Elevate Uranium’s pilot plant for its U-pgrade™ beneficiation process has demonstrated an 88% mass rejection and uranium grade uplift from 89 ppm to 590 ppm at Marenica, validating historic bench-scale results and paving the way for a simpler acid leach process.
- Pilot plant achieves 88% ore mass rejection after four stages
- Uranium grade upgraded sevenfold to 590 ppm before final concentration
- Calcite flotation enables ambient temperature acid leach, cutting costs
- Final uranium flotation stage commissioned, results expected Q4 2026
- Data to inform upcoming Marenica Scoping Study and feasibility work
Pilot Plant Validates U-pgradeTM Process at Scale
Elevate Uranium (ASX:EL8) has reported a significant milestone for its proprietary U-pgrade™ uranium beneficiation process, with its pilot plant achieving an 88% rejection of ore mass while upgrading uranium grade from 89 ppm to 590 ppm using the first four stages of its five-stage circuit. These results align closely with historical bench-scale test work from 2013, confirming the process’s scalability and operational viability.
The pilot plant, processing ore from the Marenica Uranium Project in Namibia, is designed to concentrate uranium minerals into a low-mass, high-grade feed ahead of leaching. Managing Director Murray Hill emphasised the importance of translating bench-scale success into continuous pilot operation, noting the challenges posed by low volumetric flows at this scale that were not evident in earlier tests.
Calcite Flotation Unlocks Simpler Leaching Route
Stage 4 of the process, calcite flotation, has successfully removed carbonate minerals that traditionally preclude acid leaching in calcrete uranium ores. This breakthrough means the concentrate can be leached at ambient temperature over 4 to 6 hours, a stark contrast to conventional alkaline leaching requiring temperatures above 92°C and residence times of up to 36 hours.
This innovation has major cost and operational implications, potentially reducing the size and energy demands of the leach plant by a factor of six. The removal of the primary acid consumer mineral simplifies the downstream process, representing a structural advantage independent of the final concentrate grade.
Final Concentration Stage Underway with Results Pending
The pilot plant’s final stage, uranium flotation (Stage 5), was commissioned in August 2026 and is currently undergoing optimisation. This stage is expected to deliver the largest incremental grade uplift, with bench-scale tests previously achieving a concentrate grade of approximately 5,000 ppm U₃O₈ (equivalent to 4,240 ppm uranium).
Elevate plans to report integrated performance data for the complete five-stage circuit in Q4 2026, which will be a critical indicator of the process’s commercial viability. The company also anticipates that processing ore at the recently doubled Marenica resource grade will further enhance uranium recovery.
Implications for Marenica Project Economics
The U-pgrade™ process targets three key economic drivers for the Marenica project: reducing mass to leach, enabling a simpler leach route, and improving uranium recovery and grade. The pilot plant has demonstrated continuous operation rejecting 88% of the ore mass before leaching, significantly cutting potential capital and operating costs associated with the leach circuit.
With uranium recovery at 79% through the first four stages and ongoing optimisation expected to improve this figure, the process could materially enhance project economics. The ambient temperature acid leach enabled by Stage 4 further reduces energy consumption and plant complexity, factors critical for a low-grade, high-tonnage deposit like Marenica.
Next Steps and Study Integration
Elevate Uranium is progressing towards steady-state operation across all five stages, with a focus on optimisation to improve grade and recovery. The pilot plant will also test ore from the Koppies project in early 2027, expanding the applicability of the U-pgrade™ process.
Data generated from the pilot plant will feed directly into the Marenica Scoping Study scheduled for commencement in Q1 2027, providing a foundation for subsequent feasibility studies. With operational efficiencies improving as logistical constraints ease, the company is well positioned to refine its beneficiation technology and validate its commercial potential.
Bottom Line?
The pilot plant’s demonstration of mass rejection and grade uplift confirms U-pgrade™ as a promising step toward lowering Marenica’s processing costs, but the awaited Stage 5 results will be pivotal in validating the full upside potential.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the final uranium flotation stage replicate bench-scale grade uplift at pilot scale?
- How will the doubled resource grade at Marenica impact overall uranium recovery and economics?
- What cost savings can be realistically expected from the simplified acid leach enabled by calcite removal?