Ur-Energy Inc.
Overview
Ur-Energy Inc. is a junior uranium producer headquartered in Littleton, United States, operating primarily in USA. The company's portfolio consists of 2 projects, comprising 1 operating mine and 1 development project, in addition to several early-stage exploration prospects. Key assets include Lost Creek and Shirley Basin. The organization's business model is centered on in-situ recovery (ISR) mining, a technique selected for its cost-effectiveness and minimal surface disturbance with certain types of mineralization. A key differentiator is the company's fully integrated processing facility, which encompasses all circuits for capture, concentration, drying, and final product packaging. This contrasts with some industry peers that operate only as capture plants and rely on third-party agreements for final processing. The plant was designed with significant excess capacity, a feature intended to facilitate routine and non-routine maintenance without disrupting production schedules. This built-in capacity also provides the strategic flexibility to process materials from other mineral projects or to engage in toll-milling contracts for other regional producers. A notable operational characteristic is the advanced water management approach. The enterprise implemented a Class V water treatment system that became operational in 2017, significantly reducing wastewater generation during production by treating and reinjecting clean water. Further enhancements are underway with the design of a new filtration and wastewater treatment facility aimed at reducing wastewater generation by an additional 70 percent, underscoring a commitment to water conservation and operational efficiency.
Strategy
Strategic direction centers on a dual-pronged growth plan involving the ramp-up of its initial operating facility to commercial levels while concurrently advancing the construction and development of a second, fully-permitted flagship property. A key element of this expansion is leveraging existing infrastructure; the new site will be developed as a satellite plant, with loaded resin transported to the existing central processing facility for final drying and packaging, optimizing capital expenditure and operational logistics. The commercial strategy relies on securing a portfolio of multi-year sales agreements with global nuclear fuel purchasers, which provide revenue predictability. These contracts feature a mix of escalated fixed-price and market-related pricing components, often with floor and ceiling provisions to mitigate price volatility. A renewed focus on exploration is planned to identify additional mineral resources, aiming to replenish and expand the asset base to support long-term production. The organization's capital allocation approach is demonstrated by its decision to prepay its outstanding state bond loan, strengthening its financial position. Future development and exploration activities are supported by a disciplined approach to capital management, including the use of equity financing to fund growth initiatives.
Management
Executive leadership was recently strengthened with the appointment of a Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, a certified health physicist with a master's degree in the field and direct experience as a former manager of a state-level regulatory program. This appointment brings deep expertise in licensing, compliance, and environmental health and safety. In 2024, the Board of Directors was refreshed with the appointment of 2 new members, concurrent with the retirement of 2 long-serving directors. One new appointee is a chartered professional accountant with a 16-year tenure as a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, offering extensive experience in acquisitions, capital markets, and financial oversight within the mining industry. The other new director brings over 25 years of experience in the commercial and government nuclear sector, including senior executive roles at Centrus Energy Corporation and expertise in nuclear nonproliferation and fuel cycle strategy. Board governance includes direct oversight of risk management, with the Audit Committee and the HSE & Technical Committee tasked with specific responsibilities related to cybersecurity risks. Management provides at least quarterly reports to the board on information technology matters, including security assessments and mitigation measures.
Sustainability
The organization's environmental stewardship is demonstrated through its operational methods and specific technological initiatives. The use of in-situ recovery (ISR) inherently reduces surface disturbance compared to conventional mining techniques. A core focus is on water conservation, highlighted by the implementation of a Class V water treatment system which significantly reduces wastewater by treating and reinjecting clean water into shallow formations. The entity is advancing this commitment with detailed design and engineering for a new filtration and wastewater treatment facility, setting a goal to further reduce wastewater generation by at least an additional 70 percent. The company actively manages its operational footprint through a licensed byproduct material disposal site, ensuring waste is handled in compliance with federal and state regulations. Proactive wildlife management is another key aspect of its sustainability practices. The enterprise works closely with state and federal agencies to mitigate impacts on protected species, operating under an approved adaptive management plan that includes specific calendar restrictions on drilling and construction activities to avoid disturbing local fauna during sensitive periods. This plan is designed to allow year-round production and operational activities within pre-approved areas while protecting the surrounding ecosystem.
Structure
The corporate structure is headed by a parent company, Ur-Energy Inc., which operates through its direct, wholly-owned subsidiary, Ur-Energy USA Inc. This primary U.S. subsidiary holds 3 distinct wholly-owned operational and land-holding entities. These include Lost Creek ISR, LLC, which manages the company's primary operating facility; NFU Wyoming, LLC, which serves as the land holding and exploration entity; and Pathfinder Mines Corporation. The current structure was largely formed through key historical acquisitions. The acquisition of Pathfinder Mines Corporation in 2013 brought a portfolio of properties and extensive historical geologic and engineering data under the company's control. Prior to that, the 2005 purchase of NFU Wyoming, LLC established the initial foundation for the company's primary operational base and land holdings. The organization's growth and operational activities are conducted through this framework of wholly-owned subsidiaries, with no joint ventures or strategic partnerships mentioned in the provided documentation.
Source
Ur-energy Inc. - Form 10-k - 2024
- Project should be interpreted as a single, group or complex of mines, deposits or other mineral assets. Name of the project should be identical to the official company naming convention.
- The ranges of values provided are indicative and should not be regarded as exact figures.
- Figures for exploration and development projects are based on available data and are indicative only; actual values may vary substantially.
- Royalties frequently apply to specific mineralized areas that may not coincide exactly with the boundaries of the overall project. As a result, even if a mine is currently in operation, the portion subject to the royalty may not be included in extraction activities until future years.
- Commodities are listed from most dominant to least dominant. Only selected commodities are shown.
- Table might not include all projects that are currently owned by the company. Displayed data are snapshots of the company's projects in time and might not be up to date.
- Exploration projects are partially represented in the table. Only projects with mineralization or strategic importance are shown.
- Companies might own processing facilities that are not included in the table. Those facilities play important role especially for companies operating in uranium, nickel and lithium sectors.
- Chart is always based on the company's primary listing.
- Presented values are denominated in currency of the country where the company is headquartered. Values like market capitalization might differ from the values visible in other parts of the page, where the currency is always USD.
- koz au: Thousand ounces of gold (production volume)
- moz au: Million ounces of gold (resource base or production volume)
- g/t: Grams per tonne (grade of gold or silver in ore)
- usd/oz au: US dollars per ounce of gold (cost metric)
- moz ag: Million ounces of silver (resource base or production volume)
- g/t ag: Grams per tonne of silver in ore (grade)
- usd/oz ag: US dollars per ounce of silver (cost metric)
- kt cu: Thousand tonnes of copper (production volume)
- mt ore: Million tonnes of ore (resource base for copper)
- %: Percent copper or uranium in ore (grade)
- usd/lb cu: US dollars per pound of copper (cost metric)
- mlb U3O8: Million pounds of uranium oxide (U3O8) (production or resource base)
- % eU3O8: Percent equivalent uranium oxide in ore (grade)
- usd/lb u3o8: US dollars per pound of uranium oxide (cost metric)
- Open Pit: Surface mining method using large excavated terraces to extract ore
- Underground: Subsurface mining through shafts, tunnels, and chambers
- ISR (In-Situ Recovery): Solution mining method using chemical leaching without excavation
- Exploration: Early-stage project searching for and defining mineral deposits
- Development: Mine under construction or preparation for production
- Operating: Active mine currently extracting and processing ore
- Expansion: Mine temporarily suspended or with limited production, in progress to increase production in the future
- Reclamation: Mine permanently closed or no longer producing, but the site is being rehabilitated
- P&P (Proven and Probable Reserves): Highest confidence mineral resources with detailed mine plans, it's a subset of M&I
- M&I (Measured and Indicated Resources): Well-defined resources with good geological confidence
- Inf (Inferred Resources): Estimated resources with limited geological confidence
- Scoping Study: High-level assessment to determine if a project warrants further investigation
- PEA (Preliminary Economic Assessment): Initial economic evaluation of a mineral project
- Pre-Feasibility (Preliminary Feasibility Study): Intermediate-level technical and economic assessment
- Feasibility (Definitive Feasibility Study): Comprehensive technical and economic evaluation for investment decisions
- BFS (Bankable Feasibility Study): Detailed study meeting lender requirements for project financing
- NPV (Net Present Value): Discounted value of future cash flows minus initial investment
- IRR (Internal Rate of Return): Discount rate that makes NPV equal to zero
- Payback Period: Time required to recover initial capital investment from project cash flows
- AISC (All-In Sustaining Cost): Total cost per ounce including sustaining capital and corporate costs
- Royalty: Payment to landowner/government based on percentage of production value or revenue
- Stream: Agreement to purchase future production at predetermined price, often below market rate
- NSR (Net Smelter Return): Royalty based on net revenue after smelting and refining costs
- GRR (Gross Revenue Royalty): Royalty based on total gross revenue before any deductions
- NPI (Net Profits Interest): Royalty based on net profits after operating costs and capital recovery