A new video aimed at investors has positioned the Ardmore Phosphate project as a viable export project for the region.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Australian company Centrex is developing the $60m operation near Dajarra to supply feed to fertiliser plants for Australia and export.
The company is moving to a feasibility study after an initial scoping study said a ten-year openpit mining operation would produce 776,000 dry tonnes of premium 35% Phosphorus pentoxide and phosphate rock product a year.
In the video, Centrex Metals CEO Ben Hammond said Ardmore was one of the few remaining high-grade phosphate projects in the world.
“Fertiliser is critical for food production and for pasture, there’s no substitute for it,” Mr Hammond said.
“The world population continues to grow and demand for phosphate will steadily rise with it.”
Mr Hammond said by bringing Ardmore into production it would create a viable alternative to current risky imports of phosphate with Australia and New Zealand importing a million tonnes of phosphate rock mainly from North Africa.
“Ardmore can produce a premium grade of phosphate concentrate and unlike most products on the market it is ultra low in cadmium which is a toxic metal which can be absorbed by plants and end up in our food,” he said.
Centrex chair David Klingberg said their studies showed Ardmore has potential strong returns for investors.
“We expect these returns to be confirmed in the final feasibility study we intend to publish in the middle of 2018,” Mr Klingberg said.
“The development cost for the Ardmore project are among the lowest in the world as we have ready access to existing rail and port infrastructure and the mining and processing operations are extremely simple.”
Steve Klose, Ardmore general manager products, said the beauty of Ardmore was that it was shallow and soft.
“This means the ore can be easily removed without the need for blasting and dozers can be used to remove the overburden from the ore deposit,” Mr Klose said.
“It does not require the expensive grinding of location processes used in other phosphate plants throughout the world and only requires that the ore is crushed and then abraded to remove the fine clays and contaminants from the ore.”
Mr Klose said the ore is high-grade from the mine and is high quality for export.
Gerard Bosch, Ardmore manager approvals and stakeholder relations, said their shipping from Mount Isa to the Port of Townsville was a great freight advantage over overseas product.
“Ardmore is an advance stage,” Mr Bosch said.
“Our mining lease has been secured and the project will provide in the order of a hundred jobs and benefits to the local community,” Mr Bosch said.