some background on beaufort group

Exploration and development firm gets more prospecting rights for Ryst Kuil Channel

By: Irma Venter
17th November 2006
Source: miningweekly.com

What I like about this article is some comments from 2006:

"The Ryst Kuil Channel, in the Karoo, could be developed into "a robust uranium mine which could be in production by 2010", says UraMin CEO Ian Stalker."

And some background on the Beaufort Group:

"According to UraMin, radioactivity was first reported in the Beaufort Group in 1964 during exploration for kimberlite."

This goes on further:

"In 1969, Union Carbide began an international search for uranium by applying the Colorado Plateau uranium model to sedimentary basins with similar characteristics, and identified the Karoo Basin as a potential target.

After a year of radiometric surveys, uranium-hosting sandstones were discovered 20 km west of Beaufort West, in 1970, which subsequently led to uranium mineralisation being found on the Ryst Kuil farm in 1973.

In January 1975, Esso, a subsidiary of the Exxon Corporation, began ground-based exploration in the region. etc"

Then talks about a pilot plant by Esso:

"This trial-mining programme consisted of a decline sunk to the ore horizon at the Ryst Kuil farm.

Various mining methods were tried and about 4,500 tonne of material was produced as bulk samples."

Comment:
So it is known that uranium exists and large mutlinationals played in the area in the past.

Now to see the results from drilling on PEN's areas.