Elevate Uranium’s Cost-Cutting U-pgrade™ Process Faces Crucial Pilot Test
Elevate Uranium has successfully assembled its U-pgrade™ Demonstration/Pilot Plant in Namibia, with steady state operations expected to start in January 2026. This milestone aims to validate a proprietary beneficiation process that could transform uranium processing economics.
- U-pgrade™ Pilot Plant assembled and commissioning near completion
- Operator training of 40 local personnel underway in Namibia
- Steady state operations targeted for late January 2026
- Pilot Plant to validate beneficiation process on Koppies and Marenica ores
- Process promises significant uranium concentration and cost reductions
Elevate Uranium Reaches Key Operational Milestone
Elevate Uranium Ltd (ASX – EL8) has announced the successful assembly of its proprietary U-pgrade™ Demonstration/Pilot Plant in Namibia, marking a pivotal step toward commercialising its innovative uranium beneficiation technology. With commissioning and operator training nearing completion, the company expects to commence steady state operations by late January 2026.
A Focus on Local Expertise and Operational Readiness
The plant’s commissioning is being overseen by the company’s Senior Metallurgist, Andrew Jones, who has relocated to Namibia to supervise the process. Elevate Uranium has also trained forty local personnel to operate the plant, underscoring a commitment to building local capacity alongside technological advancement. This hands-on approach aims to ensure all mechanical, control, and process systems perform as designed before full operations begin.
Validating the U-pgrade™ Process on Key Uranium Projects
The pilot plant’s primary objective is to validate the U-pgrade™ beneficiation process on a continuous, commercially scalable basis using ore from the company’s flagship Koppies and Marenica uranium projects in Namibia. This process is designed to concentrate uranium content by approximately 50 times, increasing ore grade from around 93 parts per million to roughly 5,000 parts per million. Additionally, it rejects about 98% of waste material and removes acid-consuming minerals, potentially halving capital and operating costs compared to conventional processing methods.
Implications for Project Economics and Future Development
The operational data and process metrics gathered from the pilot plant will feed directly into technical studies for Elevate Uranium’s projects, informing feasibility and investment decisions. If the U-pgrade™ process performs as anticipated at scale, it could unlock significant value by improving uranium recovery rates and reducing processing costs, enhancing the competitiveness of the Koppies and Marenica projects within the global uranium market.
Looking Ahead
Elevate Uranium’s proprietary beneficiation technology represents a strategic advantage in unlocking large-scale, surficial uranium deposits both in Namibia and Australia. As the pilot plant moves into steady state operation, market participants will be watching closely for detailed performance results that could reshape expectations for uranium project economics.
Bottom Line?
The upcoming pilot plant results will be critical in determining whether Elevate Uranium’s U-pgrade™ process can deliver on its promise to revolutionise uranium beneficiation and project viability.
Questions in the middle?
- How will the pilot plant’s operational data impact the timeline and scope of technical studies?
- What are the anticipated capital and operating cost savings if U-pgrade™ scales successfully?
- Could this technology be licensed or applied beyond Elevate Uranium’s current project portfolio?
