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“I think my philosophy is always around best practice and continuous improvement when it comes to our ESG strategy. You know with our Alfred East project- that’s the copper project we’re looking at using In Situ Recovery (ISCR) which is an environmentally friendly alternative unlike traditional mining practices which rely on excavation and blasting to recover the ore – I S R has such a minimal impact on the surrounding environment that it can even take place alongside farms and communities. So, looking at ways that we can do things with a more environmental and sustainable method or technique. We are also working with the local environmentalists; horticulturalists and we are really trying to work with the local communities to help reduce our environmental footprint and sustainability.”
Nicole Galloway,
Managing Director,
Thor Energy.
Having more than 30 years’ experience in mining and exploration in Australia, Eastern Europe and South America, Nicole is currently the director of Thor Energy as well as The Australian Institute of Geoscientists (AIG). As an experienced geologist, she was involved in the discovery of Samphire uranium deposits in South Australia and is passionate about her job. She is currently the Councilor of AMEC and “is very fortunate to have a career that I’ve been able to grow up with and that accommodate family life and balance, etcetera and still passionate today,” she said.
Under her leadership, Thor Mine rebranded to Thor Energy “to really reflect our strategic direction in the uranium and energy space side of things,” she said. Having vast experience in the energy industry, Nicole is the perfect fit with the right skills to move forward Thor Energy’s projects. Since she joined Thor Energy, she has been involved in several projects which includes Wedding Bell, Radium Mountain projects in Colorado and Vanadium King project in Uta.
She said, “The community really want to see the projects going forward, so we have a really good community engagement with the locals as well as the support from the government.”
Thor Energy’s strategic vision to a new green economy.
The world is transitioning to a greener economy as more than 130 countries have set net zero carbon emission targets by 2050. After changing of name to Thor Energy PLC, which it said reflects the company’s exploration focus on its uranium and energy metals projects in Australia and the US, the company kicked off its 3 projects in Colorado and Uta respectively which supports green energy transition. Uranium and other energy metals which the company focuses on are crucial in the shift to a green energy economy. Thor Energy has several highly prospective projects that give shareholders exposure to uranium, nickel, copper, lithium, and gold.
The energy company holds a 100% interest in three uranium-vanadium projects in the highly prospective Uravan Mining Belt on the border of Utah and Colorado. The Wedding Bell Project and the Radium Mountain Projects comprise of 199 mineral claims over areas of historical high-grade uranium and vanadium production. The Vanadium King Project in south-east Utah comprises 100 mineral claims, about 40km (about 24.85 mi) north of Moab. Over 2021-22, the team identified and secured permits to drill test the three highest priority targets.
Furthermore, the company had a strategic partnership with Fleet Space Technologies to accelerate exploration and minimize environmental impact in their copper project in Alford East, Australia. Copper is one of the critical minerals on demand towards green energy transition. The sought after mineral’s demand is driven by its essential role in constructing electric vehicles, power grids, and wind turbines, with expectations of a price rise to $15,000 per tonne in 2025 according to industry experts. Global demand for copper is predicted to grow up to 10 times by 2050.
The collaboration with Fleet Space Technologies will drive ANT surveys using EXOSPHERE BY FLEET technology initially over the northern part of the Alford East Project. This low-impact exploration technique harnesses natural environmental vibrations to analyze the Earth’s composition at significant depths. Moreover, the partnership also promises to provide real-time data with minimal environmental impact, reducing the need for extensive drilling.
Galloway said, as far as their ESG strategy is concerned, community engagement is of paramount importance in their operations. In an interview on DIG DEEP- The Mining Podcast with Rob Tyson, Galloway said that “I think my philosophy is always around best practice and continuous improvement when it comes to our ESG strategy. You know with our Alfred East project- that’s the copper project we’re looking at using In Situ Recovery (ISCR) which is an environmentally friendly alternative unlike traditional mining practices which rely on excavation and blasting to recover the ore – I S R has such a minimal impact on the surrounding environment that it can even take place alongside farms and communities. So, looking at ways that we can do things with a more environmental and sustainable method or technique.
“We are also working with the local environmentalists; horticulturalists and we are really trying to work with the local communities to help reduce our environmental footprint and sustainability.”
Lastly, she also mentioned the importance of social license as the key to the success of any project. “The key is to engage with the community, you want to inform them, involve them, and collaborate with them throughout the journey of the project.”