Alligator Energy (ASX: AGE) has achieved 70% uranium recovery over 70 pore volume exchanges in the first well pattern of the Samphire project’s field trials in South Australia, representing a key milestone in demonstrating in-situ recovery (ISR) performance under real conditions.
The results indicate a detailed understanding of the orebody, proficient well design, and bespoke reagent mixing ratios.
This enables efficient lixiviant contact with mineralised zones and effective mobilisation of uranium.
Importantly, the early attainment of high recovery levels suggests potential for improved efficiency in future wellfield design and operation.
Technical ISR Viability
The first well pattern confirmed the technical viability of recovering uranium from the Samphire palaeochannel system using ISR and underpinned economic assumptions in the project’s December 2023 scoping study.
Key takeaways included a strong permeability performance, confirming effective fluid movement, and connectivity within the mineralised zone, along with strong wellfield flow and robust solution grades averaging 115 milligrams per litre uranium oxide.
Flow rates exceeding 5 litres per second have confirmed favourable permeability relative to typical ISR operations.
Reagent consumption has reportedly aligned with the “highly favourable category” under international benchmarks, indicating efficient leaching conditions and limited reagent losses.
Wellfield control and stability were maintained throughout the trial, with no material deviations in hydraulic behaviour or flow distribution, while ion exchange and elution processing delivered 98% recovery and confirmed downstream processing viability.
De-Risking Milestone
“We are highly-encouraged by the field performance of this test pattern, particularly the alignment with our model assumptions and ISR benchmarks at this stage,” chief executive officer Andrea Marsland-Smith said, adding that the first well pattern marked a key de-risking milestone for the Samphire project.
“Achieving our targeted 70% recovery in the time we had allocated to run the test is testament to the credible science behind our assumptions and the team’s operating experience.”
Alligator will commence the second well pattern in the coming weeks to test a lower grade and less permeable area at the margins of the mineralised system.
The company expects flow rates will be lower and recovery performance may take longer to assess than the initial well pattern.
Ms Marsland-Smith said it would be an important step in understanding the deposit’s hydrogeological and recovery characteristics, with the results informing future wellfield design and optimisation as well as bankable feasibility study inputs.
