- Nuclear Fuels Inc. discovered two new uranium zones, Outpost and Trail Dust, at the Kaycee project in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin.
- The 2024 drilling program revealed significant uranium concentrations, exceeding commercial viability thresholds for in-situ recovery (ISR).
- A 2025 drilling campaign will aim to define these zones further and explore additional regional targets within the 55-square-mile project area.
Nuclear Fuels Inc. has discovered two new uranium mineralised zones at its Kaycee project in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin. These zones, named Outpost and Trail Dust, emerged during an exploratory drilling program designed to test regional targets. The company’s findings mark a critical step toward fully exploring and expanding its uranium resources, with a detailed delineation campaign scheduled for 2025.
The Powder River Basin has a rich history of uranium extraction through in-situ recovery (ISR). Drilling in the Outpost zone revealed a 6.5-foot interval containing 0.082% uranium (eU₃O₈), yielding a grade thickness (GT) of 0.532. Drilling at the Trail Dust zone, located 1.5 miles north of Outpost, uncovered another significant interval: 5.5 feet of mineralisation at 0.0553% eU₃O₈, resulting in a GT of 0.304. Both zones exceeded the 0.20 GT threshold, which ISR extraction typically considers commercially viable.
Another hole, drilled two miles southeast of Trail Dust, produced weaker mineralisation, with 3 feet at 0.029% eU₃O₈. Despite the lower concentration, geologists believe the zone could connect to the broader mineralisation trend identified in the Outpost and Trail Dust areas, prompting further investigation.
Nuclear Fuels initiated its drilling campaign in July 2024 and completed it by December 2024. The team drilled 206 holes, covering a total of 124,720 feet. While the initial focus centred on confirming and expanding historical resources at Kaycee, the program gradually shifted toward regional exploration, leading to the key discoveries of Outpost and Trail Dust.
The company plans to resume drilling in May 2025 to define the extent and orientation of the newly identified zones. Additional regional targets will also undergo evaluation, which could further expand the project’s potential. The Kaycee project covers 55 square miles and includes about 430 miles of uranium mineralisation trends. Kaycee is the only project in the Powder River Basin where all three historically productive geological formations, Wasatch, Fort Union, and Lance, contain uranium and present potential for ISR extraction.
Nuclear Fuels acquired the Kaycee project from enCore Energy Corp. in 2023 and has been working toward establishing a uranium resource compliant with 43-101 standards. The company aims to develop a 15-million-pound uranium resource. enCore Energy holds a partial buyback option on any significant discovery within the project, underscoring the property’s value.
Wyoming’s Powder River Basin has produced more than 250 million pounds of uranium, primarily through ISR, since 1990. The state offers a favourable regulatory environment for uranium developers. As an “Agreement State,” Wyoming maintains local authority over the permitting process, allowing faster administrative approvals than many other U.S. states. The region’s historic productivity and regulatory efficiency make it an attractive area for uranium mining.
Nuclear Fuels Inc. looks forward to its 2025 delineation campaign, which will further refine its understanding of the newly discovered mineralised zones. These discoveries strengthen the Kaycee project’s potential to become a significant uranium source. With demand for uranium rising due to the growing focus on nuclear energy as a clean power solution, Nuclear Fuels remain well-positioned to meet the sector’s needs and continue its growth within the energy industry.