• Project Summary
  • Royalty Description
  • Recent Updates
  • Project History

The Michelin Project is a Development stage conventional uranium project located in Labrador and Newfoundland, Canada covering approximately 69,800 hectares of mineral licenses and is located approximately 140 kilometers north of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, and 40 kilometers southwest of Postville, Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Michelin Project is owned by Aurora Energy Ltd. Aurora Energy Ltd. is 70% owned by Paladin who has certain rights to increase its interest in the project by 5% per year, beginning May 31, 2018, to 75%.

In a presentation dated March 2021, Paladin disclosed that US$75 million of total historical in ground exploration had occurred at the project. In June of 2018, Paladin disclosed that, as a consequence of the continuing weakness in the uranium spot price, the Michelin Project currently operates on minimum activity and expenditure at a level intended to maintain the claims in good standing.

In Paladin’s Quarterly Activities Report for the quarter ended January 19, 2023, Paladin announced completion of the summer exploration field program conducted at Michelin in Labrador, Canada, with the analysis of data collected nearing completion. Paladin stated that this analysis will assist in deriving a new exploration model designed to generate new drill targets for future exploration drilling programs.

Mineral Resources – As of January 31, 2018 (100% Basis)
Measured Indicated Inferred
Tonnes
(Mt)
Grade
(% U3O8)
Content
(MLbs. U3O8)
Tonnes
(Mt)
Grade
(% U3O8)
Content
(MLbs. U3O8)
Tonnes
(Mt)
Grade
(% U3O8)
Content
(MLbs. U3O8)
17.80 0.10 38.00 36.7 0.08 67.60 13.10 0.08 22.10
Notes on mineral resources:
  1. Refer to ASX Announcement dated 31 January 2018 “Correction to 30 June 2017 Annual Report” pp13-15, JORC Code 2012 compliant and SEDAR lodgment (TSX:FRG) dated 8 September 2009 “Fronteer Reports Positive Preliminary Economic Assessment for Michelin Uranium Project”, JORC Code 2004 compliant
  2. Mineral Resources were reporting using a U3O8 price of $US85/lb
  3. 200 ppm U3O8 for Open Pit/ 500 ppm U3O8 for Underground for all except Jacques Lake UG @ 250 ppm
  4. Mineral Resources do not have demonstrated economic viability
  5. Totals may not add due to rounding

The Michelin Royalty is a 2.0% gross revenue royalty on uranium recovered from the underlying property, calculated based on the actual proceeds of sales of uranium, without deductions. The Michelin Royalty was created pursuant to a royalty agreement between Altius Resources Inc. and Labrador Uranium Co. Ltd. (now Aurora Energy Resources Inc.), dated June 17, 2005, which was subsequently assumed by 0897974 B.C. Ltd. (now Aurora Energy Ltd.), a wholly owned subsidiary of Paladin Energy Ltd. ("Paladin"). As a result of internal reorganizations involving Altius Resources Inc. and its affiliate companies, the Michelin Royalty was held by Altius Royalty Corp.

The information below regarding project milestones and recent developments for the Michelin Project has been summarized from Paladin's public disclosure.

In 2014, Paladin announced the completion of a mineral resource estimate for the Michelin Project and, in 2017, announced the a JORC(1) compliant resource estimate for the Michelin Project that included a measured and indicated resource of 105.60 Mlbs U3O8 (54.4 million tonnes at an average grade of 0.088% U3O8)  and an inferred resource of 22.10 Mlbs U3O8 (13.10 million tonnes at an average grade of 0.077% U3O8).

In a presentation dated March 2021, Paladin disclosed that US$75 million of total historical in ground exploration had occurred at the project. In June of 2018, Paladin disclosed that, as a consequence of the continuing weakness in the uranium spot price, the Michelin Project currently operates on minimum activity and expenditure at a level intended to maintain the claims in good standing.

In Paladin’s Quarterly Activities Report for the quarter ended January 19, 2023, Paladin announced completion of the summer exploration field program conducted at Michelin in Labrador, Canada, with the analysis of data collected nearing completion. Paladin stated that this analysis will assist in deriving a new exploration model designed to generate new drill targets for future exploration drilling programs.

(1) The 2012 Edition of the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves.

The information below regarding project milestones and recent developments for the Michelin Project has been summarized from Paladin's public disclosure.

The deposit at the Michelin Project was initially discovered in 1968. According to publicly available information, Aurora Energy Resources Inc. held the rights to the Michelin Project when it completed its initial public offering in 2006. Despite the imposition of a moratorium on uranium mining in Newfoundland and Labrador in early 2008, Fronteer Development Group Inc. ("Fronteer") completed its acquisition of Aurora Energy Resources Inc. in April of 2009 at which point it valued the total acquisition at approximately $180 million. Following the acquisition, Fronteer completed a preliminary economic assessment on the Michelin Project in 2009.

In February of 2011, Paladin acquired Aurora Energy Resources Inc. from Fronteer for $261 million. In December of 2011, the moratorium on uranium mining was lifted. In 2015, Paladin announced it had received a federal exemption under the Non-Resident Ownership Policy from Canadian ownership requirements relating to producing mines.

In August 2012, Paladin announced that it had entered into a long-term offtake agreement with a major utility and that it had granted such utility security in connection therewith over 60.1% of its interest in the Michelin Project.