As US-based uranium miner enCore Energy charts its path towards significantly ramping up production, the company faces a dual challenge of aggressive expansion and ensuring the retention of key personnel critical to its operational success.

Driven by a mission to bolster uranium production in the US through in-situ recovery (ISR) technology, enCore has set its sights on ambitious production targets. The company aims to scale up its capacity to three-million pounds a year of uranium oxide by 2026 and five-million pounds a year by 2028.

enCore last year started production at the Rosita ISR uranium central processing plant (CPP) in south Texas, marking its presence as one of only three uranium-producing operations in the US. This also marked Texas’ re-entry into uranium production after a decade-long hiatus.

With the company set to start production at the south Texas Alta Mesa CPP this quarter, enCore’s expansion plans are set for further acceleration.  

While advancing the Alta Mesa project, enCore is continuing to add production to feed the Rosita CPP and has made progress with advancing the permitting with the state of Texas for the Upper Spring Creek project, located about 80 km away from Rosita. As a larger satellite ion-exchange facility, Upper Spring Creek will provide sufficient feed to fill the production capacity at Rosita by early 2025.

“enCore’s strategy to acquire licensed and constructed CPPs during a time when uranium was out of favour has been exceptional,” CEO Paul Goranson says.

He adds that uranium market conditions are improving, owing to shifting market supply-demand fundamentals and the US nuclear industry’s transition towards deglobalisation.

Meanwhile, reflecting on the concerns that keep him up at night, Goranson highlights the importance of attracting and retaining skilled personnel amidst the competitive landscape of the uranium industry. In response, enCore is actively recruiting experienced workers and technical personnel, aiming to be the employer of choice within the sector.

“We have an exceptional and experienced management team at enCore, drawing people with experience in uranium production, petrochemical processing and oil and gas drilling operations; they all have essential experience that directly translates to the ISR method of uranium production,” he says.

Further, Goranson highlights the criticality of maintaining the consistent execution of enCore’s production strategy. To address this challenge, the company is expanding its drilling capacity and increasing the number of drill rights across its locations. By the end of 2024, enCore anticipates drilling at three to four additional project areas in south Texas and Wyoming.