ERA 2010 production down 46pc, sales fall
URANIUM miner Energy Resources of Australia's uranium oxide production fell by 46 per cent in 2010 due to lower mill head grade.
ERA says uranium oxide produced was 3793 tonnes for the 12 months to December 31, down from 5,240 tonnes in 2009.
Plant performance produced a record amount of treated ore of 2.4 million tonnes in 2010.
In the December quarter, uranium oxide production was 1,165 tonnes, rising 28 per cent from the September quarter, and two per cent higher than the December quarter in 2009.
ERA says mill head grade rose to 0.27 per cent uranium oxide in the fourth quarter, up 50 per cent from the third quarter 2010.
"After the effects of an above average wet season and geotechnical issues, particularly in the first half of the year, access to higher grade ore was re-established in the December 2010 quarter," ERA said in a statement.
Total sales of uranium oxide fell to 5,026 tonnes in 2010, from 5,497 tonnes in 2009, with the shortfall between production and sales commitments covered by a combination of inventory management, loans and purchases of uranium oxide.