Oz explorer intensifies West African uranium search Perth-based resources company Murchison United announced on Thursday that it would be accelerating its West African uranium strategy by engaging in aggressive uranium exploration and drilling programmes at two key prospects in the Guinea and Mauritania.
The ASX-and AIM-listed company announced at its annual general meeting in Perth on Thursday that it was aiming to start drilling at two prospects in the Guinea in early 2007, with detailed ground geophysics and trenching planned to start around the same time at five priority targets within its extensive leases in Mauritania.
The intensive uranium exploration strategy is designed to establish initial Jorc-compliant uranium resources as rapidly as possible, positioning the company to pursue project development during 2007/08 as a potential new supply sources in the international uranium industry, Murchison said in a statement.
The two West African projects, which were secured over the past two years, currently consist of 15 000 km2 of highly prospective tenements in Mauritania and Guinea, with additional applications in progress to substantially increase its holdings.
“West Africa is currently experiencing high levels of international investment by mining and resource companies, for a range of commodities, including uranium and iron-ore,” MD Mark Reilly said.
Murchison also said that it would simultaneously progress exploration at both projects following the identification of a number of priority uranium anomalies earlier this year, which had subsequently been confirmed by recent ground-based work programmes.
Murchison holds five uranium exploration permits in Mauritania covering a total area of 7 000 km2, with three more in the final stages of approval, including two which were applied for based on the excellent results from initial field work.
“During our first field campaign, 181 anomalies were identified – and the better 94 of these were checked on the ground with a scintillometer and 16 samples taken for chemical analysis returning very encouraging grades of up to 9 500 ppm U3O8,” Reilly said.
Murchison would carry out geophysical test surveys and complete trench work to collect broader channel samples in Mauritania in early 2007.
In Guinea, the company had already secured six prospecting permits covering three areas.
“The uranium industry is currently experiencing one of the strongest growth markets seen in history, underpinned by strong demand and international supply shortages,” Reilly said.
“This has been complemented by a growing recognition that nuclear energy represents a feasible solution to escalating greenhouse gas emissions and associated environmental impacts will only increase demand,” he added.
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