenging mining projects in the world from concept to closure. AMEC’s success is based on a customer-focused approach delivered by professionals from its centres of mining expertise in Australia, Canada, USA, Peru, Chile, Brazil, South Africa and the UK.

Company overview

AMEC provides a full range of services for mining and metals projects, from front end geology and environmental consulting through to feasibility studies and detailed design, project delivery, asset support and mine closure.

A recent major development in the growth of AMEC was the acquisition of the respected Australian based organisation Minproc, incorporating its extensive experience and specialist skills in minerals resource projects. This has significantly increased AMEC’s footprint within Australia, Africa and South-East Asia.

1 Uranium

AMEC’s Mining & Metals locations

AMEC’s major locations

AMEC’s vision is to achieve sustainable, world class Health, Safety, Security and Environmental (HSSE) performance excellence throughout our global operations.

The AMEC Beyond Zero program creates an HSSE culture where strong leadership, personal responsibility and an unyielding commitment to excellence are cornerstones of how we conduct our business. We consistently take HSSE performance beyond the work place and out into the wider community.

For many years, AMEC has had a goal of zero harm to people and the environment.

Engagement at various levels within the organisation provides an opportunity to influence safety behaviour and create a culture of HSSE commitment greater than self-interest. AMEC has developed engagement tools to support this process, taking our HSSE performance ‘Beyond Zero’.

Beyond Zero

Uranium 2

We believe that nothing is so important that it cannot be done safely.’’Samir Brikho, Chief Executive AMEC

Геология Добыча ТЭО Проектирование процесса

Детальное проектирование

Выполнение проекта

Вынесение главных решений

The demand for uranium is expected to continue growing in line with the increased use of nuclear energy as a means to provide power and combat climate change issues.

AMEC is a market leader in uranium project development with an established team and project experience covering almost all uranium mineral types and unit processes.

As one of the few engineering companies that provide a comprehensive mineral resource development service from the resource definition stage through project implementation and into operational capital asset support, AMEC is well placed to help make any uranium explorer’s vision become reality.

From concept to closure Combining global excellence with local delivery

AMEC has developed some of the most challenging mining projects in the world from concept to closure.”

3 Uranium

AMEC recognises that the key to a successful project outcome is the regional experience that an engineering company can access and bring to a project.

The establishment of AMEC in Australia complements the well established uranium expertise of the AMEC Saskatoon office. This office has had significant involvement in numerous Canadian uranium projects and has many experienced staff that are available to support AMEC Australia when required.

Uranium ore processingAMEC can identify the optimum process route for a particular deposit based on a number of variables such as ore type, mineralogy, gangue composition, impurities and project location.

There are four major processing routes for extracting uranium, as outlined below:

Agitation leach

 Generally higher cost

  Lower technical risk

  Large number of process options

  Acid / alkaline

  Atmospheric / pressure.

Recovery as by-product

  Low capital and operating costs

 Cost offset against main process

• Uranium from gold or copper tails

• Uranium from phosphoric acid.

Heap leach

  Lower capital and operating cost

  Faster development period

  Trade-off recovery

 Relatively long ramp-up.

In-situ leach

  Low capital and operating cost

 Rapid development period

  Simplicity of operation

 Requires specific aquifer.

5 Uranium

AMEC is among the few engineering companies that provide a comprehensive mineral resource development service.”

AMEC has extensive experience in the various approaches to processing uranium ores. This includes crushing, milling, leaching, solid-liquid separation, solvent extraction (SX), solid ion exchange (IX) and product precipitation and handling, as outlined in the flow diagram below:

Industry experience

7 Uranium

AMEC has a wide range of experienced process engineers and project managers who possess a wealth of uranium experience and expertise. Key responsibilities include the disciplines of feasibility studies, design and construction, plant commissioning and operation.

AMEC’s uranium experience includes the following projects.

Uranium 8

Langer Heinrich Uranium Project, Namibia Paladin Energy

Following the completion of the DFS, AMEC was awarded the EPCM contract for the Langer Heinrich Uranium Project. The project was the most significant uranium plant to be constructed outside of Canada for a number of decades and was designed to produce 2.6 Mlb of U3O8 per year over a fifteen year life of mine. The scope of work involved development of all process data, engineering design, project management, procurement and construction management.

The scope of the project included:

 Open pit mine design

 Materials handling

 Primary and secondary crushing

  Scrubbing and clarification

  Alkaline leaching

 CCD filtration

 Clarification

 Uranium ion exchange

 Uranium precipitation

 Product packaging

 Bulk chemical and reagents storage

  Tailings disposal

 Power, water and associated buildings and infrastructure supply.

The project was completed on time and to budget.

Recently, AMEC completed the DFS for the Langer Heinrich Stage IV Expansion Project, which incorporates resin in pulp technology.

9 Uranium

AMEC is currently undertaking the DFS for the development of the Husab Project (formerly Rossing South) located in central west Namibia, from its Johannesburg office. When developed, Husab is expected to produce 15 Mlb/a of uranium, which would make it the world’s second largest producer. The deposit is considered a world class resource with drilling results indicating the highest grade granite hosted uranium in Namibia.

Prior to this phase, AMEC in Perth conducted an Engineering Cost Study for the Rossing South Uranium Project.

AMEC was engaged to complete an engineering study for this project, which consisted of a satellite ion exchange sorption circuit recovering uranium from the In-Situ Recovery (ISR) liquor at the Four Mile East deposit and transporting the loaded resin to the existing Beverley operations. The flowsheet incorporates moving packed bed columns for uranium sorption and elution.

Beverly Four Mile Project, Australia Heathgate Resources

Husab Uranium Project (formerly Rossing South), Namibia Swakop Uranium

Uranium 10

AMEC was awarded a contract by Bannerman Resources to carry out a PFS for the Etango Uranium Project (formerly Anomaly A) in Namibia.

The project is located in the central costal region of Namibia, in a recognised uranium province near the existing Rossing and Langer Heinrich uranium operations. The scope of work included study management and design of the processing plant and infrastructure. The PFS examined the project using a heap leach flowsheet.

Subsequently AMEC was awarded a PFS Update where the project was also examined using an agitated tank leach flowsheet relative to heap leaching. This study confirmed that heap leaching was the preferred flowsheet from both a capital and operating cost point of view.

In April 2011 AMEC was awarded the DFS phase to further develop the project using the heap leach flowsheet. This DFS was completed and issued in May 2012.

Etango Uranium Project, Namibia Bannerman Resources

11 Uranium

Other selected experience

Project name Client Description of services

Kvanefjeld,Greenland

Greenland Minerals andEnergy

AMEC performed the prefeasibility study for the Kvanefjeld Uranium and Rare Earths project. The project utilises a carbonate pressure leach (CPL) for uranium extraction. Rare earths are recovered from the CPL residue via flotation and atmospheric hydrochloric acid leaching. In 2011 AMEC was awarded the PFS update.

Imouraren, Niger

Areva AMEC recently completed an in-depth review of the design of the comminution and agglomeration front-end for this large uranium project in Niger.

Valhalla Uranium Project,Australia

Summit Resources

AMEC was awarded an engineering study for the Valhalla Uranium Project, a joint venture between Summit Resources Limited and Paladin Energy Limited. The scope of work included metallurgical testwork review as well as process options evaluation, infrastructure design and capital and operating cost estimates.

Chirundu Uranium Project,Zambia

African Energy Resources

AMEC Perth conducted an engineering cost study for multiple satellite heap leach operations with ion exchange sorption circuits with the transport of loaded resin to a central processing facility for elution and uranium production. AMEC’s Johannesburg office was subsequently awarded the DFS for the project.

Ranger Uranium Project,Australia

Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) and Rio Tinto

AMEC’s scope of work included the expansion of the comminution, leach, solid-liquid separation and solvent extraction circuits based on reviewing existing plant operation models and metallurgical testwork. Capital and operating cost estimates were produced covering the process plant expansion, as well as associated processing infrastructure including power supply and sulphuric acid production.

Valencia Uranium Project,Namibia

Forsys Metals AMEC completed a DFS which addressed the processing plant and associated infrastructure.

Bakouma Uranium Project,Central African Republic

Uramin AMEC was awarded the study for the Bakouma Uranium project in the Central African Republic. The study involved most aspects of project development including resource modelling, mine plan development, process plant, EIA, infrastructure, supply of services and tailings disposal. The study also assessed the requirements for the relocation of local inhabitants into a new village.

Ben Lomond Uranium Project,Australia

Golder Associates for Mega Uranium

Golder and Mega Uranium awarded AMEC the evaluation of the process plant and infrastructure requirements of the study, including metallurgical testwork design and management, and capital and operating cost estimates.

Project name Client Description of services

Wiluna Uranium Project, Australia

Toro Energy Following on from a successful scoping study, AMEC was engaged to carry out a PFS in which early phases included metallurgical testwork to determine the optimum process route and further define process design criteria. Part of the AMEC scope was to manage and coordinate project infrastructure requirements such as power and water supply, accommodation, project roads and tailings management in conjunction with subconsultants.

IDA Dome Uranium Project,Namibia

Extract Energy AMEC was awarded the scoping study for the IDA Dome uranium processing facility which addressed mine design, processing plant facility and the associated infrastructure.

Kayelekera Uranium Project,Malawi

Paladin Energy AMEC completed the DFS for this greenfield uranium project. The study included resource definition, mine plan development, process facility, infrastructure, tailings handling and environmental impact assessment. The process incorporates an acid leach, CCD, SX, ADU precipitation and is expected to produce 3.3 Mlb U3O8.

Westmoreland Uranium Project, Australia

Laramide Resources

AMEC was engaged to complete a conceptual study for this greenfield uranium project. A review of literature was completed and ±30% capital and operating cost estimates were conducted for two process options (at three different throughput rates) covering mining, conventional acid leaching, heap leaching, SX and uranium precipitation and drying.

Kintyre Uranium Project,Australia

Rio Tinto AMEC was engaged to complete an Order of Magnitude (conceptual) study. A review of a previous feasibility study was completed and ±30% capital and operating cost estimates were conducted for three process options (at two different throughput rates) covering, beneficiation, conventional acid leaching, heap leaching, ion exchange and uranium precipitation and drying. The study covered a number of throughputs with annual production capabilities of 1900 t to 3500 t of U3O8 yellow cake product.

Crocker Well and Mt Victoria Uranium Deposits, Australia

PepinNini Minerals

AMEC was engaged to undertake a scoping study which included mining and pit optimisation, conceptual process design and infrastructure requirements.

Kharassan 1 and 2 Uranium Mine Development Project, Kazakhstan

Marubeni Corporation

AMEC performed a technical assessment of the Kharassan 1 and 2 in-situ leach mines in Kazakhstan and developed a long term conceptual mine plan.

Find out more at amec.com/miningIn the Americas and Europe, mining@amec.com

In Australasia and Africa, bd@amec.com

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