A bird's eye view of Paladin's Langer Heinrich mine situated near Arandis in the Erongo Region. Photo contributed
A bird's eye view of Paladin's Langer Heinrich mine situated near Arandis in the Erongo Region. Photo contributed

Langer Heinrich gears for expansion

Extraordinary progress
The Langer Heinrich mine has set a record in production since coming out of care and maintenance, and is poised for further expansion.
Ogone Tlhage
Paladin Energy’s Langer Heinrich Mine (LHM) is accelerating towards expansion following record-breaking production performance since its restart in March 2024.

The mine, which had been placed under care and maintenance during a prolonged downturn in the uranium market, has rebounded with exceptional results, as outlined in Paladin Energy’s quarterly report for the period ending June 2025.

Chief Operating Officer Paul Hemburrow highlighted the mine’s outstanding achievements during the quarter.

“The Langer Heinrich team has delivered extraordinary progress, achieving the highest production result since our restart in March 2024. This record-breaking output, coupled with an all-time high in crusher performance, reflects the successful re-establishment of mining operations, particularly in the G-pit area,” he said.

LHM is set to continue its operational ramp-up throughout the 2026 financial year, transitioning from processing stockpiled medium-grade ore to primarily utilising freshly mined ore.

Hemburrow emphasised that this shift is a critical part of the mine’s strategy to optimise production efficiency. “Our focus remains on scaling up mining activities over the year, with full mining and processing plant operations targeted for the 2027 financial year,” he said.



Driving growth

Hemburrow noted that the mine anticipates lower levels of primary mined ore feed during the first half of FY2026, as operations prioritise waste removal in the G-pit area. This strategic focus will pave the way for increased ore production in the second half of the year.

The LHM mine plan has been meticulously optimised to prioritise the delivery of medium- and high-grade ore to the processing plant, while lower-grade ore is stockpiled for future use, ensuring long-term operational efficiency.

Paladin continues to refine its blending strategies to maximise plant performance. According to Hemburrow, the medium-grade ore stockpile remains a vital component of the processing plant’s feed. By blending stockpiled ore with freshly mined material, the mine has achieved greater feed consistency, resulting in improved plant stability and operational reliability.



Production metrics

LHM produced 993 843 pounds of uranium oxide (U3O8) during the quarter, marking a 33% increase over the previous quarter’s output. This achievement represents the highest quarterly production since the mine’s restart and contributes to a total of 3.0 million pounds of U3O8 for the financial year, according to Hemburrow.

This exceptional performance was underpinned by a record crusher throughput of 1.17 million metric tonnes, surpassing the previous record of 982 209 metric tonnes set in the March 2014 quarter. The improved throughput, combined with consistent plant performance and enhanced feed blend quality, has solidified LHM’s position as a high-performing asset in Paladin’s portfolio.

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-25

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