Transcription of The Stock Network Interview with Alligator Energy (ASX:AGE), CEO and Managing Director, Andrea Marsland-Smith
Lel Smits: Alligator Energy has delivered strong first field recovery trial results at its Sandfire Uranium project in South Australia, marking a key milestone for its in-situ recovery development strategy. The first well pattern achieved the company’s 70% uranium recovery target, while flow rates and uranium solution grades exceeded scoping study assumptions. Ahead of presenting at the Sydney Mining Club, I’m joined by Alligator Energy CEO and Managing Director, Andrea Marsland-Smith, to discuss the trial results, ISR performance benchmarks, and next steps at Sandfire.
Andrea, welcome to the Stock Network.
Andrea Marsland-Smith: Thanks, Lel. It’s really good to be here.
Lel Smits: Now, your first well test pattern achieved 70% uranium recovery alongside strong flow rates and solution grades. What do these results say about the project’s in-situ recovery potential and also the development pathway?
Andrea Marsland-Smith: Yeah, look, these results have now de-risked the project. So we’ve had outstanding results that are consistent with and in many areas exceeding the assumptions that we outlined in our scoping study in December 2023.
The grade, the flow rates, the uranium recovery are all in line with our ISRP groups, both in Australia and internationally, and they’re all very highly important factors that you need to see in a viable ISR project. So our proven technical success in this trial really authentically underpins the project’s economic viability, and now we’re just pushing ahead with the mining lease approvals, targeting production in 2030, 2031. And looking, again, more ahead with a second well pattern about to begin, really, in a lower grade area.
Lel Smits: How important is this next stage in refining future wellfield design and also supporting the Bankable Feasibility Study?
Andrea Marsland-Smith: Yeah, look, it’s quite important, and look, the test that we’ve just completed, which I’ve just spoke about, is representative of the bulk of the ore body. So this next test really is a deliberate choice by us as prudent operators to ensure that we understand the marginal lower grade and lower flow areas that we are really unlikely to include in the mine plan, but nonetheless, we need to understand them in terms of precision in our welfare planning for the BFS. Fantastic.
Lel Smits: Well, Andrea, I appreciate the update from Alligator Energy and look forward to seeing you at Sydney Mining Club.
Andrea Marsland-Smith: Great. Look forward to coming.
Ends