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Supply Shortage Could Drive Up Uranium Prices

Uranium is shining right now, as concerns about short-term supply diminish and long-term demand prospects rise. The spot price of the radioactive metal is currently at its highest level in over a year. The uranium sector experienced a boost after the US avoided a debt limit crisis as a result of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, which could have compromised the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Despite the uncertain near-term macroenvironment, a uranium supply deficit could result in speculators competing with energy providers for uranium, which might help the spot price to rally further. Cameco (TSX:CCO) (NYSE:CCJ) announced in April that it would extend a long-standing arrangement to supply fuel until 2040 to Bruce Power, Canada’s only private sector nuclear generator. According to Jacob White, ETF product manager at Sprott Asset Management, the Cameco deal suggests that enough uranium supplies have been placed aside for future contract deliveries. This should help to strengthen the long-term uranium spot price, benefiting uranium companies like ATHA Energy Corp (CSE:SASK) (OTCQB:SASKF) (FRA:X5U), NexGen Energy (TSX:NXE) (NYSE:NXE), Uranium Energy Corp (NYSE-A:UEC), and Denison Mines Corp. (TSX:DML) (NYSE-A:DNN).

ATHA Energy Corp (CSE:SASK) (OTCQB:SASKF) (FRA:X5U) is a junior mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral resource properties in Canada. ATHA holds the largest cumulative exploration package in the Athabasca Basin, the world’s most prominent uranium basin, with 3.4 million acres as well as a 10% carried interest portfolio of claims run by Nexgen Energy and IsoEnergy Ltd. 

In May, ATHA Energy signed a binding letter of intent (LOI) with Stallion Discoveries Corp. to negotiate a definitive option and joint venture agreement that would allow Stallion to acquire a 70% interest in 47 of ATHA’s mineral claims in the Athabasca Basin in exchange for 3.33 million shares and C$12 million in Saskatchewan Exploration Expenditures. Stallion’s planned C$12 million investment into the SW mineral claims will not only enhance the value of that project but free up ATHA’s capital to be spent on other targets throughout ATHA’s vast exploration portfolio.

“We believe the exploration commitment being made by Stallion is a testament to the potential in the SW area of the Athabasca Basin, where many of our neighbours have had tremendous success,” said Mike Castanho, CEO of ATHA Energy. “Exploration through partnership continues to be a key tenant for ATHA as we seek to leverage the largest land position in the Athabasca Basin to create value for our shareholders.”

ATHA Energy also closed a C$33.7 million dollar financing at the end of 2022, positioning the company as one of the most well-funded explorers in the Athabasca Basin with the largest exploration package. 

For more information about ATHA Energy Corp (CSE:SASK), please click here

Uranium Companies Make Progress Amid Elevated Prices

Cameco (TSX:CCO) (NYSE:CCJ) has signed a 10-year contract with Westinghouse to provide enough natural uranium hexafluoride (UF6) to run the Kozloduy 5 Reactor at the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), which is the only nuclear power plant in the Republic of Bulgaria. Cameco will be a part of a nuclear fuel supply agreement led by Westinghouse that also involves Urenco. The contracted enriched uranium product will be shipped to a Westinghouse factory in Sweden and utilized to manufacture the fuel assemblies for the Kozloduy NPP.

NexGen Energy (TSX:NXE) (NYSE:NXE) recently announced the start of the summer exploration drill program on its 100% owned SW2 and SW1 properties in Saskatchewan’s southwest Athabasca Basin. Geophysical studies and a review of previous drilling have selected probable sites for rapid drill testing. Drilling will be used to test the highest priority locations of probable pathways identified by an intensive geophysical survey program that began in 2022 and will be completed in 2023. Drilling preparation has proceeded throughout about 22,000 hectares of NexGen property, effectively supporting strategic appraisal of targets this year and in future projects. The summer drilling program will prioritize follow-up drilling of favorable historical results during the winter of 2023. A total of 17,000 meters are anticipated for the summer, with up to three drill rigs in operation, increasing the total scheduled exploration meters for 2023 to 22,500.

Uranium Energy Corp (NYSE-A:UEC) has appointed SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd. and Wood (Canada) Ltd. to conduct an S-K 1300 Initial Assessment Economic Study for its 100% owned Roughrider Project. Furthermore, the company has chosen Canada North Environmental Services to perform environmental baseline work for the Roughrider Project. The planned development work at the Roughrider Project will benefit from previous work by former owner Rio Tinto, including a detailed technical, community involvement, and an environmental evaluation and review process with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment, albeit no longer current. 

Denison Mines Corp. (TSX:DML) (NYSE-A:DNN) reported in April that drill hole MS-23-10A  from the recently completed winter exploration program at the Moon Lake South property intersected 1.38% U3O8 equivalent (eU3O8) over 8.7 meters (m) including a sub-interval grading 2.88% eU3O8 over 3.1 m, approximately 30 m above the unconformity in the Athabasca sandstone. Uranium mineralization was discovered in four of the six drill holes performed during the 2023 winter program, which was meant to assess the strike length of low-grade mineralized occurrences that were identified in the 2021 and 2016 drill programs. 

ATHA Energy announced on June 6 that Doug Engdahl will join the board of directors and take on the job of Managing Director, bringing extensive experience within the Athabasca basin from his time as a Senior Mine Geologist at Cameco’s McArthur River Mine – the largest high-grade uranium mine in the world. ATHA also hired five technical team members ahead of its first exploration program this summer.

Featured Image @ FreePik

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1) The author of the Article, or members of the author’s immediate household or family, do not own any securities of the companies set forth in this Article. The author determined which companies would be included in this article based on research and understanding of the sector.

2) The Article was issued on behalf of and sponsored by, ATHA Energy Corp. Market Jar Media Inc. has or expects to receive from ATHA Energy Corp.’s Digital Marketing Agency of Record (Native Ads Inc.) one hundred and thirty-eight thousand eight hundred USD for 26 days (20 business days).

3) Statements and opinions expressed are the opinions of the author and not Market Jar Media Inc., its directors or officers. The author is wholly responsible for the validity of the statements. The author was not paid by Market Jar Media Inc. for this Article. Market Jar Media Inc. was not paid by the author to publish or syndicate this Article. Market Jar has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of Market Jar or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Market Jar Media Inc. requires contributing authors to disclose any shareholdings in, or economic relationships with, companies that they write about. Market Jar Media Inc. relies upon the authors to accurately provide this information and Market Jar Media Inc. has no means of verifying its accuracy.

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6) This document contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements, within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation, (collectively, “forward-looking statements”), which reflect management’s expectations regarding ATHA Energy Corp.’s future growth, future business plans and opportunities, expected activities, and other statements about future events, results or performance. Wherever possible, words such as “predicts”, “projects”, “targets”, “plans”, “expects”, “does not expect”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “anticipate” or “does not anticipate”, “believe”, “intend” and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative or grammatical variation thereof or other variations thereof, or comparable terminology have been used to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements relating to: (a) revenue generating potential with respect toATHA Energy Corp.’s industry; (b) market opportunity; (c) ATHA Energy Corp.’s business plans and strategies; (d) services that ATHA Energy Corp. intends to offer; (e) BroadbandTV Corp.’s milestone projections and targets; (f) ATHA Energy Corp.’s expectations regarding receipt of approval for regulatory applications; (g) ATHA Energy Corp.’s intentions to expand into other jurisdictions including the timeline expectations relating to those expansion plans; and (h) ATHA Energy Corp.’s expectations with regarding its ability to deliver shareholder value. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance and are based upon a number of estimates and assumptions of management in light of management’s experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, as of the date of this document including, without limitation, assumptions about: (a) the ability to raise any necessary additional capital on reasonable terms to execute ATHA Energy Corp.’s business plan; (b) that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner; (c) ATHA Energy Corp.’s ability to procure equipment and operating supplies in sufficient quantities and on a timely basis; (d) the accuracy of budgeted costs and expenditures; (e) ATHA Energy Corp.’s ability to attract and retain skilled personnel; (f) political and regulatory stability; (g) the receipt of governmental, regulatory and third-party approvals, licenses and permits on favorable terms; (h) changes in applicable legislation; (i) stability in financial and capital markets; and (j) expectations regarding the level of disruption to as a result of CV-19. Such forward-looking information involves a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements of ATHA Energy Corp. to be materially different from any future plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks include, without limitation: (a) ATHA Energy Corp.’s operations could be adversely affected by possible future government legislation, policies and controls or by changes in applicable laws and regulations; (b) public health crises such as CV-19 may adversely impact ATHA Energy Corp.’s business; (c) the volatility of global capital markets; (d) political instability and changes to the regulations governing ATHA Energy Corp.’s business operations (e) ATHA Energy Corp. may be unable to implement its growth strategy; and (f) increased competition.

Except as required by law, ATHA Energy Corp. undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future event or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Neither does ATHA Energy Corp. nor any of its representatives make any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, sufficiency or completeness of the information in this document. Neither ATHA Energy Corp. nor any of its representatives shall have any liability whatsoever, under contract, tort, trust or otherwise, to you or any person resulting from the use of the information in this document by you or any of your representatives or for omissions from the information in this document.

7) Any graphs, tables or other information demonstrating the historical performance or current or historical attributes of ATHA Energy Corp. or any other entity contained in this document are intended only to illustrate historical performance or current or historical attributes of ATHA Energy Corp. or such entities and are not necessarily indicative of future performance of ATHA Energy Corp. or such entities.

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