Exploration, mining, and milling of uranium ore in Mexico

Activities in uranium exploration, mining, and milling in Mexico are reviewed. The total area of Mexico is 1,969,269 km2, of which less than 10% is actively being explored for uranium. As of December 1975, total positive reserves were 8000 MT of U3O8. About 95% of the national territory is regarded as favorable for geological and geophysical uranium exploration and general prospects for substantial additional reserves are very good. The discovery in Mexico of substantial uranium reserves in acidic volcanic rocks has been a significant development since this type of rock was not generally considered as a suitable geologic environment for uranium. A small mill (80 MT of ore per day) operated from 1969 to 1971 and produced 49 MT of U3O8. This mill is on standby and will be reactivated in the future. A new mill based on acid percolation leaching is now nearing completion in Chihuahua in northern Mexico. This mill will process 280 MT of ore per day and will produce 125 MT of U3O8 per year starting in 1977. Another new mill based on conventional acid leaching is now scheduled for construction, also in Chihuahua. Metallurgical studies are now underway and the mill should be commissioned by 1979 or 1980. This mill will process 2000 MT of ore per day producing about 800 MT of U3O8 per year