CHAMWE KAIRA
Deep Yellow has said that construction mobilisation at its Tumas uranium project in the Erongo region is expected to commence in August, with the civil and concrete works to be delivered sequentially.
The company has already awarded two contracts worth a combined estimated N$389 million for civil and concrete works at the project as the company advances towards a Final Investment Decision (FID) expected in the fourth quarter of this year.
Following a competitive tender process, Namibia Construction Pty Ltd was awarded the first contract, valued at approximately N$212 million.
The contract covers reinforced concrete construction within the beneficiation, leach feed thickening and tailings transfer facilities, as well as the fabrication and installation of precast concrete elements across the processing plant.
It also includes the design and construction of a reinforced earth retaining wall supporting the run-of-mine stockpile.
The second contract, valued at approximately N$177 million, was awarded to Nexus Building and Civils Contractors Pty Ltd.
Its scope includes the construction of reinforced concrete foundations, plinths, slabs and associated embedded infrastructure throughout the balance of plant.
Deep Yellow said the contracts would not alter the project’s critical path or its planned 24-month construction schedule following the FID.
However, the company said the works would establish multiple concurrent work fronts, providing greater execution flexibility, reducing schedule risk and increasing confidence in successful project delivery.
“These awards represent another important milestone in our disciplined approach to project development,” Deep Yellow managing director and chief executive officer Greg Field said.
“Our objective has always been to systematically remove execution risk, secure high-quality contractors and ensure the project is positioned for efficient delivery as we advance toward FID towards the end of this year.”
The contract awards represent another step in Deep Yellow’s preparations for the development of Tumas, which forms part of the company’s dual-pillar growth strategy aimed at establishing a globally diversified uranium producer with a targeted production profile of more than 10 million pounds per annum.
The company’s development portfolio is anchored by the Tumas Project in Namibia and the Mulga Rock Project in Western Australia.
Both projects are being positioned to support the company’s planned long-term production growth, while its exploration portfolio includes the Alligator River project in Australia’s Northern Territory and Omahola in Namibia.
