Rapid progress on-site has also resulted in the modification and refurbishment of the plant’s reagent systems.
The achievements mean Honeymoon is now running around the clock, seven days a week, further accelerating the push towards first production and ramp-up.
Managing director Duncan Craib said the start of commissioning means the company is on track to produce its first drum of yellowcake this quarter.
“We are now in the final stages of putting all the pieces of the project together and remain comfortably on budget and on schedule,” he said.
“Our success to date has been underpinned by having our own in-house design, construction and commissioning team, which has given us greater efficiencies and agilities than would be the case had we used an engineering, procurement and construction management or full contractor development model.”
Hydro-testing of the IX circuit will enable efficient capture, concentration and purification of uranium from the well-fields at Honeymoon.
This is expected to result in increased throughput and higher production to nameplate capacity of 2.45 million pounds per year of uranium oxide while reducing ramp-up time and technical risks.
It will also require lower costs than the solvent extraction system previously employed at the project.
Once hydro-testing is completed, Boss will finalise the control circuits and run the system with reverse osmosis water followed by a pregnant leach solution (PLS) with optimal lixiviant to achieve higher tenors of uranium.
This will involve fortifying the pre-conditioned groundwater with reagents prior to injecting the lixiviant into and throughout the orebody to dissolve the minerals.
The uranium-rich solution will then be pumped to the surface via extraction wells and discharged to the PLS process ponds.
Uranium will be concentrated suitable for precipitation and calcined to produce a high-quality saleable uranium oxide product.
