NASDAQ:EU
TSXV:EU
www.encoreuranium.com
DALLAS, March 13,
2025 /PRNewswire/ - enCore Energy
Corp. (NASDAQ: EU) (TSXV: EU) (the "Company" or
"enCore"), America's Clean Energy CompanyTM,
today announced the successful startup of its second Ion Exchange
("IX") Circuit at its South Texas Alta Mesa In-Situ Recovery
("ISR") Uranium Central Processing Plant ("Alta Mesa CPP"). IX
Circuits collect uranium from process water pumped from recovery
wells in the wellfield. This second IX Circuit at Alta Mesa doubles
the total flow capacity from 2,500 gallons per minute ("GPM") to
5,000 GPM. Flow rate is an essential factor in expanding the amount
of uranium captured.

In conjunction with the expansion of processing capacity, enCore
has installed additional injection and extraction wells in the
currently permitted and operational Wellfield 7 ("PAA-7"). The
combination of the second IX Circuit and wellfield expansion
utilizes approximately 75% of the current processing capacity.
Additional wells will be brought online systematically in order to
reach CPP capacity and increase the capture of uranium.
Executive Chairman, William M.
Sheriff, stated: "At any given concentration of dissolved
uranium in water, the more solution you pump, the more uranium that
can be captured. At the Alta Mesa CPP, we have learned that our
extraction process is faster than anticipated, which is expected to
be positive for revenue and return on investment. The work on the
second IX Circuit and additions to the wellfield have been underway
for several months. While we are pleased to see the second IX
Circuit operating, we look forward to full utilization of this
increase in capacity. With additional drill rigs and
accelerated effort, we look forward to steady advancement of our
uranium capture rates."
To view the Alta Mesa CPP and Wellfields map please visit:
https://rb.gy/s1hpzy.
Significant Highlights:
- The wellfield decline curve at Alta Mesa is quite steep,
achieving approximately 80% uranium capture in just over 4 months.
While total capture of uranium is comparable between most Wyoming
ISR operations and Alta Mesa, the wellfield decline curve at other
projects tends to be much flatter, taking 12 to 15 months for 80%
recovery months due to differences in physical and chemical
properties of the host rock and the process water;
- With this capture rate, enCore experiences a very quick
recovery of uranium, however this necessitates an aggressive
drilling and well completion schedule with an emphasis on
logistics, urgency and oversight in the continued development and
expansion of the wellfield;
- With the addition of the second IX Circuit, the Alta Mesa CPP
now has a total flow capacity of 5,000 GPM, operating two of its
three fully licensed IX Circuits at the Alta Mesa CPP;
- Work is underway for systematic and more aggressive expansion
of Wellfield 7 with 22 drill rigs now operating on the Company's
projects; 17 drill rigs are currently working on increasing uranium
extraction at Alta Mesa. The drilling program has been expanding
since year end and the Company is actively engaged in further
increasing this number of drill rigs in the coming weeks and
months;
- During the past six months, an additional 43 injection wells
and 36 recovery wells have been added to Wellfield 7 feeding the
second IX Circuit at the Alta Mesa CPP with a total flow rate of
1,450 GPM. Ongoing development of the wellfield to supply
additional uranium bearing water to the second IX Circuit is
continuing toward total circuit flow capacity with the addition of
13 injection wells and 13 recovery wells anticipated over the next
6 weeks;
- Work is underway to return Wellfield 6 ("PAA-6") to operation
within the next 6 months. Wellfield 6 was in operation when Alta
Mesa shut down in 2012/2013 with 370,000 lbs. of a Measured uranium
("U3O8") resource remaining1;
- There is currently 1 drill rig operating at the Upper Spring
Creek Project where drilling will be completed in the next few
days. The drill rig will be redeployed to Wellfield 7, bringing the
total there to 18, after a short program at the Rosita Extension
where a series of close space fences will delineate a portion of
the wellfield that has not been exploited to date. Depending on the
outcome, drilling of additional wells may be expected to come
online within the next 3 to 4 months at the Rosita CPP;
- Construction and installation of the wellfield at the Upper
Spring Creek Project will commence once the final permits have been
received, this is expected before year end;
- A third IX Circuit is on site and recommissioning is planned
for 2026. Once the third IX Circuit is online, it will bring
processing capacity to 7,500 GPM, which will bring the Alta Mesa
CPP to 100% of its IX capacity;
- An IX Circuit is similar to a water softener treatment which
selectively removes hardness ions from water. Each IX Circuit at
the Alta Mesa CPP contains four upflow columns and 2 downflow
columns that contain the IX resin used to capture uranium from the
produced water before it is recycled back into the wellfield,
thereby minimizing the amount of water consumed in the ISR
process.
About the Alta Mesa Uranium CPP and Wellfield
The Alta Mesa Project hosts a fully licensed and constructed ISR
Central Processing Plant and operational wellfield located on
200,000+ acres of private land and mineral rights in and regulated
by the state of Texas. Total
operating capacity at the Alta Mesa CPP is 1.5 million lbs.
U3O8 (uranium) per year with additional
drying capacity of 0.5 million lbs. The Alta Mesa Project
operates under a 70/30 joint venture with Boss Energy Limited (ASX:
BOE; OTCQX: BQSSF) that is managed by the Company.
The Alta Mesa CPP historically produced nearly 5 million lbs. of
uranium between 2005 and 2013 when production was curtailed as a
result of low prices. The Alta Mesa Project utilizes well known ISR
technology to extract uranium in a non-invasive process using
natural groundwater and oxygen. Currently, oxygenated water is
being circulated in the wellfield through injection or extraction
wells plumbed directly into the primary pipelines feeding the Alta
Mesa CPP. Expansion of the wellfield will continue with production
to steadily increase from the wellfield as expansion continues
through 2025 and beyond.
John M. Seeley, Ph.D., P.G.,
C.P.G., enCore's Manager of Geology and Exploration, and a
Qualified Person under NI 43-101 and Regulation S-K subpart 1300 of
the Exchange Act of 1933 as amended, has reviewed and approved the
technical disclosure in this news release on behalf of the
Company.
About enCore Energy Corp.
enCore Energy Corp., America's Clean Energy Company™, is
committed to providing clean, reliable, and affordable fuel for
nuclear energy as the only United
States uranium company with multiple Central Processing
Plants in operation. The enCore team is led by industry experts
with extensive knowledge and experience in all aspects of In-Situ
Recovery ("ISR") uranium operations and the nuclear fuel cycle.
enCore solely utilizes ISR for uranium extraction, a well-known and
proven technology co-developed by the leaders at enCore Energy.
Following upon enCore's demonstrated success in South Texas, future projects in enCore's
planned project pipeline include the Dewey-Burdock project in
South Dakota and the Gas Hills
project in Wyoming. The Company
holds other assets including non-core assets and proprietary
databases. enCore is committed to working with local communities
and indigenous governments to create positive impact from corporate
developments.
www.encoreuranium.com
1Alta Mesa
Uranium Project, Brooks County, Texas, USA, S-K 1300 Technical
Report Summary" dated February 19, 2025 and effective December 31,
2024 prepared by Stuart Bryan Soliz, PG of SOLA Project
Services.
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Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking
Statements:
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX
Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this release.
This press release contains "forward-looking statements"
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995 and Canadian securities laws that are based on management's
current expectations, assumptions, and beliefs. Forward-looking
statements can often be identified by such words as "expects",
"anticipates", "plans", "believes", "intends", "continue",
"potential", "remains", and similar expressions or variations
(including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or
statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could",
or "will" be taken. Forward-looking statements and information that
are not statements of historical fact include, but are not limited
to, any information relating to statements regarding future or
potential extraction, and any other statements regarding future
expectations, beliefs, goals or prospects, statements regarding the
success of current and future ISR operations, including projects in
our pipeline, our accelerated wellfield development and uranium
extraction plans, the timing and number of additional injection and
recovery wells, the expectation that the Company's extraction
process is faster than anticipated will be positive for revenue and
return on investment and anticipated processing capacity, the
processing capacity once the third IX Circuit is online,
anticipated production increasing from the wellfield as expansion
continues through 2025 and beyond should be considered
forward looking statements. All such forward-looking statements are
not guarantees of future results and forward-looking statements are
subject to important risks and uncertainties, many of which are
beyond the Company's ability to control or predict, that could
cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in
any forward looking statement, including those described in greater
detail in our filings with the SEC and on SEDAR+, particularly
those described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, annual
information from and MD&A. Forward-looking statements
necessarily involve known and unknown risks, including, without
limitation, risks associated with assumptions regarding timing and
schedule of the projects, general economic conditions; adverse
industry events; future legislative and regulatory developments;
the ability of enCore to implement its business strategies; and
other risks. A number of important factors could cause actual
results or events to differ materially from those indicated or
implied by such forward-looking statements, including without
limitation exploration and development risks, changes in commodity
prices, access to skilled personnel, the results of exploration and
development activities; extraction risks; uninsured risks;
regulatory risks; defects in title; the availability of materials
and equipment, timeliness of government approvals and unanticipated
environmental impacts on operations; litigation risks; risks posed
by the economic and political environments in which the Company
operates and intends to operate; increased competition; assumptions
regarding market trends and the expected demand and desires for the
Company's products and proposed products; adverse market
conditions, the failure to satisfy ongoing regulatory requirements
and factors relating to forward looking statements listed above.
Should one or more of these risks materialize, or should
assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove
incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described
herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated, or
expected. The Company assumes no obligation to update the
information in this communication, except as required by law.
Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is
contained in filings by the Company with the various securities
commissions which are available online at
www.sec.gov and www.sedarplus.ca.
Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of
providing information about the current expectations, beliefs and
plans of management. Such statements may not be appropriate for
other purposes and readers should not place undue reliance on these
forward-looking statements, that speak only as of the date hereof,
as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or
expectations upon which they are based will occur. Such
information, although considered reasonable by management at the
time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results
may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking
statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified
by this cautionary statement.
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SOURCE enCore Energy Corp.