Been Down So Long, page-149

it was discussed after the AGM that the nature of the depoisits is different which is why Toro could not go for the token loader removing overburden as substantial commencement - Toro ore is very very shallow depth and driving loaders around would expose and oxidise the ore body itself.... best leave it covered till actual mining commences lest value be compromised. The VMY ore is deeper they could do some earthworks without exposing the ore or compromising later mining was my understanding of what was said.

I'm not a geologist or metalurgist so I dont fully understand the implications but I will do my best ;

The issues with exposing the ore to weather are;

1. Oxidation : Oxidation can cause the conversion of insoluble uranium minerals into soluble forms, leading to the loss of uranium content from the ore. This can reduce the overall yield of uranium during processing, impacting the economic viability. Weathered uranium ore with oxidized minerals may require additional processing steps to extract the uranium effectively. This can increase processing costs due to the need for specialized equipment and chemicals, as well as longer processing times

2. Leaching : weather and rain can leach the soluble uranium reducing yield potentually leading to environmental contamination.

I hope this helps it was one of the questions I asked at the AGM.