Peninsula Energy, an Australian uranium producer, has secured aquifer exemption at the Lance projects Ross permit area in Wyoming from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The approval was obtained through Peninsula’s subsidiary Strata Energy for Ross permit area that comprises the first three uranium mine units at the Lance Projects.
Exemption is said to be in line with Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality’s (WDEQ) assumptions pertaining exemption of the Ross ore zone aquifer facilitating in-situ Leach mining of uranium.
As per the previous conclusions of WDEQ, the aquifer near the project does not currently and cannot in the future serve as a source of drinking water. It is also a mineral producing body that can be demonstrated to contain minerals, which are expected to be commercially beneficial.
Commenting on the approval, Peninsula executive chairman Gus Simpson remarked: "The timely approval by EPA of the aquifer exemption speaks to the thorough work conducted by the WDEQ and the permitting team progressing the Lance Projects to production."
With this approval in place, the company is planning to secure one final license to commence construction of the CPP and wellfields at Ros project. It expects to acquire combined source and by-product material license from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission in December 2013.