Aura Egy Regulatory News (AURA)

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AURA ENERGY LIMITED

("Aura" or the "Company")

MARCH QUARTERLY REPORT 30th April 2019

KEY POINTS:

QUARTER SUMMARY

During the March quarter Aura Energy made several definitive steps towards realising production status for the Tiris Uranium Project.

Following the granting of the Tiris Exploitation Licence in December Aura concluded two significant agreements being;

· Production offtake for the Tiris Uranium Project and

· Appointment of a Financial Advisor for funding the combined package of the Tiris and Häggån Projects via Export Credit Agency support

These important steps form strong building blocks to the completion of the Tiris Project presenting the company as near-term production candidate.

Work on the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) was constrained during the period due to funding issues, however, metallurgical test work and engineering design continued at a strong pace.

The drilling program on the Häggån Vanadium Project to upgrade the Mineral Resource to Measured and Indicated status neared completion at the quarter end. This will lead directly to the release of the Vanadium Scoping Study in the coming months.

Aura also conducted a Placement and SPP during the quarter which ultimately raised less than anticipated.

During the March quarter, Aura completed;

· 1,900 metres of diamond drilling in 14 holes as part of the resource drilling program at the Häggån Battery Metals Project

· A successful study of the clay materials handling issue for Tiris

· Finalised a significant uranium offtake agreement

· Appointed a Financial Advisor for the Tiris and Häggån Projects

HÄGGÅN VANADIUM PROJECT (Sweden)

• Häggån Vanadium Project drilling continued throughout the Nordic winter with the program more than 80% complete by the end of the quarter.

TIRIS URANIUM PROJECT (Mauritania)

• Water drilling targets have been identified from ground geophysical surveys and preparations for drill testing were advanced at the end of the quarter.

TASIAST SOUTH GOLD PROJECT (Mauritania)

• After a long delay, two gold and battery metal exploration permits in the Tasiast district were approved by the Mauritanian Council of Ministers.

HÄGGÅN BATTERY METALS PROJECT, SWEDEN (AURA 100%)

Diamond drilling aimed at upgrading a substantial portion of the Häggån resource to Measured and Indicated status continued through the quarter. Progress was marginally slower than anticipated due to the severity of the northern winter which gave rise to some operating issues particularly to the impact of water freezing. However, the program was more than 80% complete at quarter's end.

Aura's independent resource consultant made a visit to the project area to review procedures and quality assurance protocols.

Geology

The infill diamond drilling commenced at Häggån in late November 2018 aimed at upgrading 250 million lbs V2O5 to Measured and Indicated Resource status. The program involves 3,000 metres of drilling in 22 holes and was within 2 weeks of completion at the end of the quarter.

The program is focussed on the northwest high-grade vanadium zone. As well as containing high grade vanadium, the mineralisation comes close to surface in this zone with the top of mineralisation averaging circa 27 metres below surface in the recent drilling.

While the mineralisation is up to 200 metres thick the drilling is aiming to test only the upper 100 metres as this is likely to support mining for the first 15 years.

Figure 1: Häggån Battery Metals Project location

Figure 2: Häggån resource location & tenements

TIRIS PROJECT, MAURITANIA (AURA 100%)

Figure 3. Location of Aura's Tiris Uranium Resources

Geology & Water

Targets for water drilling have been identified by ground geophysics and were prioritised during the quarter. A water drilling contractor has been selected and preparations for drill testing of targets were well advanced at the end of the quarter.

The water search program is aimed at locating water in reasonable proximity to the planned plant site in order to minimise costs.

These water targets lie within a shallow but large basinal topography believed to be favourable for ground water accumulation.

It is encouraging that recent water drilling by the government around 50 km south of the Tiris project area in similar geology is reported to have located good volumes of water at two locations.

Water drilling is anticipated to commence in May 2019. 

Metallurgy & Process Development

Highlights:

· Resolution of the materials handling/ clay in the leaching circuit

· Simple update to process flow sheet implemented to address issue resulting in only minor impacts

· Leaching test work by ANSTO Minerals demonstrated >2% improvement in uranium extraction for new leach feed

· Ion Exchange test work supported assumptions utilised in process flow sheet design

· Solid liquid separation modelling supported assumptions utilised in process flow sheet design

· Bulk scrubbing and screening characterisation has been delayed due to a shortfall in funds

The metallurgical test work program supporting the Tiris Uranium Feasibility Study continued through the quarter. The program has been undertaken on 3 representative bulk composite samples sourced from trench intervals samples generated in the April 2018 trenching program. These bulk composite samples were developed to be representative of key processing domains covering the first 3 years of planned production from the Lazare North and Lazare South Resources. Domains were generated based on uranium upgrade factor, sulphate mineral rejection factor and particle size distribution. 

Materials Handling and Clays

It was previously reported (December 2018 Quarterly dated 31 January 2019) that beneficiated Tiris material presented unanticipated materials handling characteristics in the alkaline leach process. Through the quarter, a detailed first principles characterisation and remediation program was undertaken to understand the source of this issue and define a practical solution.

The program included detailed mineralogical characterisation of the material, supported by a systematic rheological investigation to define process response under different conditions. The mineralogical investigation identified preferential upgrade of swelling and non-swelling clay minerals in the beneficiation process. This was a consequence of the process flow sheet aiming to maximise the benefits of the positive distribution of uranium bearing carnotite to fine screen fractions. 

To address the materials handling issue, a minor change to the process flowsheet was required. This involved increasing the screen cut size in the beneficiation circuit from 75µm to 150µm, which also has additional benefits of improving the dewatering characteristics of the material. In addition, the solids density in the leaching circuit was reduced from 35% w/w solids to 30% w/w solids. The overall engineering impact of these process changes is considered to be minor. One positive outcome was that overall uranium recovery in the process was improved by 0.6% due to additional recovery in the beneficiation circuit.

It is a significant positive for the project that the issue with materials handling was identified at this early stage. It has allowed the team to develop a practical update to the flow sheet configuration that has resulted in minor overall impacts and significantly reduced risk associated with commissioning of the process. Understanding the practical limits for clay mineral concentration in leach feed will allow the operations team to effectively plan to eliminate any impacts.

ANSTO Leaching and Ion Exchange Program

A program to confirm the leaching and uranium recovery conditions continues with ANSTO Minerals and funding being provided by way of the Commonwealth government Innovations Connections grant. This program was due for completion during the quarter but was delayed due to the remedial program undertaken to address materials handling issues. Key components of the program were completed through the quarter.

Bulk leaching tests were completed on each of the 3 Domain samples utilising synthetic site water. The results of these showed between 96.5% and 97.7% uranium extraction within the 12-hour residence time. This was an improvement on previous results, where average uranium extraction of 94% had been achieved. In addition, between 55.2% and 63.6% vanadium extraction was also achieved.

Following the bulk leaching test work, a program of ion exchange testing on pregnant leach solution was undertaken. This test work, performed using Strong Base Anionic (SBA) resins, showed positive recovery and elution of uranium by ion exchange.

Test work as part of this program focusing on precipitation of final uranium product is ongoing and completion is expected in Q2 2019.

Dewatering characterisation

A program for characterisation of the solid liquid separation behaviour of beneficiated material was initiated with Rheological Consulting Services (RCS) in Q4 2018. This program was completed in the current quarter. The outcomes of this program were consistent with assumptions made through the design process.

Scrubbing and screening characterisation

A concurrent program at Mintek Laboratories, Johannesburg, South Africa was delayed pending completion of materials handling investigations. This program remains delayed due to the shortfall in fundraising. The program will be completed within the second quarter to feed into the final DFS results.

Conclusions

Overall, progress on the metallurgical test work program for Tiris is progressing well. While some delays have been experienced, the additional findings have significantly strengthened the Tiris process and have allowed early identification of issues that may cause complications during commissioning of the process. Generally, the results of test work to date have supported the assumptions made in design and only minor circuit changes have been required.

TASIAST SOUTH GOLD PROJECT, MAURITANIA (AURA 100%)

On March 28, the Mauritanian Council of Ministers approved the grant to Tiris International Mining Company SA, a wholly owned Mauritanian subsidiary of Aura Energy Limited, of two exploration permits covering 175 km2 in the Tasiast district (see ASX Announcement, dated 2 April 2019). Grant of these permits has been pending for around 3 years and Aura is delighted these have at last been approved.

The tenements cover two under-explored mineralised Archean greenstone belts in Mauritania (see Figure 4). The areas lie along strike from Kinross' giant +20 Moz Tasiast Gold Mine and from Algold's Tijirit gold deposits. 

Aura has long maintained that these tenements, along strike from the large Tasiast gold mine, and with strong base and battery metal results, represent some of the best under-explored greenstone belt targets in the world.

These highly prospective gold, base and battery metal areas represent an excellent opportunity in lightly explored Archean greenstone belts and will leverage Aura's extensive operating experience in this part of the world.

The project is favourably located 200 km from Aura's Nouakchott office, 60 km from the coast, and can be managed efficiently within the company's existing management resources without distraction from Aura's core uranium focus.

Figure 4: Location of the Tasiast South project within the West African gold province

The permit areas cover portions of two greenstone belts which contain gold mineralisation along strike, including the +20 million oz Tasiast deposit and the Tijirit gold deposits currently being actively drilled (see Figure 5).

The areas have been evaluated by only one previous explorer which was forced to suspend activities in the mineral industry downturn in 2012, despite having located zones of significant gold mineralisation.

Figure 5. Location of Aura's Gold application areas in relation to

known mineralisation

Members of Aura's current technical team were involved in this previous work and are well acquainted with the area.

Aura's Tasiast South project area has the following attributes;

• Tenements over two lightly explored greenstone belts covering 175 km2

• The +20 Moz Tasiast gold deposit is nearby on the same greenstone belt and highlights the gold bearing character and potential for major deposits in these belts

• $3m has been expended by the previous explorer on airborne geophysics, reverse circulation and air-core drilling, and sampling

• Broad zones of gold mineralisation have been identified with strong similarities to the Tasiast Gold Mine mineralisation and alteration

• No testing deeper than 150m with most previous holes less than 100m

• High grade drill intersections have been reported by others in the district from both past and current programs, including one in progress by Algold Resources (TSX), which highlight the current interest and potential in these poorly tested belts

Air-core drilling to bedrock by the previous explorer located several anomalous gold zones, up to eight kilometres in length.

The Ghassariat Prospect intersections occur in strongly sulphidic and quartz-veined mafic volcanics and have marked similarities with some of the ore zones and near-ore alteration zones at the neighbouring Kinross Tasiast Mine.

Drilling to date has generally been shallow with some limited deeper RC testing below anomalous gold values in air core drilling. A systematic program of drilling beneath areas of gold mineralisation defined by the previous explorer as well as testing of new targets is planned.

Ground geophysics is being planned to better define zones of mineralisation and drilling targets.

Nickel and Battery Metal Potential

Previous exploration on these permit areas, while focussed primarily on gold, also located strongly anomalous nickel and cobalt values in several areas, associated with ultramafic rocks (see Figure 6). In parts of the tenements, high nickel values are associated with anomalous copper highlighting potential for nickel-copper sulphide mineralisation, as occurs also in the greenstone belts of Australia and Canada. At this stage there has been no follow-up work carried out on these nickel targets.

Figure 6: Key nickel results in bedrock sampling by air-core drilling

Figure 7. Nickel intersections at Bella. Red dots: RC holes, yellow dots: vertical AC. 

All RC holes returned intersections of + 0.5% Ni. (Background image is 1st vertical derivative total mag intensity. Note strongest magnetics (white zones) not tested)

The company believes these are exceptional prospects which could deliver Aura multiple projects.

CORPORATE

Uranium Offtake

As previously advised, Aura has signed a binding off-take agreement with Curzon Uranium Trading Limited (Curzon) for the sale of its uranium production from the Tiris Uranium Project.

The agreement with Curzon covers the sale of 800,000 pounds of uranium production at fixed prices with a further 1.8 million pounds production available to Curzon as option volumes at fixed and market pricing. The agreement is over a seven-year period starting from the commencement of the mine and extendable thereafter by mutual consent.

The average price of the agreement is above US$44 per pound U₃O₈ compared with the current spot price of around US$29 per pound U₃O₈ and comfortably above Tiris' total operating cost.

With Tiris' anticipated production of approximately 1 million pounds U₃O₈ per annum, importantly the fixed pricing volumes of this agreement account for between 15 to 30% of production. This will ensure Aura Energy remains strongly exposed to the potentially higher uranium prices Aura expects in the future. Aura has also included the ability to claw back certain option volumes at its election should the price warrant this action.

Appointment of Financial Advisor

Also subsequent to quarter-end, Aura advised that it had appointed the London based financial advisory firms, SD Capital Advisory Limited and GKB Ventures Limited as joint finance advisors to arrange funding for both the Tiris Uranium Project in Mauritania and the Häggån Vanadium Project in Sweden. 

The funding mandate will be undertaken jointly and will cover the financing requirements for the near term Tiris Uranium Project and the Häggån Vanadium Project as a combined finance package. The Mandate commenced on 25 January 2019 whilst the Tiris DFS is being completed and will continue through the Häggån vanadium work until completion of its DFS.

Under the Mandate, SD Capital and GKB Ventures will seek up to 85% of the combined capital cost for both the Tiris and Häggån Projects by way of Export Credit Agency (ECA) support. ECA support is an important element in the funding of projects especially in developing economies.

ECA finance allows national governments to provide support to development projects in a range of sectors and in return for that support, the project developer is required to source a significant proportion of a project's goods and services from the host country.

In 2017, ECA backed support reached upwards of USD 85 billion of which approximately 60% was assigned to developing and emerging markets.

Aura Energy Directory

ASX Code: AEE

AIM Code: AURA

Shares on issue: 1,207,200,524

Unlisted Options on issue: 169,236,144

Warrants on issue: 6,578,699

Performance Rights on issue: 32,500,000

Board of Directors:

Peter Reeve Executive Chairman

Bob Beeson Non-Executive Board Member

Brett Fraser Non-Executive Board Member

Jules Perkins Non-Executive Board Member

Website: www.auraenergy.com.au

For further information contact:

Mr Peter Reeve

Executive Chairman and CEO

Phone +61 3 9516 6500

info@auraenergy.com.au

APPENDIX 1

TIRIS PROJECT MINERAL RESOURCES

(see ASX Announcement, dated 30 April 2018)

Note

Aura is conducting a Definitive Feasibility Study on its 52 million-pound U₃O₈ Mineral Resource (see ASX announcement, dated 30 April 2018. The Tiris Uranium Project is a near-term development project with production expected in 2020. The Company is not aware of any information or data that materially affects the information included in the relevant market announcement and, in the case of Mineral Resources, that all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning estimates in the relevant market announcement continue to apply and have not materially changed.

HAGGAN BATTERY METALS PROJECT

INFERRED MINERAL RESOURCES

(see ASX Announcement, dated 25 October 2018)

Note

Aura is conducting a Scoping Study on its Haggan Vanadium Project Mineral Resource (see ASX announcement, dated 25 October 2018). The Company is not aware of any information or data that materially affects the information included in the relevant market announcement and, in the case of Mineral Resources, that all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning estimates in the relevant market announcement continue to apply and have not materially changed.

Competent Person for Haggan Project

The Competent Person for the Häggån Metallurgical Testwork is Dr Will Goodall. The information in the report to which this statement is attached that relates to the testwork is based on information compiled by Dr Will Goodall. Dr Goodall has sufficient experience that is relevant to the testwork program and to the activity which he is undertaking. This qualifies Dr Goodall as a Competent Personas defined in the 2012 edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves'. Dr Goodall is a Member of The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM). Dr Goodall consents to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.

The Competent Person for the 2012 Häggån Mineral Resource Estimate and classification, updated in 2018, is Mr Rupert Osborn MSc of H&S Consultants Pty Ltd. The information in the report to which this statement is attached that relates to the 2018 Resource Estimate is based on information compiled by Mr Rupert Osborn, who has sufficient experience that is relevant to the resource estimation. This qualifies Mr Osborn as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves'. Mr Osborn is an employee of H&S Consultants Pty Ltd, a Sydney based geological consulting firm. Mr Osborn is a Member of The Australian Institute of Geoscientists (AIG) and consents to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.

The Competent Person for drill hole data, cut-off grade and prospects for eventual economic extraction is Mr Neil Clifford. The information in the report to which this statement is attached that relates to drill hole data, cut-off grade and prospects for eventual economic extraction is based on information compiled by Mr Neil Clifford. Mr Clifford has sufficient experience that is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking. This qualifies Mr Clifford as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves'. Mr Clifford is an independent consultant to Aura Energy. Mr Clifford is a Member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM). Mr Clifford consents to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.

Competent Persons for Tiris Project

The Competent Person for the Tiris Metallurgical Testwork is Dr Will Goodall. The information in the report to which this statement is attached that relates to the testwork is based on information compiled by Dr Will Goodall. Dr Goodall has sufficient experience that is relevant to the testwork program and to the activity which he is undertaking. This qualifies Dr Goodall as a Competent Personas defined in the 2012 edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves'. Dr Goodall is a Member of The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM). Dr Goodall consents to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.

The Competent Person for the 2018 Tiris Resource Mineral Estimate is Mr Arnold van der Heyden of H&S Consulting Pty Ltd. The information in the report to which this statement is attached that relates to the 2018 Resource Estimate is based on information compiled under the supervision of Mr van der Heyden. Mr van der Hayden has sufficient experience that is relevant to the resource estimation. This qualifies Mr van der Heyden as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves'. Mr van der Heyden is a director of H&S Consulting Pty Ltd, a Sydney based geological consulting firm. Mr van der Heyden is a Member and Chartered Professional of The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM) and consents to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.

The Competent Person for drill hole data and for aggregating the 2018 and 2011 resource estimates is Mr Neil Clifford. The information in the report to which this statement is attached that relates to drill hole data and to aggregation of the resource estimates is based on information compiled by Mr Neil Clifford. Mr Clifford has sufficient experience that is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking. This qualifies Mr Clifford as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves'. Mr Clifford is an independent consultant to Aura Energy. Mr Clifford is a Member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM). Mr Clifford consents to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.

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