Overview
Nuclear energy is a critical component in the transition to net zero. There’s a growing acknowledgment of the pivotal role nuclear power can play in meeting decarbonization objectives, thanks to its clean emissions profile, dependable baseload capabilities, and secure operation. Global electricity demand is set to grow 50 percent by 2040 and nuclear energy will play an integral role in meeting this demand. This is evident in the recently released World Energy Outlook 2023 published by the International Energy Agency (IEA) which highlighted the role that nuclear energy can play in making the journey towards net-zero faster, more secure, and more affordable.
According to the World Nuclear Association, there are currently 439 reactors operating globally. This capacity is increasing steadily with about 61 reactors under construction in 15 countries and a further 400 that are either ordered, planned or proposed. The IEA anticipates a substantial growth of over 43 percent in installed nuclear capacity from 2020 to 2050, reaching approximately 590 gigawatts of electrical output. This should drive demand for uranium over the coming decades.
UxC, a nuclear industry market data and analysis firm, estimates that annual uranium demand could soar by nearly 65 percent, surpassing 300 million pounds (Mlbs) U3O8 by 2030 from the current demand level of 197 Mlbs U3O8. Against this, the mine supply for 2024 is estimated to be around 155 Mlbs U3O8, implying a deficit of nearly 40 Mlbs. Further, substantial underinvestment in new mining projects has exacerbated an already constrained supply side, leading to prolonged strain in the years ahead.
As a result, spot uranium prices have seen a big jump. Uranium prices are now the highest since 2008 at over US$80/lb. Prices are expected to remain strong due to the ongoing tightness in the uranium supply/demand balance. As mentioned earlier, this tightness is likely to intensify over the next 24 months as demand continues to rise, new supply remains restricted, and inventories/stockpiles continue to diminish. The risks to the supply side far outweigh risks to the demand side given that more than 50 percent of global uranium production comes from countries with significant geopolitical risk.
This is where companies such as Skyharbour Resources (TSXV:SYH), with a presence in jurisdictions such as the Athabasca Basin in Canada, stand out for its geopolitical stability. The Athabasca Basin is the world’s most prolific uranium jurisdiction, boasting uranium grades averaging over ten to twenty times higher than those found elsewhere, with levels at 3.95 percent U3O8 in contrast to the global average of 0.15 percent.
Skyharbour Resources possesses a broad portfolio of uranium exploration projects within the Athabasca Basin and is strategically positioned to capitalize on the improving fundamentals of the uranium market. The company follows a dual strategy of mineral exploration at its core projects (Russell and Moore) while utilizing the prospect generator model to advance its secondary projects with strategic partners. Employing the prospect generator model provides advantages to Skyharbour as partner firms finance exploration and development activities, as well as making cash and stock payments directly to Skyharbour Resources as they earn in on the projects. The model allows Skyharbour to retain upside exposure through minority interests and royalties at the partner projects while limiting equity dilution and ensuring that partner companies fund the majority of exploration costs.
Skyharbour Resources has seven partner companies, including Orano Canada, Azincourt Energy, Valor Resources, Basin Uranium Corp, Medaro Mining, Tisdale Clean Energy, and North Shore Uranium. Skyharbour’s option agreements total over C$33 million in exploration expenditures, with more than C$27 million in stock being issued and over C$20 million in cash payments potentially coming into Skyharbour.
Company Highlights
Skyharbour Resources is a junior mining company with an extensive portfolio of uranium exploration projects in Canada’s Athabasca Basin. They comprise 29 uranium projects, 10 of which are drill-ready, totaling over 587,000 hectares. The Athabasca Basin is the world’s most prolific uranium jurisdiction, boasting uranium grades averaging over 10-20 times higher than those found elsewhere. The company employs a multi-faceted strategy of focused mineral exploration at its core projects (Russell and Moore) while utilizing the prospect generator model to advance its secondary projects with strategic partners.The company’s co-flagship Moore project is an advanced-stage uranium exploration asset featuring high-grade uranium mineralization at the Maverick Zone. Previous drilling has returned results of 6 percent U3O8 over 5.9 meters, with a notable intercept of 20.8 percent U3O8 over 1.5 meters, at a vertical depth of 265 meters.Adjacent to the Moore project is Skyharbour’s second core project, the Russell Lake uranium project, wherein Skyharbour has the option to acquire an initial 51 percent and up to 100 percent interest from Rio Tinto. The Russell Lake uranium project is a large, advanced-stage uranium exploration property totaling 73,294 hectares. Skyharbour is fully funded for 15-20,000m of drilling in 2024 at its co-flagship Russell and Moore ProjectsManagement intends to continue building the prospect generator business by offering projects to partners who will fund the exploration and provide cash/stock to Skyharbour for an ownership interest in the projects; Skyharbour typically retains minority interests in the projects and equity holdings in the partners.The increasing focus on nuclear energy by governments globally to achieve decarbonization goals bodes well for uranium prices. Skyharbour, with key uranium assets in a top mining jurisdiction, stands to benefit from this shift in the global energy mix.
Flagship Projects
The Moore Project
This project covers an area of 35,705 hectares, located in the eastern Athabasca Basin near existing infrastructure with known high-grade uranium mineralization and significant discovery potential. Skyharbour acquired the project from Denison Mines (TSX:DML), a large strategic shareholder of the company. The project can be easily accessed year-round via winter and ice roads, streamlining logistics and reducing expenses. During the summer months, a significant portion of the property remains accessible as well. The property has been the subject of extensive historic exploration with over $50 million in expenditures, and over 140,000 meters of diamond drilling completed historically.
Moore hosts high-grade uranium mineralization at the Maverick zones. Over the past few years, Skyharbour Resources has conducted diamond drilling programs, resulting in the intersection of high-grade uranium mineralization in numerous drill holes along the 4.7-kilometer-long Maverick structural corridor. Some of the high-grade intercepts include:
Hole ML-199 which intersected 20.8 percent U3O8 over 1.5 meters at 264 meters, Hole ML-202 from the Maverick East Zone which intersected 9.12 percent U3O8 over 1.4 meters at 278 meters.Hole ML20-09 which intersected 0.72 percent U3O8 over 17.5 meters from 271.5 meters to 289.0 meters, including 1 percent U3O8 over 10.0 meters represents the longest continuous drill intercept of uranium mineralization discovered to date at the project.Drill hole ML-61 returned 4.03 percent eU3O8 over 10 meters;Drill hole ML -55 encountered high-grade mineralization, returning 5.14 percent U3O8 over 6.2 metersDrill hole ML -47 intersected 4.01 percent U3O8 over 4.7 meters
Merely 50 percent of the total 4.7-kilometer promising Maverick corridor has undergone systematic drilling, indicating significant discovery potential both along its length and within the underlying basement rocks at depth. Skyharbour has announced a 3,000-meter 2024 drill program which will include infill and expansion drilling at the high-grade Maverick Corridor as well as testing several regional targets including the Grid Nineteen target area.
Apart from the Maverick Zone, diamond drilling in various other target areas has encountered multiple conductors linked with notable structural disturbances, robust alteration, and anomalous concentrations of uranium and associated pathfinder elements.
Russell Lake Uranium Project
The Russell Lake project is a large, advanced-stage uranium exploration property spanning 73,294 hectares, strategically positioned between Cameco’s Key Lake and McArthur River projects. Skyharbour entered into an option agreement with Rio Tinto which gives it the right to acquire an initial 51 percent and up to 100 percent of the project. Skyharbour can earn an initial 51 percent by paying C$508,200 in cash, issuing 3,584,014 shares to Rio Tinto, and funding C$5,717,250 in exploration on the Russell Lake project, over three years. Skyharbour has a second option to earn an additional 19 percent interest for a total of 70 percent, and a further option to obtain the remaining 30 percent interest in the project.
The project is adjacent to Denison’s Wheeler River project and Skyharbour’s Moore uranium project. It is supported by excellent infrastructure in terms of highway access as well as high-voltage power lines. The project has undergone a significant amount of historical exploration which includes over 95,000 meters of drilling in over 220 drill holes. The exploration identified numerous prospective target areas and several high-grade uranium showings as well as drill hole intercepts.
The property hosts several noteworthy exploration targets, including the Grayling Zone, the M-Zone Extension target, the Little Man Lake target, the Christie Lake target, and the Fox Lake Trail target. Skyharbour completed a 19-hole drilling program totaling 9,595 meters in three phases in 2023. The initial drilling phase encompassed 3,662 meters across eight completed holes at the Grayling Zone, followed by a second phase involving four holes totaling 2,730 meters drilled at the Fox Lake Trail Zone. The third drilling phase involved 3,203 meters across seven holes targeting additional areas within the Grayling Zone.
Skyharbour is carrying out a 5,000-meter winter drilling program currently to follow up on the 2023 campaign and historical exploration work. The 2024 program will focus on Grayling East and Fork targets within the broader Grayling target area as well as the M-Zone Extension target.
Secondary Projects
Falcon Uranium Project
This project comprises 11 claims covering 42,908 hectares located approximately 50 km east of the Key Lake mine. Skyharbour Resources has entered into an option agreement with North Shore Uranium which provides North Shore with an earn-in option to acquire an initial 80 percent interest and up to a 100% interest in the Falcon Property. North Shore can acquire an initial 80 percent interest in the claims within three years by meeting combined commitments of C$5.3 million in cash, share issuance, and exploration expenditures. Additionally, there’s an option to buy the remaining 20 percent for an extra C$10 million in cash and shares.
South Falcon East Uranium
This project comprises 16 claims covering 12,234 hectares located approximately 55 km east of the Key Lake mine. Skyharbour has optioned up to a 75 percent interest in a portion of the project to Tisdale Clean Energy. Tisdale will issue Skyharbour Resources 1,111,111 shares upfront, fund exploration expenditures totaling C$10.5 million, and pay Skyharbour Resources C$11.1 million in cash of which C$6.5 million can be settled for shares over a five-year earn-in. Skyharbour Resources will retain a minority interest in the South Falcon East.
East Preston
This project comprises 20,674 hectares located on the west side of the Athabasca Basin. In March 2017, Skyharbour Resources signed an option agreement with Azincourt Uranium (TSXV:AAZ) to option 70 percent of a portion of the East Preston project to Azincourt. Since then, Azincourt earned a majority interest in the project which currently stands at 85.8 percent. Skyharbour retains 9.5 percent ownership and Dixie Gold owns the remaining 4.7 percent.
Azincourt completed a 2023 drill program comprising 3,066 meters in 13 drill holes. A 1,500-meter drill program consisting of 5 drill holes is set to commence in 2024.
Preston
This project comprises 49,635 hectares strategically located near Fission’s Triple R deposit and NexGen’s Arrow deposit. In March 2017, Skyharbour Resources signed an option agreement with Orano (formerly AREVA) Resources Canada to option a majority stake in the Preston project. Orano has fulfilled its first earn-in option interest for 51 percent in the project. Following this, Orano has formed a joint venture (JV) with Skyharbour and Dixie Gold for the advancement of the project. Orano holds 51 percent interest, and the remaining is split evenly (24.5 percent each) between Skyharbour and Dixie Gold.
Hook Lake
This project comprises 16 claims covering 25,847 hectares on the east side of the Athabasca Basin. In February 2024, Valor completed an earn-in for 80 percent interest and formed a JV partnership with Skyharbour which retains the remaining 20 percent interest.
Yurchison Lake
This project consists of 13 claims totaling 57,407 hectares in the Wollaston Domain. In November 2021, Medaro signed an agreement to acquire an initial 70 percent interest by spending C$5 million on exploration, C$800,000 in cash payments, and C$3 million in Medaro shares over 3 years. Medaro may acquire the 30 percent interest, within 30 business days of earning the initial 70 percent interest, by issuing C$7.5 million of shares and a cash payment of $7.5 million to Skyharbour.
Mann Lake
This project is strategically located on the east side of the Athabasca basin, 25 km southwest of Cameco’s McArthur River Mine and 15 km northeast and along strike of Cameco’s Millennium uranium deposit. In October 2021, Basin Uranium signed an earn-in option to acquire a 75 percent interest in the project. Basin will pay a combination of cash and stocks over three years comprising C$4.85 million in cash plus exploration expenditure and C$1.75 million worth of shares.
In addition to the projects being advanced by Skyharbour and its partners, the Company has an additional twenty 100% owned projects that they’re actively seeking to option out to potential new partners in the future to add to their growing prospect generator business. All in all, Skyharbour is very well positioned to benefit from an accelerating uranium bull market with increasing demand in the backdrop of a strained supply side.
Management Team
Jordan Trimble, B.Sc., CFA – President and CEO
With a background in entrepreneurship, Jordan Trimble has held various positions in the resource industry, focusing on management, corporate finance, strategy, shareholder communications, business development, and capital raising with multiple companies. Prior to his role at Skyharbour, he was the corporate development manager at Bayfield Ventures, a gold company with projects in Ontario. Bayfield Ventures was subsequently acquired by New Gold (TSX:NGD) in 2014. Throughout his career, Trimble has established and assisted in the management of numerous public and private enterprises. He has played a pivotal role in securing significant capital for mining companies, leveraging his extensive network of institutional and retail investors.
Jim Pettit – Chairman of the Board
Jim Pettit currently serves as a director on the boards of various public resource companies, drawing from over 30 years of experience in the industry. His expertise lies in finance, corporate governance, management and compliance, particularly in the early-stage development of both private and public enterprises. Over the past three decades, he has primarily focused on the resource sector. Previously, he served as chairman and CEO of Bayfield Ventures, which was acquired by New Gold in 2014.
David Cates – Director
David Cates currently serves as the president and CEO of Denison Mines (TSX:DML). Before assuming the role of president and CEO, Cates was the vice-president of finance, tax, and chief financial officer at Denison. In his capacity as CFO, he played a pivotal role in the company’s mergers and acquisitions activities, including spearheading the acquisition of Rockgate Capital and International Enexco. Cates joined Denison in 2008, initially serving as director of taxation before he was appointed CFO. Prior to joining Denison, he held positions at Kinross Gold and PwC with a focus on the resource industry.
Joseph Gallucci – Director
Joseph Gallucci was previously a senior manager at a leading Canadian accounting firm. He possesses more than two decades of expertise in investment banking and equity research, specializing in mining, base metals, precious metals, and bulk commodities worldwide. He serves as a senior capital markets executive and corporate director. Presently, Gallucci is the managing director and head of investment banking at Laurentian Bank Securities, where he assumes responsibility for overseeing the entire investment banking practice.
Amanda Chow – Director
Amanda Chow is a chartered professional accountant (CPA, CMA) and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Simon Fraser University. Chow commenced her career with public companies in 1999.
Dave Billard – Head Consulting Geologist
Dave Billard is a geologist with over 35 years of experience in exploration and development, focusing on uranium, gold and base metals in western Canada and the western US. He served as chief operating officer, vice-president of exploration, and director for JNR Resources before its acquisition by Denison Mines. He played a crucial role in the discovery of JNR’s Maverick and Fraser Lakes B zones. Earlier in his career, he contributed to the discovery and development of several significant gold deposits in northern Saskatchewan. Prior to joining JNR, Billard worked as a geological consultant specializing in uranium exploration in the Athabasca Basin. He also spent over 12 years with Cameco Corporation.
Christine McKechnie – Senior Project Geologist
Christine McKechnie is a geologist with a specialization in uranium deposits, particularly those hosted in the basement and associated with unconformities in the Athabasca Basin and its vicinity. Throughout her career, she has worked with various companies such as Claude Resources, JNR Resources, CanAlaska Uranium and Cameco, engaging in gold and uranium exploration activities. She completed her B.Sc. (High Honors) in 2008 from the University of Saskatchewan and completed a M.Sc. thesis on the Fraser Lakes Zone B deposit at the Falcon Point project. She also received the 2015 CIM Barlow Medal for Best Geological Paper.
Sean Cross – Project Geologist
Sean Cross is a geologist primarily dedicated to uranium exploration, with supplementary expertise in VMS and orogenic gold deposits. Sean has been involved in various flagship projects, including Foran’s McIlvenna Bay Deposit and NexGen Energy’s Arrow Deposit. His expertise extends to greenfield uranium exploration south of the Athabasca, geological mapping with the Saskatchewan Geological Survey, and environmental and archaeological mitigation projects in British Columbia and Alberta.
Dylan Drummond – Project Geologist
Dylan Drummond is a geologist experienced in uranium and rare earth elements exploration. He has been involved in numerous prestigious projects, including NexGen Energy’s prominent Arrow Deposit and Orano Canada’s Cigar Lake project. Additionally, he has served in various capacities at Appia Energy Corp, ranging from on-site prospecting to supporting drill program supervision.
This profile was written in collaboration with Couloir Capital.