Conference Call and Webcast on
November 6, 2023
LAKEWOOD, Colo., Nov. 3, 2023
/PRNewswire/ - Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX:
EFR) ("Energy Fuels" or the "Company") today reported its
financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2023.
The Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q has been filed with the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and may be
viewed on the Electronic Document Gathering and Retrieval System
("EDGAR") at www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml, on the System for
Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval ("SEDAR") at
www.sedar.com, and on the Company's website at www.energyfuels.com.
Unless noted otherwise, all dollar amounts are in U.S. dollars.
Financial Highlights:
- As of September 30, 2023, the
Company had a robust balance sheet with $162.50 million of working capital (versus
$116.97 million as of December 31, 2022), including $54.54 million of cash and cash equivalents,
$70.62 million of marketable
securities, $27.66 million of
inventory, and no debt. At current commodity prices, the Company's
product inventory has a value of approximately $49.09 million;
- During the three months ended September
30, 2023, the Company earned net income of $10.47 million, or $0.07 per share, which included: (i) the sale of
180,000 pounds of uranium ("U3O8") to
a major U.S. nuclear utility for $10.47
million, resulting in a gross profit of $5.21 million (50%); (ii) sale of 26 metric tons
("MT") of RE Carbonate for $0.29
million; (iii) a non-cash mark-to-market gain on investments
accounted for at fair value of $8.89
million; (iv) a non-cash unrealized gain on the secured
convertible note received by the Company as partial consideration
for the sale of the Company's Alta Mesa Project in Q1 2023 of
$7.22 million; and (v) interest
income of $0.44 million; partially
offset by (i) expenses associated with preparing four (4) of our
uranium mines for production; and (ii) expenses associated with
developing commercial rare earth element ("REE") separation
capabilities.
- As of September 30, 2023, the
Company held 586,000 pounds of U3O8, 906,000
pounds of finished vanadium pentoxide
("V2O5"), and 11 MT of finished
high-purity, partially separated mixed REE carbonate ("RE
Carbonate") in inventory.
- The Company holds an additional 409,000 lbs. of
U3O8 as raw materials and work-in-progress
inventory, along with an estimated 1 - 3 million pounds of
solubilized V2O5 in tailings solutions that
could be recovered in the future.
Uranium Highlights:
- During Q3-2023, the Company completed the sale of 180,000
pounds of U3O8 to a major U.S. nuclear
utility for $10.47 million, or
$58.18 per pound, which resulted in a
gross profit of $5.21 million or
$28.93 per pound of
U3O8. This sale resulted in a gross margin of
50% per pound of uranium. This was the Company's second delivery
under its new portfolio of long-term uranium sales agreements.
- In 2023, the Company has sold a total of 560,000 pounds of
uranium for a weighted average realized price of $59.42 per pound resulting in a gross margin of
54%. The Company has no additional contract deliveries scheduled
for the remainder of 2023.
- Over the past several months, the Company has made significant
progress in preparing four (4) of our conventional uranium and
uranium/vanadium mines to be ready to resume production, including
significant workforce expansion, and performing needed
rehabilitation and development of surface and underground
infrastructure. We expect to begin production at one or more of
these mines by early 2024, with the mined material being stockpiled
at the White Mesa Mill (the "Mill') until such time that
sufficient material is accumulated to justify a mill campaign,
which is expected to occur in late-2024 or early-2025.
- As of October 27, 2023, the spot
price of U3O8 was $73.50 per pound and the long-term price of
U3O8, which is the price most relevant for
long-term uranium sales contracts, was $62.00 per pound, according to data from
TradeTech.
Rare Earth Element Highlights:
- In early 2023, the Company began modifying and enhancing its
existing solvent extraction ("SX") circuits at the Mill to
be able to produce separated REE oxides ("Phase 1"). The
Company has begun this development work in its existing SX
building, and most of the major components for this project are
currently being delivered to the Mill on time and on-budget.
- "Phase 1" is expected to be completed and fully commissioned by
early 2024 and have the capacity to produce roughly 800 to
1,000 MT of recoverable separated
neodymium-praseodymium ("NdPr") oxide per year, subject to
securing sufficient monazite feed. "Phase 1" is expected to
position Energy Fuels as one of the world's leading producers of
NdPr outside of China.
- "Phase 1" capital costs are expected to total approximately
$25 million. 1,000 MT of NdPr in permanent magnets could power
up to 1 million electric vehicles ("EVs") per year.
- The Company is engineering further enhancements at the Mill to
increase NdPr production capacity to up to approximately
3,000 MT per year by 2026/2027
("Phase 2"), and to produce separated dysprosium
("Dy"), terbium ("Tb") and potentially other advanced
REE materials in the future from monazite and potentially other REE
process streams by 2027/2028 ("Phase 3").
- During the first half of 2023, the Company completed 2,266
meters of sonic drilling at its Bahia Project in Brazil to confirm and further delineate the
rare earth, titanium, and zirconium mineralization. The Company
expects to commence further sonic drilling later in Q4-2023.
Drilling results from the first round of drilling are expected in
early 2024 at which time the Company plans to commence preparation
of an SK-1300 and NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource
estimate.
- The Company continues active discussions with several
additional suppliers of natural monazite around the world to
significantly increase the supply of feed for our growing REE
initiative.
- As of October 27, 2023, the spot
price of NdPr oxide was approximately $69.64 per kg, according to data from Asian
Metal.
Vanadium Highlights:
- During the three months ended September
30, 2023, the Company sold no vanadium.
- The Company produces high-purity V2O5
from time-to-time when the Mill schedule allows and carries that
material in inventory for sale into market strength, including
during Q1-2023 when the Company sold approximately 79,344 pounds of
V2O5 for an average realized sales price of
$10.98 per pound.
- The Company currently holds approximately 906,000 pounds of
V2O5 in inventory.
- As of October 27, 2023, the spot
price of V2O5 was $6.73 per pound, according to data from
Fastmarkets.
Medical Isotope Highlights:
- The Company continued advancing its program to evaluate the
potential to recover radioisotopes from its process streams for use
in emerging targeted alpha therapy ("TAT") cancer
therapeutics.
Mark S. Chalmers, Energy
Fuels' President and CEO, stated:
"Energy Fuels continued to make excellent progress during
Q3-2023 in creating a U.S. critical mineral hub for the production
of uranium, rare earth elements, vanadium, and potentially
radioisotopes for the development of medical isotopes. Energy Fuels
has been the largest producer of uranium in the U.S. for the past
several years, and we are commercially producing the most advanced
rare earth materials in the U.S. while moving further down the rare
earth supply chain.
"On uranium, we completed the sale of 180,000 pounds of uranium
to one of our utility customers under one of our long-term
contracts, realizing total proceeds of $10.47 million, or $58.18 per pound of U3O8,
slightly beating our previous guidance of $54 - $58 per
pound. We also continued preparing four (4) of our conventional
uranium mines for production, which together, have the ability to
produce 1 million to 1.3 million pounds of uranium per year, not
including vanadium credits of potentially 2 million pounds per
year, at full production rates. We expect to begin production at
one or more of these mines by early 2024, with the mined material
being stockpiled at the White Mesa Mill until a sufficient quantity
is accumulated to justify a mill campaign, which is expected to
occur in late-2024 or early-2025, subject to contract requirements
and successful operations.
"There are significant 'tailwinds' currently driving uranium
markets, including increasing prices and government policies.
Uranium spot prices are up over 50% in 2023, which is improving our
expected contract sales prices, increasing the value of our
significant inventories, and increasing the value of our resources.
At the same time, uranium spot markets are very tight, considerable
money is flowing into the sector, geopolitical factors and security
of supply are paramount, and market prices remain significantly at
or below the levels needed to incentivize large-scale new
production and below inflation-adjusted highs. These dynamics could
cause prices to continue to rise higher, perhaps significantly
so.
"Energy Fuels also remains on schedule to complete 'Phase 1' of
our rare earth project at the White Mesa Mill in Utah, which involves modifications and
enhancements to the Mill's existing SX building that are expected
to have the capacity to produce approximately 800 - 1,000 metric
tons of separated NdPr oxide per annum. We are refurbishing the
Mill's existing SX building as part of this process, and we have
completed the installation of a new roof and new concrete pads for
the SX cells, tanks, pumps, and other equipment. We are also
receiving the new SX cells, which are expected to be installed in
Q4-2023. Upon successful ramp-up of the modified SX circuit and
receipt of sufficient monazite feed, Energy Fuels is expected to be
the first U.S. company in many years with the ability to produce
commercial quantities of NdPr oxide, which is a key ingredient in
powerful permanent rare earth magnets used in electric vehicles,
wind generators, and other technologies.
"Later this year, we continue to expect to begin pilot work on
'heavy' rare earth separation, including the production of
separated dysprosium (Dy) and terbium (Tb) oxides. At the same
time, we continue to move our Bahia Rare Earth Project in
Brazil forward toward production
and secure additional sources of monazite supply to process at the
Mill for rare earth production, while advancing discussions with
end-users.
"Energy Fuels' business strategy and execution sits at an
intersection of rapidly growing commodity markets, critical to the
clean energy transition. And, as a U.S. company, we offer customers
security of supply and insulation from geopolitical turmoil. We
plan to continue to leverage these unique advantages to the benefit
of our shareholders as we rapidly advance our plans."
Conference Call and Webcast at 4:00 pm
ET on November 6, 2023:
Energy Fuels will be hosting a conference call and webcast on
November 6, 2023 at 4:00 pm
ET (2:00 pm MT) to
discuss our Q3-2023 financial results, the outlook for the
remainder of 2023, and our uranium, rare earths, vanadium, and
medical isotopes initiatives.
To instantly join the conference call by phone, please use the
following link to easily register your name and phone number. After
registering, you will receive a call immediately and be placed into
the conference call: RAPIDCONNECT
Alternatively, you may dial in to the conference call by calling
1-888-664-6392, and you will be connected to the call by an
Operator.
You may also access viewer-controlled Webcast slides and/or
stream the call by following this link: WEBCAST
A replay of the call will be available until November 20, 2023 by calling (888) 390-0541 or
(416) 764-8677 and entering the replay code, 368182#
Selected Summary Financial Information:
|
Three Months
Ended
|
|
Nine Months
Ended
|
|
September
30,
|
|
September
30,
|
$000's, except per
share data
|
2023
|
|
2022
|
|
2023
|
|
2022
|
Results of
Operations:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Uranium
concentrates revenues
|
$
10,473
|
|
$
—
|
|
$ 33,278
|
|
$
—
|
Vanadium
concentrates revenues
|
—
|
|
1,071
|
|
871
|
|
8,778
|
RE Carbonate
revenues
|
288
|
|
1,673
|
|
2,559
|
|
2,122
|
Total
revenues
|
10,987
|
|
2,933
|
|
37,463
|
|
12,337
|
Gross
profit
|
5,439
|
|
1,404
|
|
19,282
|
|
4,497
|
Operating
loss
|
(6,944)
|
|
(13,664)
|
|
(18,011)
|
|
(30,584)
|
Net income
(loss)
|
10,469
|
|
(9,254)
|
|
119,849
|
|
(42,043)
|
Basic net income (loss)
per common share
|
0.07
|
|
(0.06)
|
|
0.76
|
|
(0.27)
|
Diluted
net income (loss) per common share
|
0.07
|
|
(0.06)
|
|
0.75
|
|
(0.27)
|
|
As of
|
|
As of
|
|
|
$000's
|
September 30,
2023
|
|
December 31,
2022
|
|
Percent
Change
|
Financial
Position:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Working
capital
|
$
162,495
|
|
$
116,966
|
|
39 %
|
Current
assets
|
168,769
|
|
135,590
|
|
24 %
|
Property,
plant and equipment, net
|
20,208
|
|
12,662
|
|
60 %
|
Mineral
properties
|
117,096
|
|
83,539
|
|
40 %
|
Total
assets
|
401,194
|
|
273,947
|
|
46 %
|
Current
liabilities
|
6,274
|
|
18,624
|
|
(66) %
|
Total
liabilities
|
17,866
|
|
29,538
|
|
(40) %
|
ABOUT ENERGY FUELS
Energy Fuels is a leading US-based critical minerals company.
The Company, as the leading producer of uranium in the United States, mines uranium and produces
natural uranium concentrates that are sold to major nuclear
utilities for the production of carbon-free nuclear energy. Energy
Fuels recently began production of advanced rare earth element
("REE") materials, including mixed REE carbonate, and plans
to produce commercial quantities of separated REE oxides in the
future. Energy Fuels also produces vanadium from certain of its
projects, as market conditions warrant, and is evaluating the
recovery of radionuclides needed for emerging cancer treatments.
Its corporate offices are in Lakewood,
Colorado, near Denver, and
substantially all its assets and employees are in the United States. Energy Fuels holds two of
America's key uranium production centers: the White Mesa Mill in
Utah and the Nichols Ranch in-situ
recovery ("ISR") Project in Wyoming. The White Mesa Mill is the only
conventional uranium mill operating in the US today, has a licensed
capacity of over 8 million pounds of U3O8 per
year, and has the ability to produce vanadium when market
conditions warrant, as well as REE products, from various
uranium-bearing ores. The Nichols Ranch ISR Project is on standby
and has a licensed capacity of 2 million pounds of
U3O8 per year. The Company recently acquired
the Bahia Project in Brazil, which
is believed to have significant quantities of titanium (ilmenite
and rutile), zirconium (zircon) and REE (monazite) minerals. In
addition to the above production facilities, Energy Fuels also has
one of the largest NI 43-101 compliant uranium resource portfolios
in the US and several uranium and uranium/vanadium mining projects
on standby and in various stages of permitting and development. The
primary trading market for Energy Fuels' common shares is the NYSE
American under the trading symbol "UUUU," and the Company's common
shares are also listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the
trading symbol "EFR." Energy Fuels' website is
www.energyfuels.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements: This news release contains certain "Forward
Looking Information" and "Forward Looking Statements" within the
meaning of applicable United
States and Canadian securities legislation, which may
include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: any
expectation that the Company will maintain its position as a
leading U.S.-based critical minerals company or as the leading
producer of uranium in the U.S.; any expectation with respect to
timelines to production; any expectation that the Mill will be
successful in producing RE Carbonate on a full-scale commercial
basis; any expectation that Energy Fuels will be successful in
developing U.S. separation, or other value-added U.S. REE
production capabilities at the Mill, or otherwise, including the
timing of any such initiatives and the expected production capacity
or capital costs associated with any such production capabilities;
any expectation that the Company's planned Phase 1 separation
facility will position the Company as one of the world's leading
producers of NdPr outside of China; any expectation as to the quantity of
U3O8 and V2O5 the
Company may hold as raw material and work-in-progress inventory or
solubilized in tailings solution and the Company's ability to
recover any such inventories in the future; any expectation with
respect to the quantities of monazite to be acquired by Energy
Fuels, or the quantities of RE Carbonate or REE oxides to be
produced by the Mill; any expectation that the Company may sell its
separated NdPr oxide to electric vehicle manufacturers or move
furthur down the rare earth supply chain; any expectation that the
Bahia Project has the potential to feed the Mill with REE and
uranium-bearing monazite sand; any expectation that the Company
will commence further sonic drilling at its Bahia Project in
Q4-2023, announce drilling results in early 2024, or commence
preparation of an SK-1300 and NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource
estimate during 2024, or otherwise; any expectation that the
Company's evaluation of radioisotope recovery at the Mill will be
successful; any expectation that the potential recovery of medical
isotopes from any radioisotopes recovered at the Mill will be
feasible; any expectation that any radioisotopes that can be
recovered at the Mill will be sold on a commercial basis; any
expectation as to the quantities to be delivered under existing
uranium sales contracts; any expectation that the Company will be
successful in completing any additional contracts for the sale of
uranium to U.S. utilities on commercially reasonable terms or at
all; any expectation that there are significant "tailwinds" driving
uranium markets or that any such forces will continue and any
expectations that these or other dynamics could cause prices to
continue to rise higher; and any expectation that as a U.S.
Company, the Company will offer its customers security of supply
and insulation from geopolitical turmoil or that the Company can
continue to leverage its advantages to the benefit of its
shareholders. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be
identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as
"plans," "expects," "does not expect," "is expected," "is likely,"
"budgets," "scheduled," "estimates," "forecasts," "intends,"
"anticipates," "does not anticipate," or "believes," or variations
of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or
results "may," "could," "would," "might" or "will be taken,"
"occur," "be achieved" or "have the potential to." All statements,
other than statements of historical fact, herein are considered to
be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve
known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may
cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the
Company to be materially different from any future results,
performance or achievements express or implied by the
forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results
to differ materially from those anticipated in these
forward-looking statements include risks associated with: commodity
prices and price fluctuations; engineering, construction,
processing and mining difficulties, upsets and delays; permitting
and licensing requirements and delays; changes to regulatory
requirements; legal challenges; the availability of feed sources
for the Mill; competition from other producers; public opinion;
government and political actions; available supplies of monazite;
the ability of the Mill to produce RE Carbonate, REE oxides or
other REE products to meet commercial specifications on a
commercial scale at acceptable costs or at all; market factors,
including future demand for REEs; the ability of the Mill to be
able to separate radium or other radioisotopes at reasonable costs
or at all; market prices and demand for medical isotopes; and the
other factors described under the caption "Risk Factors" in the
Company's most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is
available for review on EDGAR at www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml, on SEDAR
at www.sedar.com, and on the Company's website at
www.energyfuels.com. Forward-looking statements contained herein
are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company
disclaims, other than as required by law, any obligation to update
any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new
information, results, future events, circumstances, or if
management's estimates or opinions should change, or otherwise.
There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will
prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could
differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.
Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on
forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to
update the information in this communication, except as otherwise
required by law.
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SOURCE Energy Fuels Inc.