things to focus on, page-5

Hi CJ,

BMN sp will drift, until solid development news comes out. I do not expect sp to be affected by further drilling results, unless obviously they show a significant increase in grades.

Yep, ERA and PDN and other producers are up today, on the confirmation that BHP's Olympic Dam U3 production will be affected for the next 6 months. I'm uncertain if this new will benefit explorers/developers.

Here's a bit more on milestone dates; we are reaching the pointy end of this waiting phase:

Etango deposit
(formerly Goanikontes)
> View deposit info

Public comment invited on incomplete draft Environmental and Social Impact Assessment for Etango uranium mine project: huge open pit with acid heap leaching planned
A draft Environmental and Social Impact Assessment is available for public comment. The public consultation period is from 7 October to 6th November 2009.

The life expectancy of the Etango Project is estimated at 15+ years, with operations planned to begin in 2013.
The mining will follow a conventional open pit drill, blast, load and haul truck and excavator/shovel operation, standard for most hard-rock mining operations. The final pit will be 3 km in length, 1 km wide and approximately 400 m deep.

After crushing, the ore is then mixed with some water and binding chemicals through a process known as agglomeration and is then transported via conveyor belts and stacked onto the heap leach facility. This has a fixed footprint, reusable (or on/off) pad on which metal is leached from the ore using sulfuric acid. The leaching process of the same heap continues for several weeks and can take up to 50 days.
Once the heap is completely leached out and rinsed with clean water, the barren heap leach residues is reclaimed from the leach pads and then transported via conveyor belt to the heap leach residue facility, where it will remain.
The pregnant solution is pumped from the collection ponds to the solvent extraction (SX) plant, where the uranium is absorbed onto an organic material. The loaded organic material is then transferred to the recovery plant, where uranium oxide 'yellow cake' is recovered.
Water sources for construction and operation have yet to be finalised. NamWater has indicated that water for operation cannot sustainably provided from the Omdel and/or the Kuiseb aquifers. All water for operation will have to come from desalinated water.

> Download Etango draft ESIA external link (A. Speiser Environmental Consultants cc)

The scope of this ESIA does not include an assessment of the associated infrastructure, such as the water supply, power line, transport networks (road and rail) and transport of reagents and product to and from site.
Radiation and health and safety are not included in ASEC's scope of work. Environmental Resource Management external link (ERM), an international consultancy, has been appointed to address these issues and the results from their assessment will be submitted in a separate report.

Environmental and Social Impact Assessment underway for Etango uranium mine project

Bannerman Resources says it is working towards completion of the preliminary feasibility study on the Etango Uranium Project in the country, the company said in a review of its operations. Following approval of the project which is expected to be completed by the end of 2009, efforts will immediately move into the definitive feasibility study upon which project development financing will ultimately be sought in 2010. The targeted completion date for the definitive study is the second half of 2010.
In parallel with pre-feasibility, the company has advanced the preparation of an environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA). The ESIA report is scheduled for completion in the December 2009 quarter and will assist with Bannerman's application for a mining licence. (The Namibia Economist, Oct. 2, 2009)



Cheers, Skip

PS: LENG - Can you please keep trading commentary to the 1 cent thread, as I do not want this thread to get side tracked with daily price commentary. Thanks.