Key Points: – UEC acquires Rio Tinto’s Sweetwater Plant and uranium projects in Wyoming for $175 million. – This acquisition adds 175 million pounds of uranium resources and expands UEC’s third U.S. hub-and-spoke production platform. – UEC strengthens its position in the uranium market amidst growing domestic energy demand and geopolitical pressures.
In a significant move to strengthen its foothold in the U.S. uranium market, Uranium Energy Corp (NYSE American: UEC) announced its acquisition of Rio Tinto’s Sweetwater Plant and uranium assets in Wyoming. This transaction marks a crucial expansion for UEC, positioning the company as a dominant player in the growing domestic uranium industry.
The $175 million deal includes Rio Tinto’s fully licensed Sweetwater Plant and a portfolio of uranium mining projects, amounting to approximately 175 million pounds of historical uranium resources. The acquisition is part of UEC’s strategy to establish a third hub-and-spoke production platform, building on its already extensive portfolio in the Great Divide Basin of Wyoming.
Strategic Importance of Sweetwater Plant
The Sweetwater Plant, located near Rawlins, Wyoming, is a 3,000-ton-per-day conventional processing mill with a licensed capacity of 4.1 million pounds of U3O8 per year. It is one of the few facilities in the U.S. capable of handling uranium processing, and its acquisition significantly boosts UEC’s processing capabilities. Originally operated from 1981 to 1983, the plant has been on care and maintenance since but remains in excellent condition, offering UEC the opportunity to bring it online with minimal capital investment.
With this acquisition, UEC can now tap into both in-situ recovery (ISR) and conventional uranium mining methods. Approximately half of the newly acquired uranium resources are amenable to ISR mining, which UEC intends to prioritize for near-term production. The remaining conventional mining resources offer long-term production growth potential.
Synergies and Expansion in Wyoming
UEC already controls 12 uranium projects in the Great Divide Basin, and the addition of Rio Tinto’s assets creates significant synergies for the company. The Sweetwater Plant’s strategic location allows UEC to streamline its production processes, leveraging shared infrastructure and expertise across its Wyoming projects. The acquisition also includes over 53,000 acres of exploration land, offering extensive opportunities for further resource development.
This deal also highlights the scalability of UEC’s business model. By acquiring the Sweetwater Plant and surrounding assets, UEC is not only increasing its uranium production capabilities but also enhancing its ability to meet growing demand for nuclear energy in the U.S., particularly in light of the recent domestic uranium import ban from Russia.
Amid Growing Geopolitical and Energy Pressures
The acquisition comes at a time of heightened interest in domestic uranium production, driven by geopolitical factors and the increasing demand for clean energy. Recent U.S. government policies, including the Department of Energy’s initiatives to purchase domestically sourced uranium, have underscored the importance of securing reliable, homegrown energy resources. UEC’s acquisition of these assets aligns with these national priorities, positioning the company as a key player in the U.S. energy transition.
Additionally, the demand for uranium is rising as the U.S. energy sector seeks to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Nuclear power, which provides carbon-free energy, is expected to play a vital role in supporting the country’s shift toward renewable energy sources. UEC’s expansion positions the company to meet this demand while solidifying its status as one of the largest North American uranium producers.
Looking Ahead
With this acquisition, UEC is on track to further strengthen its position in the U.S. uranium market. The company’s management, led by CEO Amir Adnani, has expressed optimism about the future of uranium in the U.S. and the global market. UEC is continuing its strategy of expanding its production capabilities while focusing on low-cost, environmentally friendly ISR mining methods.
The completion of this transaction is expected in the fourth quarter of 2024, pending customary regulatory approvals.
Energy Fuels is a leading U.S.-based uranium mining company, supplying U3O8 to major nuclear utilities. Energy Fuels also produces vanadium from certain of its projects, as market conditions warrant, and is ramping up commercial-scale production of REE carbonate. Its corporate offices are in Lakewood, Colorado, near Denver, and all its assets and employees are in the United States. Energy Fuels holds three of America’s key uranium production centers: the White Mesa Mill in Utah, the Nichols Ranch in-situ recovery (“ISR”) Project in Wyoming, and the Alta Mesa ISR Project in Texas. The White Mesa Mill is the only conventional uranium mill operating in the U.S. today, has a licensed capacity of over 8 million pounds of U3O8 per year, has the ability to produce vanadium when market conditions warrant, as well as REE carbonate from various uranium-bearing ores. The Nichols Ranch ISR Project is on standby and has a licensed capacity of 2 million pounds of U3O8 per year. The Alta Mesa ISR Project is also on standby and has a licensed capacity of 1.5 million pounds of U3O8 per year. In addition to the above production facilities, Energy Fuels also has one of the largest NI 43-101 compliant uranium resource portfolios in the U.S. and several uranium and uranium/vanadium mining projects on standby and in various stages of permitting and development. The primary trading market for Energy Fuels’ common shares is the NYSE American under the trading symbol “UUUU,” and the Company’s common shares are also listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “EFR.” Energy Fuels’ website is www.energyfuels.com.
Michael Heim, Senior Vice President, Equity Research Analyst, Energy & Transportation, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.
Energy Fuels agreed to acquire Base Resources (ASX: BSE) for $242 million. Payment would consist of 0.0260 shares of UUUU stock and $0.042 in cash for each BSE share. UUUU management believes the acquisition will be immediately accretive and significantly add to Energy Fuel’s value given BSE assets with a PV10 estimated value close to $2 billion.
BSE’s Toliara project in Madagascar is the key to the purchase. Toliara is a world-class, advanced-stage, low-cost, and large-scale heavy sands project with large quantities of Monazite sand. The monazite will be shipped to UUUU’s White Mesa Mill for processing. Along with other monazite projects (Chemours, Donald, Bahia) Energy Fuels will now have enough monazite to proceed with the mill’s phase II expansion, which will increase capacity 5-6 times and begin separating heavy REEs.
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In a major development in the uranium mining sector, ATHA Energy Corp. and Latitude Uranium Inc. announced the successful completion of their merger on March 7, 2024. Through this strategic transaction, ATHA has acquired 100% of the outstanding common shares of Latitude Uranium, making the latter a wholly-owned subsidiary.
The merger brings together two promising uranium players, combining their complementary assets and expertise to create a formidable force in the industry. Latitude Uranium shareholders received 0.2769 ATHA common shares for each share held, resulting in ATHA issuing approximately 64.4 million new shares.
This deal marks a significant milestone for ATHA, adding historical resources to its portfolio and expanding its reach across multiple high-grade uranium jurisdictions. The combined company now boasts a diverse range of exploration catalysts, including the Angilak and CMB uranium discoveries, with historical resource estimates of 43.3 million lbs and 14.5 million lbs U3O8, respectively.
Moreover, ATHA now holds the largest cumulative exploration package in both the Athabasca Basin and Thelon Basin, two of the world’s most prominent basins for uranium discoveries, with a total of 6.5 million acres. Additionally, the company has a 10% carried interest in a portfolio of claims in the Athabasca Basin operated by industry leaders NexGen Energy Ltd. and IsoEnergy Ltd.
Troy Boisjoli, CEO of ATHA, expressed enthusiasm about the merger, stating, “This acquisition marks a significant milestone for the Company by adding historical resource to our portfolio and enabling us to expand the reach of our robust balance sheet across a diverse range of exploration catalysts.”
The Resurgence of Uranium Mining
The ATHA-Latitude Uranium merger comes at a time when the uranium mining industry is experiencing a resurgence, driven by the global push towards clean energy and the pivotal role of nuclear power in achieving carbon neutrality goals.
As countries around the world seek to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels and transition to more sustainable energy sources, the demand for uranium is expected to increase significantly. Nuclear power plants, which generate electricity without emitting greenhouse gases, are attracting renewed interest as a viable solution to meet energy needs while addressing climate change concerns.
This resurgence has sparked a flurry of activity in the uranium mining sector, with companies scrambling to secure promising exploration projects and develop new mines to meet the anticipated demand. Established players and emerging companies alike are vying for a share of this lucrative market, fueled by the potential for substantial returns on investment.
However, the uranium mining industry is not without its challenges. Stringent regulations, environmental concerns, and the need for significant capital investment present hurdles that companies must navigate cautiously. Responsible exploration and mining practices, combined with robust risk management strategies, are crucial for long-term success in this sector.
Nonetheless, the ATHA-Latitude Uranium merger positions the combined entity as a formidable player in the uranium mining landscape. With a diverse portfolio of assets, historical resources, and strategic partnerships, the company is well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for uranium and contribute to the global transition towards a more sustainable energy future.
As the world grapples with the twin challenges of meeting energy needs and addressing climate change, the uranium mining industry is poised to play a pivotal role. Companies like ATHA, armed with extensive resources and a solid growth strategy, may emerge as key players in this exciting and rapidly evolving sector.
Energy Fuels is a leading U.S.-based uranium mining company, supplying U3O8 to major nuclear utilities. Energy Fuels also produces vanadium from certain of its projects, as market conditions warrant, and is ramping up commercial-scale production of REE carbonate. Its corporate offices are in Lakewood, Colorado, near Denver, and all its assets and employees are in the United States. Energy Fuels holds three of America’s key uranium production centers: the White Mesa Mill in Utah, the Nichols Ranch in-situ recovery (“ISR”) Project in Wyoming, and the Alta Mesa ISR Project in Texas. The White Mesa Mill is the only conventional uranium mill operating in the U.S. today, has a licensed capacity of over 8 million pounds of U3O8 per year, has the ability to produce vanadium when market conditions warrant, as well as REE carbonate from various uranium-bearing ores. The Nichols Ranch ISR Project is on standby and has a licensed capacity of 2 million pounds of U3O8 per year. The Alta Mesa ISR Project is also on standby and has a licensed capacity of 1.5 million pounds of U3O8 per year. In addition to the above production facilities, Energy Fuels also has one of the largest NI 43-101 compliant uranium resource portfolios in the U.S. and several uranium and uranium/vanadium mining projects on standby and in various stages of permitting and development. The primary trading market for Energy Fuels’ common shares is the NYSE American under the trading symbol “UUUU,” and the Company’s common shares are also listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “EFR.” Energy Fuels’ website is www.energyfuels.com.
Michael Heim, Senior Vice President, Equity Research Analyst, Energy & Transportation, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.
Energy Fuels reported financial results for the quarter and the year that were largely expected. Earnings for 2024 were $99.8 million or $0.62 per share. However, the positive results were due to a $119 million or $0.73 per share nonrecurring gain on the sale of property. Excluding the sale, the company would have reported a $20 million or $0.12 per share loss for the year. Quarterly losses were slightly higher than expected on limited sales.
Energy Fuel’s liquidity position has grown dramatically in recent quarters. As of December 31, 2023, the company had $222.34 million of working capital and no debt. With such a large liquidity position, the company is well positioned to expand operations without seeking external financing. This includes restarting uranium mining operations but could also fund all or most of the proposed REE Oxide circuit expansion.
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The uranium spot price has crossed a major threshold, surging past $100/lb in January 2024 to reach $106.51/lb in early February. This long-awaited milestone marks the first time uranium has hit triple digits since the bull run leading up to the 2008 financial crisis.
The implications of breaching $100/lb are significant for the uranium market. Prices at this level indicate the serious supply and demand imbalances that have characterized the market for years are finally coming to a head. With demand outpacing available supply from mines, traders see uranium poised for further gains still.
The main driver behind January’s price spike was a cut to production forecasts from Kazatomprom, the world’s largest uranium miner. The company stunned the market by announcing lower guidance for 2024 and 2025 due to shortages of a key chemical and construction delays. This reversal came just months after Kazatomprom had planned to boost output to meet rising demand. The supply uncertainty led uranium prices to immediately jump over 8%.
For investors, Kazatomprom’s about-face signals that the supply response to uranium’s bull run may proceed slower than expected. Mine expansions and restarts are lagging, with not enough incentive yet for substantial new production. The supply picture is further complicated by uncertainty around Niger’s uranium exports following a coup there last year.
Junior uranium miners have been the biggest winners from the bullish momentum. With less exposure to long-term contracts than larger producers, juniors are benefiting from the full upside of rising spot prices. Many have announced restarts of idled capacity to take advantage of the favorable pricing environment. Their outsized gains indicate investors see juniors playing a key role in bridging future supply shortfalls.
Reaching the $100/lb mark is a psychological victory for uranium bulls who have waited years for prices to reflect positive fundamentals. Nuclear energy demand is on the rise again amid its role in carbon-free baseload power. With most forecast models predicting large supply deficits opening up over the next decade, there is a growing sense $100/lb is just the beginning.
Past experience shows reaching this triple-digit territory is when utilities truly start getting worried about security of supply. The last time uranium crossed above $100/lb in 2007, it sparked a frenzy of long-term contracting not seen before or since. While contracting volumes picked up last year, they remain below levels to fully cover global reactor requirements.
Many see $100/lb as the price needed to incentivize meaningful new mine production. Bringing large-scale conventional projects online takes over a decade when factoring in permitting and construction. Even smaller ISR operations can take several years to expand. With demand projected to outstrip supply for years to come, prices above $100/lb may be the new normal rather than an unsustainable spike.
For investors, uranium crossing $100/lb should serve as a wake-up call that a structural bull market is unfolding. Uranium has significantly outperformed most other commodity sectors over the past several years. With demand still rising and enormous lead times for new projects, supply shortfalls won’t be reversed overnight.
Now is the time for investors to gain exposure before uranium potentially keeps running toward new highs. Uranium equities offer upside well beyond movements in the underlying commodity price. Juniors in particular stand to see valuations explode higher if they can continue locking in contracts above $100/lb.
While nothing moves up forever, the fundamentals underpinning uranium’s surge past $100/lb look here to stay. Nuclear reactors need reliable fuel supply. Achieving net-zero carbon emissions globally depends on nuclear generation ramping up. With mines struggling to keep pace, all signs point to the uranium bull market having ample room left to run at these levels and beyond.
Energy Fuels is a leading U.S.-based uranium mining company, supplying U3O8 to major nuclear utilities. Energy Fuels also produces vanadium from certain of its projects, as market conditions warrant, and is ramping up commercial-scale production of REE carbonate. Its corporate offices are in Lakewood, Colorado, near Denver, and all its assets and employees are in the United States. Energy Fuels holds three of America’s key uranium production centers: the White Mesa Mill in Utah, the Nichols Ranch in-situ recovery (“ISR”) Project in Wyoming, and the Alta Mesa ISR Project in Texas. The White Mesa Mill is the only conventional uranium mill operating in the U.S. today, has a licensed capacity of over 8 million pounds of U3O8 per year, has the ability to produce vanadium when market conditions warrant, as well as REE carbonate from various uranium-bearing ores. The Nichols Ranch ISR Project is on standby and has a licensed capacity of 2 million pounds of U3O8 per year. The Alta Mesa ISR Project is also on standby and has a licensed capacity of 1.5 million pounds of U3O8 per year. In addition to the above production facilities, Energy Fuels also has one of the largest NI 43-101 compliant uranium resource portfolios in the U.S. and several uranium and uranium/vanadium mining projects on standby and in various stages of permitting and development. The primary trading market for Energy Fuels’ common shares is the NYSE American under the trading symbol “UUUU,” and the Company’s common shares are also listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “EFR.” Energy Fuels’ website is www.energyfuels.com.
Michael Heim, Senior Vice President, Equity Research Analyst, Energy & Transportation, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.
Energy Fuels announces that is has commenced production at three mines. During the third-quarter earnings’ discussion six weeks ago, management indicated that it was hiring personnel and upgrading facilities at four mines with plans to restart production at one or two of the mines in 2024. Today’s announcement would appear to be an acceleration of previous plans. Management also indicated previously that it plans to produce 1,000,000 lbs of uranium in 2024 and stockpile the uranium until a mill campaign is completed in late 2024 or early 2025. It is unclear whether these plans have changed in light of today’s announcement.
Uranium prices are surging. Uranium prices were below $40/lb. most of the last ten years causing domestic producers to idle production. Prices started to rise in 2022 reaching a price in the mid seventies just six weeks ago. Since then, uranium prices have soared to a level near $90/lb. It has been our investment premise that cheap uranium from Kazakhstan sold on spot would eventually dry up, and that when that happened, uranium prices would rise quickly. With utilities (and the government) now rushing to shore up supply, the log jam appears to have been broken.
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Energy Fuels is a leading U.S.-based uranium mining company, supplying U3O8 to major nuclear utilities. Energy Fuels also produces vanadium from certain of its projects, as market conditions warrant, and is ramping up commercial-scale production of REE carbonate. Its corporate offices are in Lakewood, Colorado, near Denver, and all its assets and employees are in the United States. Energy Fuels holds three of America’s key uranium production centers: the White Mesa Mill in Utah, the Nichols Ranch in-situ recovery (“ISR”) Project in Wyoming, and the Alta Mesa ISR Project in Texas. The White Mesa Mill is the only conventional uranium mill operating in the U.S. today, has a licensed capacity of over 8 million pounds of U3O8 per year, has the ability to produce vanadium when market conditions warrant, as well as REE carbonate from various uranium-bearing ores. The Nichols Ranch ISR Project is on standby and has a licensed capacity of 2 million pounds of U3O8 per year. The Alta Mesa ISR Project is also on standby and has a licensed capacity of 1.5 million pounds of U3O8 per year. In addition to the above production facilities, Energy Fuels also has one of the largest NI 43-101 compliant uranium resource portfolios in the U.S. and several uranium and uranium/vanadium mining projects on standby and in various stages of permitting and development. The primary trading market for Energy Fuels’ common shares is the NYSE American under the trading symbol “UUUU,” and the Company’s common shares are also listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “EFR.” Energy Fuels’ website is www.energyfuels.com.
Michael Heim, Senior Vice President, Equity Research Analyst, Energy & Transportation, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.
Higher uranium prices led to increased sales out of inventory. Uranium prices rose during the quarter with spot prices moving into the mid-seventies. While realized prices for Energy Fuel were only $58.18/lb. because of long-term contract pricing, it remains well above production costs, which management describes as “well below $50/lb.” Energy Fuels continues to meet its utility contracts through the sale of uranium out of inventory. Inventory levels (586,000 tonnes) are roughly half of the level at the start of the year (1,027,000 tonnes).
Financial results improve with uranium sales. 2023-3Q results were largely in line with expectations once nonrecurring gains are removed. Of course, the Energy Fuel story has never been about near-term results. Instead, the stock moves on corporate developments. And, while there have been some setbacks (REE supply issues, share dilution), the company has made steady progress. We look for the stock to do well as projections turn into cash flow, and as investors begin to realize the potential of rising uranium prices and the profitability of REE separation.
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Uranium prices have hit their highest level in 12 years, reaching around $70 per pound in recent trading. This marks a major rally for the nuclear fuel, as prices were languishing below $30 per pound just a couple years ago. The uranium market has seen renewed interest from investors and utilities lately, driving the huge spike in prices.
Uranium is a key material used in nuclear power generation. It is the fuel inside nuclear reactors that undergoes fission to release massive amounts of energy. Uranium is mined from the ground, then processed and enriched before being fabricated into fuel rods for insertion into reactors. Nuclear power plants require a steady supply of uranium fuel to continue operating.
There are several factors behind the big jump in uranium prices recently. A major one is increased demand, as more nuclear reactors are being built around the world. China in particular has been rapidly expanding its nuclear energy capabilities. More reactors coming online globally means more demand for uranium fuel. Supply has also been constrained lately, with pandemic-related disruptions slowing some uranium mining operations. This demand/supply imbalance has helped drive uranium prices markedly higher.
The surge in uranium prices is great news for uranium mining companies and producers. Major players in the global uranium market like Cameco, Kazatomprom, and Energy Fuels stand to benefit greatly from elevated prices. Their profitability increases significantly when uranium prices rise. These companies have seen their stock prices jump this year in tandem with the uranium price rally. Many uranium stocks are up 50% or more year-to-date.
According to Noble Capital Markets Senior Research Analyst Michael Heim, “There has been an imbalance between domestic uranium supply and demand over the last 15 years as consumers (electric utilities) purchased cheap uranium from foreign nations such as Kazakhstan under short-term contracts. Domestic producers curtailed production with spot prices below production costs. With prices now near $70 per pound and electric utilities increasingly willing to sign longer-term contracts, domestic uranium companies like Energy Fuels are able to restart operations.”
The hot uranium market also has implications for the broader stock market. The S&P 500 energy sector has been one of the top performing segments this year. Rising uranium prices provide an added catalyst, as nuclear energy becomes relatively more cost competitive. Utility companies running nuclear power plants also benefit from lower relative fuel costs. This can enhance their profitability and lead to upside in the utilities sector.
Overall, the big rebound in uranium prices reflects growing global demand for nuclear power. New reactor projects and increased focus on energy security are driving uranium back to multi-year highs. This should provide a boost to uranium producers and related stocks going forward. Nuclear power appears poised for increased utilization in the years ahead, which points to a strong fundamental outlook for uranium prices. As long as demand keeps rising faster than supply, uranium seems likely to maintain its bull run.
Uranium prices have entered a new bull market in 2023, surging 20% so far this year. The nuclear fuel recently hit $60 per pound for the first time in over a decade. This milestone comes on the back of rosier demand forecasts from the World Nuclear Association (WNA) and vastly outperforms other metals markets.
The WNA recently released its biennial report at the World Nuclear Symposium in London. The report provides insights into future uranium demand, underscoring the role nuclear power will play in the global energy transition. It predicts world reactor requirements for uranium will reach almost 130,000 tonnes by 2040, up from 65,650 tonnes in 2023.
Even the WNA’s most conservative projection of 87,000 tonnes in 2040 represents robust demand growth. This is driven by an expected expansion of nuclear capacity from 391 gigawatts currently to 686 gigawatts by 2040 under its base case scenario. The bulk of new reactors will be located in China, which is aggressively decarbonizing by replacing coal plants with nuclear.
China has 23 reactors under construction, 23 more planned, and 168 proposed to add to its existing fleet of 53 reactors. The WNA report increased its overall uranium demand growth projections to 4.1% annually through 2040, up from 3.1% in its 2021 forecast.
This surging demand presents a huge opportunity for growth in the uranium mining sector. As the market transitions from oversupply to undersupply, uranium companies are poised to benefit tremendously. Their revenues, earnings, and valuations could rapidly improve as prices rise. Many junior miners could become acquisition targets for larger producers looking to add resources.
A key driver of demand is the accelerated adoption of small modular reactors (SMRs). These compact, modular designs allow nuclear plants to be constructed faster and cheaper. The WNA sees SMRs reaching 31 gigawatts of installed capacity by 2040, significantly boosting uranium demand. However, forecasts remain relatively conservative given SMRs’ potential applications in shipping, data centers, and other sectors.
According to BMO Capital Markets, SMRs could play a pivotal role in powering remote mines looking to replace diesel generators with cleaner energy solutions. With ample space and ideal climates, mines are adding solar and wind power. But in colder regions like Canada, SMRs may be the only viable zero-carbon option.
In much the same way platinum miners are testing hydrogen trucks onsite, uranium producers could pioneer SMR installations at operations. This would create new demand from uranium miners themselves. BMO estimates SMR capacity could reach 58 gigawatts by 2030, or around 10% of total nuclear generation.
While secondary supplies like reprocessed fuel and stockpiles have bridged the supply-demand gap for decades, the WNA report acknowledges these inventories are diminishing. With roughly 3.7 years of reactor requirements in current stockpiles, the WNA projects secondary supplies will fall from 11-14% of demand now to just 4-11% by 2050.
This decline underscores the need for new mine supply to meet growing reactor demand in the long run. With secondary sources drying up, uranium prices must rise to incentivize investment in expansion and new projects. The uranium bull run still appears to be in its early innings, as rosier demand forecasts confront constrained mine supply. Nuclear energy’s role in global decarbonization efforts continues to expand, brightening the outlook for uranium markets and uranium mining companies.
Energy Fuels is a leading U.S.-based uranium mining company, supplying U3O8 to major nuclear utilities. Energy Fuels also produces vanadium from certain of its projects, as market conditions warrant, and is ramping up commercial-scale production of REE carbonate. Its corporate offices are in Lakewood, Colorado, near Denver, and all its assets and employees are in the United States. Energy Fuels holds three of America’s key uranium production centers: the White Mesa Mill in Utah, the Nichols Ranch in-situ recovery (“ISR”) Project in Wyoming, and the Alta Mesa ISR Project in Texas. The White Mesa Mill is the only conventional uranium mill operating in the U.S. today, has a licensed capacity of over 8 million pounds of U3O8 per year, has the ability to produce vanadium when market conditions warrant, as well as REE carbonate from various uranium-bearing ores. The Nichols Ranch ISR Project is on standby and has a licensed capacity of 2 million pounds of U3O8 per year. The Alta Mesa ISR Project is also on standby and has a licensed capacity of 1.5 million pounds of U3O8 per year. In addition to the above production facilities, Energy Fuels also has one of the largest NI 43-101 compliant uranium resource portfolios in the U.S. and several uranium and uranium/vanadium mining projects on standby and in various stages of permitting and development. The primary trading market for Energy Fuels’ common shares is the NYSE American under the trading symbol “UUUU,” and the Company’s common shares are also listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “EFR.” Energy Fuels’ website is www.energyfuels.com.
Michael Heim, Senior Vice President, Equity Research Analyst, Energy & Transportation, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.
Energy Fuels reported 2023-2Q results in line with expectations as rare earth element carbonite sales expand. Uranium sales to a major nuclear utility kicked in and rare earth carbonate sales accelerated. Of note, uranium sales were done at an operating cost of $26.40/lb. below the price in our models. Also notable was an increase in REE sales after several quarters of sales being limited by monzanite supply issues.
With sales still in the early stages, operating line items were fairly predictable. Of course, the Energy Fuel story has never been about near-term results. Instead, the stock moves on corporate developments. And, while there have been some setbacks (REE supply issues, share dilution, foreign uranium supply competition), the company has made steady progress in recent quarters towards its goals.
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*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision.
The Back Story on Why Uranium Investors Saw a Spike Up in Values
Nuclear energy now provides 10% of the world’s electricity. If a major supplier of uranium becomes unavailable, it could be very disruptive. For countries such as France that derives 68% of their electricity from nuclear power plants, it can become more than disruptive. This is why the coup in Niger, which provides 15% of of the uranium used in French power plants is generating so much concern.
Background
Over the past few days, a successful military coup in Niger has sparked concerns in the EU and especially in France regarding the potential ramifications on uranium imports crucial for powering the country’s nuclear plants. As a major supplier, Niger currently fulfills 15% of France’s uranium needs and holds a significant 20% share of the EU’s total uranium imports. French authorities, along with energy officials have been quick to address public concerns. While the short-term implications are minimal, long-term uranium requirements could become a challenge for France and other countries within the EU. The block of nations has already been engaged with efforts to reduce dependency on Russia, another prominent uranium supplier for European nuclear facilities.
France, is unusually reliant on nuclear power. Orano, the French state-controlled nuclear fuel producer, has maintained its operations in Niger despite the coup, with the company asserting its primary focus is on ensuring the safety of its employees in the region.
Existing uranium stocks are expected to sustain France’s uranium requirements for approximately two years. Therefore, the French government is confident that the current tensions in Niger will not immediately impact their uranium needs.
Long-Term Concerns for Europe’s Uranium Needs
While immediate disruptions seem improbable, Europe could face challenges in its uranium supply chain in the long run, particularly as the continent strives to diminish its reliance on Russian uranium. Niger, as the top uranium supplier to the EU in 2021, alongside Kazakhstan and Russia, play a critical role in sustaining Europe’s nuclear power sector.
While it may seem cold to think of one’s investment portfolio when trouble befalls others, it is the flow of money in the capital markets that often helps allow for corrective actions that lessen the problem. The plot lines on the chart above represent Cameco (CCJ) a Canadian company that is one of the largest providers of uranium fuel. Energy Fuels (UUUU) which is the leading U.S. producer of uranium, Sprott Uranium Miners (URNM) invests in an index designed to track the performance of companies that devote at least 50% of their assets to the uranium mining industry. The fourth plotline is the S&P 500.
The gap up after the news is unmistakable and suggests investors immediately expect reduced supply from the coup to cause current production to become more valuable as it meets unchanged demand.
Take Away
The military coup in Niger has raised concerns that the supply of uranium to France and the EU may be disrupted. Officials have assured that short-term there is little need for concern, however there are still uncertainties in Europe’s as it was already reducing dependency on Russian uranium production. The evolving situation in Niger may influence the EU’s stance on sanctions against Russian uranium, and its long-term effects on the nuclear energy sector are still uncertain.
Investors may wish to look closer at energy stocks, including uranium producers as they determine whether or not the blip in stock price is the beginning of a trend or a reaction that may, in part, or fully unwind.
The Company sold 300,000 pounds of uranium at a gross margin of 58%, 79,344 pounds of vanadium at a gross margin of 37%, and the Alta Mesa property for a total gain of $116.45 million; Working capital increased, total assets increased, and total liabilities decreased.
LAKEWOOD, Colo., May 5, 2023 /CNW/ – Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX: EFR) (“Energy Fuels” or the “Company”) today reported its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2023. The Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q has been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC“) and may be viewed on the Electronic Document Gathering and Retrieval System (“EDGAR“) at www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml, on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (“SEDAR“) at www.sedar.com, and on the Company’s website at www.energyfuels.com. Unless noted otherwise, all dollar amounts are in U.S. dollars.
Financial Highlights:
As of March 31, 2023, the Company had a robust balance sheet with $143.61 million of working capital (versus $116.97 million at December 31, 2022), including $43.83 million of cash and cash equivalents, $60.44 million of marketable securities, $38.00 million of inventory, and no debt. At current commodity prices, the Company’s product inventory has a value of $52.53 million;
During the three months ended March 31, 2023, the Company realized net income of $114.26 million, or $0.72 per share, primarily due to: (i) a net gain of $116.45 million on the sale of the Company’s Alta Mesa in situ recovery (“ISR“) project in Texas; (ii) a net gain of $10.76 million on the sale of 300,000 pounds of uranium (“U3O8“) to the U.S. Uranium program; (iii) a net gain of $0.32 million on the sale of 79,344 pounds of vanadium (“V2O5“); (iv) increased expenses associated with preparing four (4) of our uranium mines for production; (v) expenses associated with developing commercial rare earth element (“REE“) separation capabilities; and (vi) a non-cash mark-to-market loss on investments accounted for at fair value of $2.96 million.
The Company realized a total gross margin of 57% on its product sales during Q1-2023, including 58% on its uranium sale and 37% on its vanadium sales.
At March 31, 2023, the Company’s total assets and current assets increased by 37% and 10%, respectively, and total liabilities and current liabilities decreased by 44% and 72%, respectively, as compared to December 31, 2022.
As of March 31, 2023, the Company held 847,000 pounds of finished U3O8, 906,000 pounds of finished V2O5, and 250 metric tons (“MT“) of finished high-purity, partially separated mixed REE carbonate (“RE Carbonate“) in inventory.
The Company holds an additional 394,000 lbs. of U3O8 as raw materials and work-in-progress inventory, along with 1 – 3 million pounds of solubilized V2O5 in tailings solutions that could be recovered in the future.
Uranium Highlights:
During Q1-2023, the Company completed the sale of 300,000 pounds of U3O8 to the U.S. Uranium Reserve realizing total gross proceeds of $18.47 million, or $61.57 per pound of U3O8. This sale resulted in a gross margin of approximately $35.85 per pound of uranium, or a gross margin of 58%.
During 2023, the Company expects to sell an additional 200,000 to 260,000 pounds of U3O8 into its current portfolio of supply agreements with U.S. nuclear utilities at an expected sales price of approximately $54 – $58 per pound, resulting in an estimated 46% – 50% gross margin.
During Q1-2023, the Company purchased a total of 120,000 pounds of U.S.-origin U3O8 on the spot market for a weighted-average price of $50.25 per pound.
Over the past several months, the Company has made significant progress in preparing four (4) of our conventional uranium and uranium/vanadium mines to be ready to resume ore production, including significant workforce expansion and performing needed rehabilitation and development of surface and underground infrastructure.
On February 15, 2023, the Company announced it had completed its previously announced sale of its Alta Mesa ISR Project to enCore Energy Corp. (“enCore“) for total consideration of $120 million, comprised of $60 million in cash and $60 million in a secured convertible note bearing interest at a rate of eight percent (8%) per annum, convertible into common shares of enCore at a price of $2.9103 per share. This sale of a lower priority project provides Energy Fuels with significant additional cash and working capital, enabling the Company to ramp-up its US industry-leading uranium and REE production, while avoiding dilution to shareholders.
In connection with the Alta Mesa Transaction, on May 3, 2023, the Company completed the sale of its Prompt Fission Neutron assets, including the underlying contracts, technology, licenses and intellectual property (collectively, the “PFN Assets“), to enCore in exchange for cash consideration received at closing of $3.10 million. At closing, the PFN Assets, which the Company had purchased in 2020 for cash consideration of $0.5 million, had a net book value of $0.35 million. The PFN Assets were used exclusively at the Alta Mesa ISR Project and are not required for any of the Company’s other properties. Should the Company have the need for the use of a PFN tool in the future, the Company retained a 20-year usage right, subject to the availability of the PFN Assets, to purchase, lease and/or license at least one PFN tool and all related and/or required equipment, technology and licenses on commercially reasonable terms.
As of April 28, the spot price of U3O8 was $53.75 per pound according to data from TradeTech.
Rare Earth Element Highlights:
During the three months ended March 31, 2023, the Company produced approximately 250 MT of high-purity, partially separated mixed RE Carbonate from monazite, containing approximately 115 MT of total rare earth oxides (“TREO“), which is the most advanced REE material being produced commercially in the U.S. today.
The Company has in circuit an additional 65 to 115 MT of RE Carbonate, containing 35 to 55 MT of TREO, which it expects to package for sale during the second quarter of 2023.
In early 2023, the Company began modifying and enhancing its existing solvent extraction (“SX“) circuits at the Mill to be able to produce separated REE oxides (“Phase 1“). The Company has begun this development work in its SX building and ordered most of the major components for this project, which are expected to be delivered to the Mill in Q3-2023. “Phase 1” is expected to be completed and fully commissioned by late 2023 or early 2024 and have the capacity to produce roughly 800 to 1,000 MT of recoverable separated neodymium-praseodymium (“NdPr“) oxide per year, subject to securing sufficient monazite feed. “Phase 1” is expected to position Energy Fuels as one of the world’s leading producers of NdPr outside of China. “Phase 1” capital costs are expected to total approximately $25 million. 1,000 MT of NdPr in permanent magnets could power up to 1 million electric vehicles (“EVs“) per year.
The Company is engineering further enhancements at the Mill to increase NdPr production capacity to up to approximately 3,000 MT per year by 2026 (“Phase 2“), and to produce separated dysprosium (“Dy“), terbium (“Tb“) and potentially other advanced REE materials in the future from monazite and potentially other REE process streams by 2027 (“Phase 3”).
On February 13, 2023, the Company announced it had completed its previously announced acquisition of a large heavy mineral sands project in Brazil (the “Bahia Project“), which has the potential to supply the Company’s growing REE business with 3,000 – 10,000 MT of REE-bearing natural monazite sand per year for decades. The Bahia Project also contains significant quantities of high-value titanium (ilmenite and rutile) and zirconium (zircon) minerals.
During Q1-2023, the Company completed 2,266 meters of sonic drilling at the Bahia Project to confirm and further delineate the rare earth, titanium, and zirconium mineralization. The Company expects to commence further sonic drilling in Q3-2023, announce drilling results later this year, and commence preparation of an SK-1300 and NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimate.
The Company continues active discussions with several additional suppliers of natural monazite around the world to significantly increase the supply of feed for our growing REE initiative.
As of April 28, the spot price of NdPr oxide was $64 per kg, according to data from Asian Metal.
Vanadium Highlights:
During Q1-2023, the Company sold approximately 79,344 pounds of existing V2O5 inventory, for an average weighted sales price of $10.98 per pound of V2O5, for a total gross margin of 37%.
Due to the high-purity of the Company’s vanadium product, these sales occurred at a premium to V2O5 spot prices prevailing at the time of the sales.
As of April 28, the spot price of V2O5 was $9.75 per pound, according to data from Fastmarkets.
Medical Isotope Highlights:
The Company continued advancing its program to evaluate the potential to recover radioisotopes from its process streams for use in emerging targeted alpha therapy (“TAT“) cancer therapeutics.
Mark S. Chalmers, Energy Fuels’ President and CEO, stated:
“Energy Fuels had an exceptional 1st quarter on several metrics, including earnings of $114.26 million, achieving healthy margins on our product sales, increasing our working capital position to $143.61 million, increasing our total assets, and reducing our total liabilities. We also significantly enhanced our fixed asset portfolio by selling the non-core Alta Mesa uranium property for $120.00 million and closing on the purchase of the Bahia Project in Brazil, which has the potential to feed our REE separation circuits with low-cost raw materials for several decades.
“On uranium, we sold 300,000 pounds of U3O8 to the newly established U.S. Uranium Reserve for $18.47 million, or $61.57 per pound, representing a significant premium to the current spot price of uranium, resulting in a $10.76 million gross margin. We are also getting ready to sell up to another 260,000 pounds of U3O8 into our utility contract portfolio, also at healthy operating margins. We are closely tracking uranium prices, which have shown recent strength, for opportunities to sell additional uranium under long-term contracts to nuclear utilities at increasingly higher prices.
“Energy Fuels realized a significant gain of $116.45 million on the sale of our non-core Alta Mesa ISR project in Texas. Total consideration included $60 million of cash and a $60 million 2-year convertible note bearing 8% interest per year, fully secured by the property. This transaction also resulted in us receiving an additional $3.48 million cash for the return of collateral on the project’s reclamation bonds and a reduction in our standby costs of approximately $2 million per year.
“At the same time, we continue to perform significant work at four of our conventional uranium mines to get them ready to resume ore production. This includes the La Sal and Beaver mines at the La Sal Complex in Utah, the Whirlwind mine in Colorado and the Pinyon Plain mine in Arizona. Energy Fuels currently has sufficient uranium in inventory to fulfill our current utility contract requirements into 2025. However, we are seeking additional contracts and spot sale opportunities, along with a continuation of uranium purchasing by the U.S. government. Therefore, we could begin ore production at one or more of these projects by 2024.
“We continued to build our REE business as well. We began modifications and enhancements at the White Mesa Mill expected to produce up to 1,000 MT per year of NdPr oxide by late 2023 or early 2024, subject to receipt of sufficient monazite feed. We ordered the REE SX cells from a fabricator, with delivery to the Mill expected in Q3 or Q4-2023. Following delivery, we expect to install, commission, and optimize these cells, complete other modifications and enhancements to the existing circuits, and begin commercial production of NdPr oxide, along with uranium, soon thereafter. Upon completion, we believe Energy Fuels’ White Mesa Mill in Utah will house one of the largest NdPr production circuits in the world, excluding China. We also expect to begin piloting ‘heavy’ REE separation later this year, which will provide valuable knowledge for designing and building our Phase 3 Dy, Tb and potentially other REE separation circuits.
“Monazite supply is of course critical to Energy Fuels’ rare earth plans. We continue to advance discussions with several existing monazite suppliers around the world. And, we completed the acquisition of the Bahia Project in Brazil, which will allow us to control our own low-cost REE supply. The Bahia Project has the potential to produce between 3,000 to 10,000 MT of monazite, containing 300 to 1,000 MT of NdPr oxide, per year. We are currently in the midst of a sonic drilling program on the property to confirm and better define the REE (monazite), titanium (ilmenite, rutile, leucoxene) and zirconium (zircon) resources, which will inform our mine plan and permitting. We hope to commence production in late 2025 or early 2026, and ramp-up from there.
“Finally, we sold a small quantity of our vanadium inventory into recent market strength, which saw spot prices reach $10.80 per pound in February, according to Fastmarkets. Because we produce a high-purity V2O5 product that is attractive to specialty alloy and chemical markets, we were able to execute this sale at a premium to reported prices. Accordingly, our realized sales price was $10.98 per pound of V2O5 on these sales.”
Conference Call and Webcast at 4:00 pm ET on May 9, 2023:
Energy Fuels will be hosting a conference call and webcast on May 9, 2023 at 4:00 pm ET (2:00 pm MT) to discuss its Q1-2023 financial results, the outlook for 2023, and its uranium, rare earths, vanadium, and medical isotopes initiatives.
To instantly join the conference call by phone, please use the following link to easily register your name and phone number. After registering, you will receive a call immediately and be placed into the conference call: RAPIDCONNECT
Alternatively, you may dial in to the conference call by calling 1-888-664-6392, and you will be connected to the call by an Operator.
You may also access viewer-controlled Webcast slides and/or stream the call by following this link: WEBCAST
A replay of the call will be available until May 24, 2023 by calling (888) 390-0541 or (416) 764-8677 and entering the replay code, 680506#.
Selected Summary Financial Information:
Three Months Ended
March 31,
$000’s, except per share data
2023
2022
Results of Operations:
Uranium concentrates revenues
$ 18,470
$ —
Vanadium concentrates revenues
871
2,412
Total revenues
19,613
2,937
Gross margin
11,347
45
Operating loss
(405)
(10,213)
Net income (loss)
114,264
(14,730)
Basic and diluted net income (loss) per common share
0.72
(0.09)
As of
As of
$000’s
March 31, 2023
December 31, 2022
Financial Position:
Working capital
$ 143,611
$ 116,966
Property, plant and equipment, net
14,635
12,662
Mineral properties
113,834
83,539
Current assets
148,914
135,590
Total assets
375,451
273,947
Current liabilities
5,303
18,624
Total liabilities
16,438
29,538
ABOUT ENERGY FUELS
Energy Fuels is a leading US-based critical minerals company. The Company, as the leading producer of uranium in the United States, mines uranium and produces natural uranium concentrates that are sold to major nuclear utilities for the production of carbon-free nuclear energy. Energy Fuels recently began production of advanced rare earth element (“REE“) materials, including mixed REE carbonate, and plans to produce commercial quantities of separated REE oxides in the future. Energy Fuels also produces vanadium from certain of its projects, as market conditions warrant, and is evaluating the recovery of radionuclides needed for emerging cancer treatments. Its corporate offices are in Lakewood, Colorado, near Denver, and substantially all its assets and employees are in the United States. Energy Fuels holds two of America’s key uranium production centers: the White Mesa Mill in Utah and the Nichols Ranch in-situ recovery (“ISR“) Project in Wyoming. The White Mesa Mill is the only conventional uranium mill operating in the US today, has a licensed capacity of over 8 million pounds of U3O8 per year, has the ability to produce vanadium when market conditions warrant, as well as REE products, from various uranium-bearing ores. The Nichols Ranch ISR Project is on standby and has a licensed capacity of 2 million pounds of U3O8 per year. The Company recently acquired the Bahia Project in Brazil, which is believed to have significant quantities of titanium (ilmenite and rutile), zirconium (zircon) and REE (monazite) minerals. In addition to the above production facilities, Energy Fuels also has one of the largest NI 43-101 compliant uranium resource portfolios in the US and several uranium and uranium/vanadium mining projects on standby and in various stages of permitting and development. The primary trading market for Energy Fuels’ common shares is the NYSE American under the trading symbol “UUUU,” and the Company’s common shares are also listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “EFR.” Energy Fuels’ website is www.energyfuels.com.
Daniel Kapostasy, P.G., Director of Technical Services for Energy Fuels, is a Qualified Person as defined by Canadian National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained in this news release, including sampling, analytical, and test data underlying such disclosure.
The data collected and provided in this disclosure related to the Bahia Project is derived entirely from the exploration reports for each of the seventeen mineral process areas. Mr. Kapostasy has reviewed these reports in detail and discussed the methods used with the project geologist in charge of field and laboratory activities for the previous owners who is also currently an employee of Energy Fuels Brazil, Ltda. Heavy mineral concentrations were derived for every meter drilled using heavy liquid separations, a standard method of heavy mineral determination.
To determine the concentration of the various heavy minerals in a sample, the heavy fraction was separated from the silica sand by using heavy liquid separation. The heavy fraction was then mounted in epoxy or dispersed on slide glass and viewed under a microscope. A geologist can then identify the various minerals and determine the concentration of each mineral through a process called point counting, whereby the geologist identifies each sand grain individually, tallies the number of each mineral and then divides by the total.
Verification of the heavy mineral concentration was started by the Company in September 2022, when it hired a contract driller to collect samples using a sonic rig. While no laboratory analyses have been received to date, visual estimation of the heavy mineral quantity indicates that the historical values seen at the various process areas are valid.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains certain “Forward Looking Information” and “Forward Looking Statements” within the meaning of applicable United States and Canadian securities legislation, which may include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: production and sales forecasts; costs of production; any expectation that the Company will be awarded any future sales under the U.S. Uranium Reserve; scalability, and the Company’s ability and readiness to re-start, expand or deploy any of its existing projects or capacity to respond to any improvements in uranium market conditions or in response to the Uranium Reserve; any expectation as to future uranium, vanadium, RE Carbonate, REE oxide, or REE market fundamentals or sales; any expectation as to recommencement of production at any of the Company’s uranium mines or the timing thereof; any expectation regarding any remaining dissolved vanadium in the Mill’s tailings facility solutions or the ability of the Company to recover any such vanadium at acceptable costs or at all; any expectation as to longer term fundamentals in the market and price projections; any expectation that the Company will maintain its position as a leading U.S.-based critical minerals company or as the leading producer of uranium in the U.S.; any expectation with respect to timelines to production; any expectation that the sale of the Alta Mesa project and the use of the proceeds from that sale will not result in any dilution to shareholders; any expectation that the Mill will be successful in producing RE Carbonate on a full-scale commercial basis; any expectation that Energy Fuels will be successful in developing U.S. separation, or other value-added U.S. REE production capabilities at the Mill, or otherwise, including the timing of any such initiatives and the expected production capacity or capital and operating costs associated with any such production capabilities; any expectation with respect to the quantities of monazite to be acquired by Energy Fuels, the quantities of RE Carbonate or REE oxides to be produced by the Mill or the quantities of contained TREO in the Mill’s RE Carbonate; any expectation that the Company may sell its separated NdPr oxide to electric vehicle manufacturers; any expectation that the Bahia Project has the potential to feed the Mill with REE and uranium-bearing monazite sand for decades or at all; any expectation that the Company will complete comprehensive sonic drilling and geophysical mapping at the Bahia Project or complete an Initial Assessment under SK-1300 (U.S.) and a Technical Report Technical Report under NI 43-101 (Canada) during 2023, or otherwise; any expectation that the Company’s evaluation of radioisotope recovery at the Mill will be successful; any expectation that the potential recovery of medical isotopes from any radioisotopes recovered at the Mill will be feasible; any expectation that any radioisotopes can be recovered at the Mill will be sold on a commercial basis; any expectation as to the quantities to be delivered under existing uranium sales contracts; and any expectation that the Company will be successful in completing any additional contracts for the sale of uranium to U.S. utilities on commercially reasonable terms or at all. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “plans,” “expects,” “does not expect,” “is expected,” “is likely,” “budgets,” “scheduled,” “estimates,” “forecasts,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “does not anticipate,” or “believes,” or variations of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results “may,” “could,” “would,” “might” or “will be taken,” “occur,” “be achieved” or “have the potential to.” All statements, other than statements of historical fact, herein are considered to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements express or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include risks associated with: commodity prices and price fluctuations; engineering, construction, processing and mining difficulties, upsets and delays; permitting and licensing requirements and delays; changes to regulatory requirements; legal challenges; the availability of sources of Alternate Feed Materials and other feed sources for the Mill; competition from other producers; public opinion; government and political actions; available supplies of monazite; the ability of the Mill to produce RE Carbonate, REE oxides or other REE products to meet commercial specifications on a commercial scale at acceptable costs or at all; market factors, including future demand for REEs; the ability of the Mill to be able to separate radium or other radioisotopes at reasonable costs or at all; market prices and demand for medical isotopes; and the other factors described under the caption “Risk Factors” in the Company’s most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is available for review on EDGAR at www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml, on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, and on the Company’s website at www.energyfuels.com. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company disclaims, other than as required by law, any obligation to update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, results, future events, circumstances, or if management’s estimates or opinions should change, or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update the information in this communication, except as otherwise required by law.
SOURCE Energy Fuels Inc.
For further information: Investor Inquiries: Energy Fuels Inc., Curtis Moore, SVP – Marketing and Corporate Development, (303) 974-2140 or Toll free: (888) 864-2125, investorinfo@energyfuels.com, www.energyfuels.com
Energy Fuels is a leading U.S.-based uranium mining company, supplying U3O8 to major nuclear utilities. Energy Fuels also produces vanadium from certain of its projects, as market conditions warrant, and is ramping up commercial-scale production of REE carbonate. Its corporate offices are in Lakewood, Colorado, near Denver, and all its assets and employees are in the United States. Energy Fuels holds three of America’s key uranium production centers: the White Mesa Mill in Utah, the Nichols Ranch in-situ recovery (“ISR”) Project in Wyoming, and the Alta Mesa ISR Project in Texas. The White Mesa Mill is the only conventional uranium mill operating in the U.S. today, has a licensed capacity of over 8 million pounds of U3O8 per year, has the ability to produce vanadium when market conditions warrant, as well as REE carbonate from various uranium-bearing ores. The Nichols Ranch ISR Project is on standby and has a licensed capacity of 2 million pounds of U3O8 per year. The Alta Mesa ISR Project is also on standby and has a licensed capacity of 1.5 million pounds of U3O8 per year. In addition to the above production facilities, Energy Fuels also has one of the largest NI 43-101 compliant uranium resource portfolios in the U.S. and several uranium and uranium/vanadium mining projects on standby and in various stages of permitting and development. The primary trading market for Energy Fuels’ common shares is the NYSE American under the trading symbol “UUUU,” and the Company’s common shares are also listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “EFR.” Energy Fuels’ website is www.energyfuels.com.
Michael Heim, CFA, Senior Research Analyst, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.
Report full of future promise. UUUU’s press release was full of previously announced news items: Rare Earth Element (REE) progress, signed uranium sales contracts, vanadium inventory sales, Alta Mesa sale, etc. At the same time, production levels have been lagging behind expectations for a variety of reasons including economic conditions, supply issues, etc. Management is clearly focused on developing REE separation operations which it sees as a late 2023/early 2024 event. It is also prepping uranium mines for eventual production.
Production not there yet. The company has yet to resume mining uranium. It signed sales contracts to deliver uranium but is meeting those obligations with inventory or uranium purchases. We initially had hoped uranium operations would have resumed by 2023. REE Carbonate sales to the NEO plant in Estonia are being completed but at levels below initial expectations due to limited Monzanite supply issues. We had also hoped to see vanadium production resume by the end of the year.
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*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision.
