U3O8 Corp. to Test the Efficiency of U-pgrade™ Process to Further Concentrate Uranium-Vanadium at its Laguna Salada Deposit

TORONTO, Oct. 20, 2016 /CNW/ - U3O8 Corp. (TSX: UWE, OTCQX: UWEFF) ("U3O8 Corp." or the "Company") announces that it has requested Marenica Energy Limited (ASX:MEY) to undertake test work to determine the efficiency of its U-pgrade^TM technology to generate a richer uranium-vanadium concentrate than that modeled in the preliminary economic assessment on the Laguna Salada Deposit dated September 18, 2014 (the "PEA").  This test work constitutes one component of a strategy aimed at reducing the estimated cost of extraction of uranium and vanadium at Laguna Salada.

"Our Laguna Salada Deposit, in which uranium and vanadium is concentrated in the sandy material between pebbles within a few metres of surface in a flat, gravel plain, affords us opportunities of leveraging the deposit's remarkable simplicity to capture potential production cost savings" said Dr Richard Spencer, President and CEO of U3O8 Corp.  "The efficiency of the U-pgrade^TM process has led to significant reductions in estimated operating and capital costs in a deposit in Namibia that shares some of Laguna Salada's characteristics. If the Laguna Salada deposit is amenable to this technology, significant capital and operating cost savings could be realized as compared with the PEA estimates, which would substantially improve project's economics and leverage our exploration potential in the region."

Beneficiation Characteristics of the Laguna Salada gravel

The model constructed for the PEA on the Laguna Salada Deposit used the results from metallurgical test work that showed that scrubbing and screening of Laguna Salada gravel resulted in 82% of the deposit's uranium and 33% of its vanadium concentrated in 9% of the gravel's original mass.  As a means of illustrating the potentially greater efficiency of the U-pgrade^TM process, test work on Deep Yellow Limited's Tumas deposit in Namibia resulted in 82% of the uranium being concentrated in only 2% of the mass of the ore.  The small mass of the concentrate generated by test work on Tumas ore should reduce capital and operating costs due to the significantly smaller installations required. 

Technical Information

Dr. Richard Spencer, P.Geo., CGeol., President and CEO of U3O8 Corp. and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has approved the technical information in this news release relating to the Laguna Salada Deposit and the related PEA.

About U3O8 Corp.

U3O8 Corp. is focused on exploration and development of deposits of uranium and associated commodities in South America.  Potential by-products from uranium production include commodities used in the energy storage industry – in the manufacture of batteries - such as nickel, vanadium and phosphate.  The Company's mineral resources estimates were made in accordance with National Instrument 43-101, and are contained in three deposits: 

• Laguna Salada Deposit, Argentina – a PEA shows this near surface, free-digging uranium - vanadium deposit has low production-cost potential;
• Berlin Deposit, Colombia – a PEA shows that Berlin also has low-cost uranium production potential due to revenue that would be generated from by-products of phosphate, vanadium, nickel, rare earths (yttrium and neodymium) and other metals that occur within the deposit; and
• Kurupung Deposit, Guyana – a uranium resource has been estimated in four veins within a uranium-zirconium vein system. Resources have been estimated on four veins, while consistent mineralization of the same type has been intersected in scout drilling of an additional six veins, while yet other veins require first-time exploration drilling.

Information on U3O8 Corp., its resources and technical reports are available at www.u3o8corp.com and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.  Follow U3O8 Corp. on Facebook:  www.facebook.com/u3o8corp, Twitter:  www.twitter.com/u3o8corp and Youtube: www.youtube.com/u3o8corp.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes certain "forward looking statements" related with the development plans, economic potential and growth targets of U3O8 Corp's projects. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intensions for the future, and include, but not limited to, statements with respect to: (a) the low-cost and near-term development of Laguna Salada, (b) the Laguna Salada and Berlin PEAs, (c) the potential of the Kurupung district in Guyana, (d) impact of the U- pgrade^TM process on expected capital and operating expenditures, and (e) the price and market for uranium. These statements are based on assumptions, including that: (i) actual results of our exploration, resource goals, metallurgical testing, economic studies and development activities will continue to be positive and proceed as planned, and assumptions in the Laguna Salada and Berlin PEAs prove to be accurate, (ii) a joint venture will be formed with the provincial petroleum and mining company on the Argentina project, (iii) requisite regulatory and governmental approvals will be received on a timely basis on terms acceptable to U3O8 Corp., (iv) economic, political and industry market conditions will be favourable, and (v) financial markets and the market for uranium will improve for junior resource companies in the short-term. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in such statements, including, but not limited to: (1) changes in general economic and financial market conditions, (2) changes in demand and prices for minerals, (3) the Company's ability to establish appropriate joint venture partnerships, (4) litigation, regulatory, and legislative developments, dependence on regulatory approvals, and changes in environmental compliance requirements, community support and the political and economic climate, (5) the inherent uncertainties and speculative nature associated with exploration results, resource estimates, potential resource growth, future metallurgical test results, changes in project parameters as plans evolve, (6) competitive developments, (7) availability of future financing, (8) exploration risks, and other factors beyond the control of U3O8 Corp. including those factors set out in the "Risk Factors" in our Annual Information Form available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. U3O8 Corp. assumes no obligation to update such information, except as may be required by law. For more information on the above-noted PEAs, refer to the September 18, 2014 technical report titled "Preliminary Economic Assessment of the Laguna Salada Uranium-Vanadium Deposit, Chubut Province, Argentina" and the January 18, 2013 technical report titled "U3O8 Corp. Preliminary Economic Assessment on the Berlin Deposit, Colombia."

SOURCE U3O8 Corp.

Richard Spencer, President & CEO, U3O8 Corp., Tel.: [phone], [email protected]