Deliveries of ore to White Mesa – currently the only operating conventional uranium mill in the USA – began in June, Western said in its mid-year update. The company began mining and stockpiling ore at the past-producing Sunday Mine Complex in 2023, and finalised an ore purchase agreement with EnergyFuels for the delivery of up to 25,000 short tons of uranium-bearing ore over a one-year period. About 792 tons of material was delivered to the Utah mill in June and July, mostly from stockpiled material.
The company intends to bring yellowcake production in-house, and is prioritising the development of the former Pinon Ridge Mill site in Colorado, which it purchased in 2024. It began baseline data collection for the project – renamed as the Mustang Mineral Processing Plant – in January, and expects to begin preparing a radioactive materials licence application in the first quarter of 2026. The development of the Mustang plant is being prioritised over plans for a new mill – the Maverick Minerals Processing Plant – in Utah due to Mustang’s close proximity to the Sunday complex and lower hauling costs in comparison to Maverick, the company said.
Western said it intends to continue to rehabilitate additional areas in the Sunday Mine Complex, which could further expand capacity. It is also considering “less capital intensive” opportunities to increase production capacity, including re-permitting the Topaz Mine, rehabilitating the Sage Mine, reassessing the Van 4 Mine for decline/portal access rather than utilising the previously reclaimed shaft, and additional development of the mines that are part of its joint venture with privately owned company Rimrock Exploration and Development Inc. A project to advance permitting of the San Rafael Project is also under way with the next step being the installation of monitor wells, the company said, adding “Progress has been made on each of these initiatives. Opportunities to acquire additional uranium properties are also being considered.”
Western Uranium & Vanadium is headquartered in Nucla, Colorado, and is listed in Canada and the USA. Its uranium and vanadium mineral assets are located across western Utah and eastern Colorado.
