DevEx Resources (ASX: DEV) has received significant final uranium assay results from its 2022 drilling campaign at the wholly-owned Nabarlek Uranium Project, located in the heart of the world-class Alligator Rivers Uranium Province (ARUP) in the Northern Territory, Australia.
The results confirm the potential of the Project and opportunity to delineate high-grade zones of mineralization across multiple prospects. The company’s upcoming 2023 drilling campaign will prioritize these prospective zones, laying the foundations for resource definition.
Managing Director Brendan Bradley said preparations for the company’s upcoming 2023 drilling campaign at Nabarlek are now in full swing.
“We are enthusiastic about the potential and size of the opportunity at Nabarlek. The wet season break has provided an opportunity to assess the results and refine our understanding of the bigger picture that is emerging.
“There are now several compelling reasons to extend our drilling along strike from the shallow mineralization intersected at Nabarlek South to fully evaluate the size of this system.
“With numerous other prospects to test, including two significant high-grade systems open along strike at U40 and U42, we look forward to getting on the ground in May.”
Nabarlek South
Assay results received confirm previously announced down-hole gamma uranium equivalent intercepts, demonstrating the presence of high-grade uranium hosted in numerous structures which collectively combine to form a broader envelope of lower-grade mineralization in multiple drill holes. Significant down-hole intercepts include:
• 54.6m @0.20% U3O8 (2,000ppm U3O8) from 76.5m in hole 22NBDD27 (Hole 27), including: 0.3m @3.14% U3O8; 1.0m @1.11% U3O8;
2.3m @0.61% U3O8; 2.7m @0.63% U3O8
• 24.7m @0.11% U3O8 (1,100ppm U3O8) from 90.3m in hole 22NBDD26 (Hole 26),
including: 0.3m @0.61% U3O8; 2.9m @0.54% U3O8
These results support the potential for a broader envelope of uranium mineralization along the southern edge of an extensive gravity feature (Gabo Fault) which extends for several kilometres in length. Sparse historical drilling into several prospects along this trend has identified uranium mineralization at this gravity boundary.
The company believes there is strong potential these prospects may all represent one continuous uranium mineralized system. Expanded drilling along trend from Nabarlek South is therefore planned for 2023.
Preliminary Metallurgical Studies – Nabarlek South
With this expanded drilling in mind and using drill core from the recent Nabarlek South 2022 campaign, DevEx submitted two composite samples, grading 0.11% U3O8 and 0.70% U3O8, to the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) for preliminary metallurgical test work and mineralogy studies.
Under mild leach conditions, the test work showed very good recoveries of 84% and 96.1% for the two composite samples, together with low acid consumption of between 51kg/t to 56kg/t sulphuric acid. Analysis of mineralogy shows that uranium is predominantly present as uraninite, UO2 and coffinite, U(SiO4)1-x(OH)4x. both of which are typical of the Nabarlek region.
These highly encouraging results provide a compelling reason to expand the company’s drilling programme and test the broader potential of near-surface uranium mineralization at Nabarlek South along strike.
For further information please visit: https://www.devexresources.com.au/
