Uranium production has started at Ur-Energy’s Lost Creek in-situ leach mine in Wyoming, USA, after eight years of development and $95 million of investment.

Production activities were initiated on Friday 2 August, after receipt of final operational clearance from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

The first deliveries from Lost Creek are expected to start in the fourth quarter of 2013, according to Ur-Energy, which holds several long-term sales contracts with several US nuclear utilities.

Ur-Energy engaged Wyoming-based Groathouse Construction as general contractor for the build-out of the plant and other infrastructure facilities at Lost Creek. Work was authorized to start in October 2012.

The Lost Creek processing facility will have a two million pounds per year nameplate capacity. Sixty full-time workers are currently employed at the site and an additional 40 contractors will be employed during production, Ur-Energy said.

 


Photo: Lost Creek facilities (Source Ur-Energy)