Argentina
The Company has title to approximately 100,000 hectares for uranium, vanadium and energy (electricity and/or blue hydrogen) in the Neuquén Basin of west-central Argentina.
Projects summary
- Strategic location
- The projects are situated in areas of historic uranium and bitumen mining.
- Grades
- Uranium ore grades of 0.21% U3O8 (plus 2% Cu and 0.11%V2 O5).
- Vanadium grades up to 1.3% V2O5 in bitumen ore and 67% V2O5 in bitumen -derived ash
- Nickel is also present in the bitumen, e.g. 0.3% Ni at the La Valenciana project.
- Bitumen veins up to 8 m wide and 8 km long in the Neuquen Basin.
- Bitumen, the vanadium source rock, is a key component of the uranium and vanadium ore deposition models in the Neuquén Basin.
NewEra plans to be the first significant producer of low-cost, low-carbon hydrogen in Argentina.
- Argentina currently uses 330,000 tons of grey hydrogen per year.
- Only 0.3% is used for power generation.
- In 2006 a hydrogen law (Law 26.123) was passed to declare hydrogen a national interest and promote its use.
- Argentina has expertise relevant for the production, transport, and storage of hydrogen (e.g. through its existing petrochemical industry).
The ubiquitous presence of hydrocarbon including bitumen in this 120,000 km2 basin offers considerable exploration upside for these and other metals.
