Elevate Uranium Validates U-pgrade Tech Cutting Ore Mass 88% Before Leaching
Key Takeaways
- The U-pgrade™ Pilot Plant achieved ~88% mass rejection, 79% uranium recovery, and a 7x upgrade ratio across Stages 1–4 on Marenica ore, matching 2013 bench-scale results at the equivalent flowsheet point.
- Stage 4 calcite flotation removes the primary acid consumer from the leach feed, enabling acid leaching at ambient temperature in 4–6 hours versus conventional alkaline leaching at above 92°C over 24–36 hours — cutting leach circuit volume by a factor of approximately 6.
- Ore grade was upgraded from 89 ppm U to 590 ppm U before the final uranium flotation stage, with Stage 5 uranium flotation commissioned in August 2026 and integrated results due Q4 2026.
- The Marenica JORC resource grade was doubled earlier this year, and new higher-grade ore samples are expected to lift uranium recovery further in a subsequent pilot campaign.
- The Marenica Scoping Study is planned to commence Q1 2027, with pilot plant data feeding directly into that study and a subsequent Feasibility Study.
Pilot plant confirms U-pgrade™ delivers on Marenica uranium promise
Elevate Uranium‘s U-pgrade™ Pilot Plant has returned successful first pilot-scale results processing Marenica ore. The plant achieved ~88% mass rejection, 79% uranium recovery, and a 7x upgrade ratio across Stages 1 to 4 — all in line with historical 2013 bench-scale testing. Ore was upgraded from 89 ppm U to 590 ppm U before the final concentration stage, with all five stages now operating and Stage 5 uranium flotation results due Q4 2026. These are the first pilot-scale data validating a patented process ahead of a Scoping Study.
Pilot-scale validation moves the technology from theory to demonstrated, scalable operation — de-risking the development pathway for what could become a materially simpler uranium processing route for calcrete ores.
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First four stages hit design targets
U-pgrade™ is a sequential five-stage beneficiation process. Results reported here cover Stages 1–4, with performance aligning with 2013 bench-scale results at the equivalent flowsheet point.
The pilot ore head grade was 89 ppm U compared to 80 ppm U from the bench-scale programme, allowing direct comparison. The Company has noted that ore samples excavated in 2012 for the original bench-scale test work have been processed in the Pilot Plant to allow direct comparison. Following a substantial resource re-evaluation earlier this year that doubled the JORC resource grade, new ore samples have been excavated at the increased resource grade. These samples will be used in a subsequent pilot plant campaign to determine the effect of increased grade on mass and uranium distributions. Based on testing completed to date, reject grades are expected to be independent of head grade, and uranium recovery is anticipated to be higher at the new resource ore grade.
| Stage | Circuit | Mass Removed | Status | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | Scrubbing | 47% | Operating to design | Uranium liberated, coarse barren fraction rejected |
| Stage 2 | Attrition | 23% | Operating to design | Mid-size barren fraction rejected |
| Stage 3 | Deslime | 2% | Operating to design | Ultrafine slimes rejected |
| Stage 4 | Calcite Flotation | 15% | Operating to design | Acid consumer removed, enables acid leach |
| Stage 5 | Uranium Flotation | TBC | Commissioned Aug 2026 | Target concentrate grade of approximately 5,000 ppm U₃O₈ |
Mass removed is expressed as a percentage of original ore mass. The target concentrate grade cited for Stage 5 is a bench-scale result — pilot-scale performance is now being established, and the Company will report the integrated result when available.
The calcite breakthrough that reshapes the leach circuit
Calcrete and surficial uranium ores contain carbonate that normally forces expensive alkaline leaching. That means heating the ore to temperatures greater than 92°C and holding it there for 24–36 hours. Stage 4 calcite flotation removes the carbonate, enabling acid leaching at ambient temperature over 4–6 hours.
Why this matters: shorter residence time cuts the leach circuit volume by a factor of approximately 6, removing heating requirements and lowering size, energy, and operating costs. This advantage is independent of the final concentrate grade — a structural benefit regardless of Stage 5 outcome.
Murray Hill, Managing Director
“Stage 4 calcite flotation has also removed the primary acid consumer from the leach feed. By removing the calcite, U-pgrade™ produces a feed that can be simply leached in acid at ambient temperature in 4 to 6 hours. That single outcome fundamentally changes the size, energy demands, operability and operating costs of a leach plant utilising the U-pgrade™ process — which is a major structural advantage we have regardless of the final concentrate grade.”
Why the results matter for Marenica investors
The economics of a lower-grade, high-tonnage uranium project such as Marenica are driven by three key variables. U-pgrade™ is designed to improve all three simultaneously, and the pilot plant is now generating continuous operating data against each.
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Mass to leach — The leach circuit is the largest single capital and operating cost in a conventional uranium plant. Its size is set by the tonnage it must treat. Approximately 88% of ore mass rejected ahead of leaching using Stages 1 to 4 has been demonstrated in continuous operation.
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Leach route — Calcrete and surficial uranium ores contain too much carbonate to be acid leached, so conventional processing relies on alkaline leaching at >92°C over 24–36 hours. Stage 4 removes the carbonate that precludes acid leaching. The product from this stage is amenable to acid leaching at ambient temperature of approximately 4 to 6 hours, a materially simpler and lower cost route than the conventional alternative for this ore type.
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Recovery and grade — Higher feed grade to the leach circuit reduces the size of the leach circuit, improves uranium recovery efficiency, and reduces reagent and processing cost per pound produced. Grade was upgraded to 590 ppm U from 89 ppm U before the final uranium flotation stage, with recovery of 79% of the uranium through Stages 1 to 4.
The JORC resource grade for Marenica was doubled earlier this year. New higher-grade ore samples are expected to lift recovery further in a subsequent campaign.
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The final stage and the road ahead
Stage 5 uranium flotation is the final concentration step and the stage that delivers the largest incremental grade uplift. Bench-scale testing achieved a concentrate grade of approximately 5,000 ppm U₃O₈ (4,240 ppm U) from Marenica ore, representing a further 6–8x grade increase from the Stage 4 product. This bench-scale result is the target for the pilot plant. Pilot-scale performance is now being established, with integrated results due Q4 2026.
Plant operating efficiency has improved materially over the period. Freight and delivery constraints that extended the commissioning schedule have become less critical as an inventory of spare parts and reagents has increased, reducing the reliance on inbound freight. Delivery timeframes are no longer a critical constraint on the programme, and plant availability and operability has improved accordingly.
| Activity | Timing | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Stages 1–4 on Marenica ore | Completed | Complete |
| Stage 5 uranium flotation | Commissioned Aug 2026 | Underway |
| Integrated steady-state operation | Q4 2026 | Underway |
| Circuit optimisation | Q4 2026 | Underway |
| Koppies ore pilot testing | Q1 2027 | Planned |
| Marenica Scoping Study to commence | Q1 2027 | Planned |
The Company expects circuit performance to continue improving during the optimisation phase of all five stages. The results reported here are the first pilot-scale data generated from the programme and represent an important milestone in demonstrating the U-pgrade™ process. Data generated from this programme will be used to support the Marenica Scoping Study and subsequent Feasibility Study.
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