Sparton Resources (SRI-V) and WildHorse Energy (WHE-A) have signed a deal with a Hungarian electricity producer to evaluate the potential for extracting uranium and other heavy metals from coal ash waste stations in west-central Hungary.
Bakony Eromus Akja power station has about 20 million tonnes of waste ash material stockpiled, which according to historical data, contain 92 to 154 parts per million U3O8.
In May, Sparton formed a 50-50 joint venture with WildHorse, referred to as Eurash to identify and test power stations in Europe where WildHorse has conventional uranium exploration and development programs.
Eurash plans to do a full geological and technical review based on existing data but will sample and collect additional data if needed. If the first phase is successful, Bakony may become a partner in uranium production. The next step would be to sample the waste piles and determine their overall uranium content and bulk chemistry, followed by leaching tests for uranium recovery rates.
The program will take three to six months.
Sparton has been assessing the uranium potential of coal ash waste from three power stations in Yunnan province, China, after signing a deal with Xiaolongtang Guodian Power Company of Yunnan last January. Sparton says its doing similar programs in 8 countries total, including South Africa and China.
So far, uranium content in fly ash samples in China average 0.46 lbs U3O8 per tonne. The Xiaolongtang station produces 600,000 to 800,000 tonnes of ash each year and has stockpiles of about 5 million tonnes of recoverable ash.
Tests so far have indicated that coal ash has a uranium recovery rate of 70% when a simple acid extraction solution is used.
The waste cannot be used for anything for else because of its high radioactivity and is thus stockpiled in dry re-vegetated disposal areas.
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