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Uranium Ban in WA Looms Over Cauldron’s Expanding Yanrey Project

Mining By Maxwell Dee 3 min read

Cauldron Energy is gearing up for a major drilling campaign at its Yanrey Uranium Project, backed by a solid cash position and expanding resource base amid a bullish uranium market.

  • Plans for 90-hole, 9,000m air-core drilling program in late 2025
  • Maiden Manyingee South resource adds 11.1Mlbs uranium to Yanrey total
  • Recent acquisition expands Yanrey tenement footprint significantly
  • Quarter-end cash reserves of $2.396 million support fully funded exploration
  • Uranium spot prices remain strong around US$71/lb, underpinning market optimism

Exploration Momentum Builds at Yanrey

Cauldron Energy Limited is advancing its uranium exploration efforts with a fully funded 90-hole, 9,000-metre air-core drilling program planned for October and November 2025. The campaign aims to test extensions of the Manyingee South deposit, focusing on newly acquired tenement E08/3204 to the east and south-east, where high-grade uranium mineralisation is expected to continue.

Complementing the drilling, the company will conduct further passive seismic surveys in August to better delineate palaeochannel boundaries and depths, a technique that has proven reliable in the region. The total budget for these activities is approximately $800,000, managed carefully to avoid cost overruns.

Growing Resource Base Strengthens Yanrey’s Profile

Earlier in 2025, Cauldron announced a maiden inferred mineral resource estimate at Manyingee South of 11.1 million pounds of uranium oxide (eU3O8), adding to the existing 30.9 million pounds at the Bennet Well deposit. Together, these bring Cauldron’s total uranium resource at Yanrey to 42.0 million pounds, underscoring the project’s significance within the global uranium landscape.

The recent acquisition of six tenements adjacent to Yanrey notably expands Cauldron’s footprint by over 177 square kilometres, including the critical upstream tenement E08/3204. Geological interpretations suggest the mineralised palaeochannel at Manyingee South extends several kilometres into this new ground, offering promising exploration upside.

Financial Position and Market Context

Cauldron’s financial health remains robust, with cash reserves of $2.396 million as of 30 June 2025, bolstered by a $1.949 million entitlement offer fully underwritten by major shareholder Pale Investments Pty Ltd. The company’s exploration expenditure for the quarter was $226,000, reflecting disciplined capital management.

Meanwhile, the uranium market environment is supportive. Spot uranium prices hovered around US$71 per pound during the quarter, with a recent surge to US$78.56 per pound marking the best monthly performance of 2025. This price strength is driven by a structural supply deficit and growing global nuclear power demand, factors that enhance the strategic value of Cauldron’s Yanrey assets.

Regulatory Landscape and Strategic Outlook

Despite the positive exploration and market developments, uranium mining in Western Australia remains subject to a ban introduced in 2017. Cauldron continues to advocate for lifting this restriction, highlighting the potential economic benefits and the safe mining precedents established in other Australian jurisdictions.

With over 20 high-priority exploration targets identified across its tenements, Cauldron is well positioned to leverage its expanded landholding and favourable market conditions. The upcoming drilling program and ongoing technical work will be critical in unlocking further value and advancing the project towards development readiness.

Bottom Line?

As Cauldron prepares to drill deeper into Yanrey’s potential, the coming months will be pivotal in shaping its uranium future amid evolving market and regulatory dynamics.

Questions in the middle?

  • Will the upcoming drilling confirm significant extensions to the Manyingee South deposit?
  • How might the Western Australian uranium mining ban impact Cauldron’s development timeline?
  • What are the implications of sustained uranium price strength for Cauldron’s financing and project advancement?