Photo: CMAC-Thyssen
Publicly held Global Atomic has inked a letter of intent (LoI) with CMAC-Thyssen for the development of the portal as well as initial underground development work at its Dasa uranium project in Niger.
The retainment of the engineering group stemmed from a bidding process, which required previous project experience in West Africa, the Canadian-based company’s President and CEO Stephen Roman said.
Work on the box-cut excavation element of the work is set to begin in January and will use a local Nigerian contractor. CMAC-Thyssen will mobilize the following month, and the portal should be collared by April 2022.
The Dasa underground development campaign will then begin using equipment to be employed by CMAC-Thyssen, which was already secured. A contract on that component of the work will be finalized once the parties agree on final terms.
“We will use the expertise of CMAC-Thyssen to do initial mine development, prepare stopes for long-hole mining, and also train a local, Niger workforce in Canadian safety and operational standards,” Roman said.
“Global Atomic intends to build its own team to mine the uranium ore for decades to come.”
The executive said that the project’s 15,000-meter drill program began this month, and currently negotiations with Utilities for off-take agreements are in process along with project financing arrangements and the formation of its local mining company in Niger in partnership with the country’s government.
Source: Global Atomic