Activities Report for the Quarter Ended 30th December 2008
Quarterly Activities Report
For the Period Ended 30 September 2015
SUMMARY
-
Marenica is intent on piloting the disruptive U-pgradeTM process
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First Stage Testwork programme on Toro ore completed, producing better than expected results
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Marenica confidence in application of U-pgradeTM to Western Australian calcrete ores grows
-
Funding and partnering discussions with potential investors continuing
DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGY
The U-pgradeTM process is a major breakthrough for processing surficial uranium deposits. The continued low uranium price is becoming more of a problem for much of the uranium industry, with many of the world's uranium producers reporting a loss at current spot prices. In these difficult times for the industry the time is right to be innovative and embrace disruptive technology like the U-pgradeTM process.
Marenica believes that the application of U-pgradeTM to surficial uranium projects provides a means for them to be developed and operated at significantly lower costs than would otherwise be the case, and potentially well below current development incentive prices allowing these projects to beat competing supply onto the market and enter the market in time for the expected recovery in uranium prices. Also U-pgradeTM provides an opportunity for existing producing mines to lower their costs and improve their margins, as well as make adjacent satellite deposits viable.
The Company considers the best approach to de-risk the U-pgradeTM process and build industry and investor confidence is to build and operate a pilot plant. The Company intends to build and operate a pilot plant on ore samples either sourced from its own Marenica deposit in Namibia or an alternate ore source pending outcomes from discussions with resource owners.
The potential application of U-pgradeTM to surficial uranium deposits is the Company's primary objective.
TESTWORK ON WESTERN AUSTRALIAN CALCRETE ORES
The testwork programme on the Toro Energy Limited ('Toro') ore sample continued during the quarter producing some outstanding results. The second stage produced excellent recoveries and rejected a large mass of gangue, and work on the third stage has generated sufficient data to suggest that a high grade concentrate could be produced from further testwork.
The testwork programme has now reached a natural pause point with an internal Marenica cost estimate being produced to demonstrate to Toro the expected benefits of U-pgradeTM. Discussions were in progress at the time of this report to determine the most suitable approach to progress this application of U-pgradeTM.
'The Toro U-pgradeTM testwork programme produced results beyond our expectations, dramatically increasing our confidence level in the application of U-pgradeTM to Australian calcrete uranium resources.
There are many of these, but up until now, there has been little incentive to explore for, or develop them.' said Murray Hill.
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GRADETM COMMERCIALISATION UPDATE
Discussions are in progress with several other resource companies on how U-pgradeTM can be applied to their respective resources and the most appropriate platform to progress application of U-pgradeTM. The Company is also in discussion with investors on the structure of investment in U-pgradeTM and the Marenica Project.
The Company has several corporate initiatives being developed that could potentially play an important role in the structure of subsequent funding stages. The pilot plant funding package will be finalised following the outcome of these initiatives.
'The Company is looking forward to the events that could unfold during the next quarter, but notes that the current economic climate for resources could lengthen the process.' said Murray Hill.
TENEMENTS
The Group holds the following mineral tenements at the end of the September 2015 quarter. Namibia - Marenica Minerals (Pty) Ltd (Marenica 75%)
EPL3287
Australia - Marenica Energy Ltd
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Vic Loc 118; Vic Loc 119 and Vic Loc 833
ENDS
For further information contact Marenica Energy Limited:
Murray Hill, CEO, Ph: (+61 8) 6555 1816
What is U-pgradeTM?
Marenica has developed this potentially disruptive technology on ore samples from the Marenica Project in Namibia. The Company has demonstrated in bench scale testwork that it can concentrate the uranium from its low grade calcrete hosted uranium deposit in Namibia (Marenica). In summary, on that ore, U-pgradeTM has demonstrate that it;
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Rejects ~98% of the mass prior to leaching
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Concentrates the uranium by a factor of 50
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Produces a high grade concentrate in a low mass of ~2% (leach feed)
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Rejects acid consumers
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Reduces operating costs by 50-70% and capital costs by 30-50% compared to conventional processing
Appendix 5B Mining exploration entity and oil and gas exploration entity quarterly report
Appendix 5B
Rule 5.5
Mining exploration entity and oil and gas exploration entity quarterly report
Introduced 01/07/96 Origin Appendix 8 Amended 01/07/97, 01/07/98, 30/09/01, 01/06/10, 17/12/10, 01/05/2013
Name of entity
|
MARENICA ENERGY LIMITED
|
ABN
|
Quarter ended ('current quarter')
|
71 001 666 600
|
30 September 2015
|
Consolidated statement of cash flows
Cash flows related to operating activities
|
Current quarter
$A'000
|
Year to date (3 months)
$A'000
|
1.1
|
Receipts from product sales and related debtors
|
(25)
-
- (191)
|
(25)
-
- (191)
|
1.2
|
Payments for (a) exploration & evaluation
-
development
-
production
-
administration
|
1.3
|
Dividends received
|
-
|
-
|
1.4
|
Interest and other items of a similar nature
received
|
2
|
2
|
1.5
|
Interest and other costs of finance paid
|
1.6
|
Income taxes paid
|
-
|
-
|
1.7
|
Other (R & D Rebate)
|
127
|
127
|
Net Operating Cash Flows
|
(87)
|
(87)
|
Cash flows related to investing activities
|
-
-
-
|
-
-
-
|
1.8
|
Payment for purchases of: (a) prospects
-
equity investments
-
other fixed assets
|
1.9
|
Proceeds from sale of: (a) prospects
-
equity investments
-
other fixed assets
|
-
-
-
|
-
-
-
|
1.10
|
Loans to other entities
|
-
|
-
|
1.11
|
Loans repaid by other entities
|
-
|
-
|
1.12
|
Other (provide details if material)
|
-
|
-
|
Net investing cash flows
|
-
|
-
|
1.13
|
Total operating and investing cash flows (carried forward)
|
(87)
|
(87)
|
+ See chapter 19 for defined terms.
01/05/2013 Appendix 5B Page 1
Appendix 5B
Mining exploration entity and oil and gas exploration entity quarterly report
1.13
|
Total operating and investing cash flows (brought forward)
|
(87)
|
(87)
|
Cash flows related to financing activities
|
-
|
-
|
1.14
|
Proceeds from issues of shares, options, etc.
|
1.15
|
Proceeds from sale of forfeited shares
|
-
|
-
|
1.16
|
Proceeds from borrowings
|
-
|
-
|
1.17
|
Repayment of borrowings
|
-
|
-
|
1.18
|
Dividends paid
|
-
|
-
|
1.19
|
Other (provide details if material)
|
-
|
-
|
Net financing cash flows
|
-
|
-
|
Net increase (decrease) in cash held
|
(87)
|
(87)
|
1.20
|
Cash at beginning of quarter/year to date
|
335
|
335
|
1.21
|
Exchange rate adjustments to item 1.20
|
-
|
-
|
1.22
|
Cash at end of quarter
|
248
|
248
|
Payments to directors of the entity, associates of the directors, related entities of the entity and associates of the related entities
Current quarter
$A'000
|
1.23
|
Aggregate amount of payments to the parties included in item 1.2
|
-
|
1.24
|
Aggregate amount of loans to the parties included in item 1.10
|
-
|
1.25 Explanation necessary for an understanding of the transactions
Non-cash financing and investing activities
2.1
|
Details of financing and investing transactions which have had a material effect on consolidated assets and liabilities but did not involve cash flows
|
Nil
|
2.2
|
Details of outlays made by other entities to establish or increase their share in projects in which the reporting entity has an interest
|
Nil.
|
Financing facilities available
Add notes as necessary for an understanding of the position.
Amount available
$A'000
|
Amount used
$A'000
|
3.1
|
Loan facilities
|
1,651
|
1,651
|
3.2
|
Credit standby arrangements
|
-
|
-
|
+ See chapter 19 for defined terms.
Appendix 5B Page 2 01/05/2013