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The role of energy refining and chemicals in US critical minerals
Project details
Project name:
Tiris Uranium Project
Client name:
Aura Energy Ltd
Location:
Mauritania, Africa
Key stats
A national first:
This is Mauritania’s first uranium mine
A significant uranium resource:
91.3 Mlbs U3O8 (triuranium octoxide) mineral resource, a commonly used form of uranium in nuclear.
A long future:
2 Mlbs per year uranium project with a 25-year mine life
Wood is delivering engineering services for the Tiris Uranium Project, Mauritania’s first uranium mine. This significant reserve has substantial exploration potential, unlocking major resources to accelerate the energy transition.
About this project
The Tiris Uranium Project is a uranium mining project located in the Sahara Desert in northeast Mauritania. It is 85% owned by Aura Energy, through its local company Tiris Resources SA, and 15% owned by the Mauritanian government.
The uranium is found in a type of hardened soil called calcrete, close to the surface—usually less than 5 metres in depth. This makes it easy to mine without needing to drill or use explosives. The uranium-rich material can be processed using simple, low-cost methods, and has a high uranium content—over 2,000 parts per million (ppm) of U3O8, a common form of uranium used in nuclear power.
The project is based on a large uranium discovery made by Aura Energy. There are currently 59.8 million pounds of uranium oxide (U3O8) available. The plan is to run a 4.1 million tonnes per year open-cut mine and build a processing plant that can produce up to 2 million pounds of uranium oxide per year. All necessary infrastructure will be built to support the operation in this remote area.
Wood’s role in developing the Tiris Uranium project
Aura had completed several studies before onboarding Wood, including a definitive feasibility study (DFS) in 2019 and a front-end-engineering design (FEED) in 2023. As owners of the engineering scope for the Tiris project, Wood has been tasked to complete all basic engineering deliverables by Q2 2025 to enable the project to proceed with execution to be completed during Q2 2027.
The ultimate objectives of this study were to:
- Produce a basic package to allow detailed engineering of the ore processing and metallurgical processing plants to proceed without further rework.
- Develop critical early works activities to ready the project for execution in 2026.
- Deliver a review of the work completed until Wood’s onboarding, which considers the previous work and suggests possible options to achieve the required upgrade / its impact and ultimately establish a way forward beyond the basic engineering phase.
Why is uranium so important for the global market?
Uranium remains an important material in the world’s energy transition, with demand expected to increase by nearly 30% from 2023 to 2030.
Projects such as Tiris are advancing the industry towards its goal of delivering sustainable uranium production whilst supporting the global energy transition. The development of the Tiris uranium mine establishes a substantial new industry in Mauritania, which will have a significant positive impact on the country, generating a new economic stream, creating jobs and ultimately making it a credible player in the global minerals market.
Uranium is most commonly used to power commercial nuclear reactors and to produce isotopes used for medical, industrial, and defense purposes around the world. With nuclear energy offering reliable and carbon-free electricity, governments, private sectors, and junior exploration companies are all increasing their investment in the production of uranium.
Wood has extensive experience in processing uranium ores. This includes crushing, milling, leaching, solid-liquid separation, solvent extraction (SX), solid ion exchange (IX) and product precipitation and handling. From Namibia to Australia and Zimbabwe, Wood boasts a strong track record in delivering successful Uranium projects for our global remit of clients.
The location of the Tiris project in Mauritania
