Wedoany.com Report-Aug. 26, Alligator Energy has received final approval to commence the in-situ Field Recovery Trial (FRT) at the Samphire Uranium Project, located near Whyalla in South Australia. This development marks a significant step in advancing the project toward future stages of evaluation and development.

The FRT will assess areas within the Blackbush deposit mineral resource estimate (MRE) announced in May 2025.

The FRT will involve establishing three well-field patterns and constructing a containerised pilot processing plant. Equipment required for the trial is already located at Alligator’s Whyalla yard, enabling the company to begin preparations without delay. The pilot plant will incorporate a reverse osmosis (RO) system, operations and laboratory units, along with associated tanks and pipework to support testing.

The construction contract has been awarded to Whyalla-based Ahrens Group. The company will manage civil works and the installation of the pilot facilities. To carry out specialised tasks, Ahrens will engage local subcontractors. Mobilisation of key staff and contractors is expected to take between two and six weeks. Watsons Drilling, Alligator’s drilling partner, is preparing to start production well drilling as part of the trial setup.

The construction schedule outlines an eight-week period for completion of all work packages, though external factors such as weather may affect progress. Once construction is completed, commissioning of the plant and systems is expected to take an additional three to four weeks.

Operationally, the FRT will span three to four months. It will include sequential testing of the well rings, with inline analysis and on-site laboratory testing to ensure timely evaluation of results. Upon completion of the FRT and any necessary follow-up testing, the pilot plant and wellfields will be dismantled. The area will then be rehabilitated in line with project requirements.

Alligator Energy Chief Executive Officer Andrea Marsland-Smith said: “This approval marks a pivotal milestone in progressing the Samphire Project toward its next phase of development. The commencement of the trial represents the culmination of 3 years working with DEM and co-agencies, rigorous technical design, testing and collaboration with technology and engineering partners. It will allow us to validate ISR performance in real-world conditions, gather critical information as backbone to a Definitive Feasibility Study and future mining lease approval.”

The FRT will focus on areas within the Blackbush deposit, which is part of the mineral resource estimate (MRE) announced in May 2025. The MRE totals 18.0 million pounds, including 14.2 million pounds indicated and 3.8 million pounds inferred, with an average grade of 676 ppm U3O8. Notably, 78% of the resource is in the indicated category, providing a strong foundation for wellfield design work during the Definitive Feasibility Study.

Through this trial, Alligator Energy aims to validate technical assumptions, confirm ISR performance under site-specific conditions, and collect essential data to support the long-term development strategy of the Samphire Uranium Project.