La Potasse

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suite de ce post du 1e avril 2023 viewtopic.php?p=2366243#p2366243

Congo : le gouvernement réitère son soutien au développement du projet de potasse Kola


Agence Ecofin 22 aout 2023

Avec une capacité de production annuelle de 2,2 millions de tonnes de potasse sur 31 ans, le projet Kola peut positionner le Congo comme un fournisseur de premier plan sur le marché des engrais. Si cela suscite de l’enthousiasme chez les autorités, le développement n’avance pas aussi vite que prévu.

Au Congo, la compagnie minière Kore Potash a reçu une lettre de soutien du ministère des Mines concernant le développement du projet de potasse Kola. Selon les détails communiqués par la société, le gouvernement s’engage à la soutenir davantage et confirme la validité des titres miniers et de la convention minière en vigueur.

Cette information intervient alors que plus tôt cette année, il y avait des raisons de penser que les relations entre les deux parties n’étaient pas au beau fixe. Le gouvernement avait en effet manifesté ouvertement son mécontentement face à l’absence de progrès significatifs sur le projet depuis plusieurs mois.

Kore a indiqué en mars dernier que le processus de financement du projet est en cours, mais n’a pas fixé de date pour son achèvement.

Il faut d’ailleurs noter que dans la lettre envoyée à la compagnie, le ministère a relevé que « certains des objectifs de développement pour les projets Kola et Dougou, tels que décrits dans la convention minière n’ont toujours pas été atteints ». Les autorités congolaises promettent un « soutien indéfectible », sous forme de garantie morale, pour aider la société à relever les défis restants liés au financement de Kola.

« Nous sommes heureux que le gouvernement de la République du Congo comprenne le calendrier et l’ampleur de l’investissement international nécessaire pour développer une industrie de la potasse, et qu’il exprime publiquement son soutien », a commenté David Hathorn, président de Kore Potash, ajoutant que la réussite de la mise en valeur du projet contribuera de manière substantielle au développement durable du pays.

Kore Potash prévoit de terminer les travaux d’ingénierie nécessaires pour soutenir une proposition de contrat EPC pour le projet d’ici fin décembre 2023. Une proposition de financement pour l’intégralité des coûts de construction sera fournie dans un délai de six semaines après la finalisation des termes du contrat EPC.

Pour rappel, selon les estimations actuelles, Kola peut être initialement exploitée sur 31 ans et produire annuellement 2,2 millions de tonnes de potasse. L’investissement nécessaire pour lancer la production est estimé à 1,83 milliard de dollars, avec une phase de construction de 40 mois.

https://www.agenceecofin.com/potasse/22 ... tasse-kola

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suite de ce post du 23 juillet 2022 viewtopic.php?p=2347865#p2347865

Kanga Potash signe une convention minière avec le Congo pour un important gisement de potasse

Agence Ecofin 31 aout 2023

Malgré d’immenses réserves minérales, de fer et de potasse notamment, le secteur minier de la République du Congo est peu développé. Le projet de potasse Kanga fait partie des actifs qui peuvent changer cette situation dans les années à venir.

La compagnie minière Kanga Potash a signé mi-août une convention minière avec la République du Congo pour l’exploitation du gisement de potasse Kanga. C’est ce qu’elle a indiqué dans un communiqué publié le 20 août, précisant que les travaux de construction de la mine commenceront « bientôt ».

« Cette convention définit les conditions d’une exploration, d’une extraction et d’une production responsables des ressources minérales […]. Kanga Potash est fière d’avoir cette opportunité extraordinaire de jouer un rôle central dans la transformation de la République du Congo en un producteur d’engrais de premier plan », a commenté Achim Strauss, PDG de la compagnie.

Notons que la signature de cette convention minière intervient plus d’un an après l’octroi, en juin 2022, d’un permis minier à la compagnie. Selon une étude de faisabilité de 2020, le projet Kanga peut livrer annuellement 600 000 tonnes de potasse (MOP) sur plus de 30 ans, avec la possibilité de porter la production annuelle jusqu’à 2,4 millions de tonnes.

https://www.agenceecofin.com/gestion-pu ... de-potasse

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Projet de remise en route du chantier de construction d'une mine de Potasse en Argentine. 1 milliard de dollar à investir pour le repreneur non cité .Auparavant c'était un projet de VALE qui y avait investi 2.2 milliards de dollar.

Argentine province closes selection of $1bn investor to revive potash mine
Final negotiations with "the most qualified bidder" will now advance for a contract to develop the Rio Colorado project.

September 5, 2023

Authorities from Mendoza province in Argentina have finalised the selection of a potential $1bn (350.01bn pesos) investor to help revive the development of the Rio Colorado potash mine, reported Reuters, citing Mendoza Governor Rodolfo Suarez.

The move comes more than a decade after Brazilian company Vale abandoned the potash project due to a drop in potash prices at that time and after failing to secure the government’s tax concessions to ease soaring costs linked to inflation.

Prior to its exit, Vale had already invested $2.2bn at the mine.

This resulted in the completion of 45% of the work at the Rio Colorado project, which includes a potash mine, a new and upgraded railway, and a potash-loading terminal at Bahia Blanca, south-west of Buenos Aires.

Suarez was cited by the news agency as saying on X: “We have finished the bid selection process for the development of the potassium mine in Malargue.”

Final negotiations between the authorities and ‘the most qualified bidder’ will now advance for a contract to develop the Rio Colorado mine.

Under the UBS Group’s advice, the provincial authorities launched a bidding process that initially drew interest from more than 30 national and international companies.

The final winner is expected to invest $1bn at the potash project over a period of five years.

https://www.mining-technology.com/news/ ... e/?cf-view

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suite de ce post du 26 aout 2023 viewtopic.php?p=2375770#p2375770

Les Chinois dans le coup pour la Potasse du Kola project

Kore Potash, Sepco gearing up for crucial developments at Kola project

12th October 2023

By: Simone Liedtke

In anticipation of significant milestones, Aim- and ASX-listed potash developer Kore Potash and Shanghai Electric Power Company (Sepco) are gearing up for crucial developments at the Kola project, in Congo-Brazzaville.

Sepco is aiming to complete all engineering design tasks at Kola by December.


Following this, in January 2024, an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract offer will be extended to Kore, marking a pivotal moment in the project timeline.

This progress follows a comprehensive agreement initiated on August 8 between Kore and Sepco. Under the terms of this agreement, Sepco, supported by its parent company PowerChina, embarked on essential additional engineering design works for the Kola project.

These efforts encompass various critical areas, such as the underground mine, mineral processing jetty, transshipment operations, energy transportation and storage, as well as conveyor systems and materials handling.

PowerChina committed to cover costs exceeding $10-million, capping Kore's contribution at $5-million. An initial payment of $1-million, made in August, kickstarted the project's financial aspects.
.......................

https://www.miningweekly.com/article/ko ... 2023-10-12

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suite de ce post du 24 oct 2021 viewtopic.php?p=2329063#p2329063

BCI Minerals obtient un énorme crédit pour son projet de Sulfate de Potasse. projet Mardie à 981 millions de dollars australien soit environ 618 millions de US $

Potash developer BCI Minerals has received credit approvals for a total project finance debt of A$981-million for its Mardie salt project, in Western Australia.

The ASX-listed company told shareholders that Export Development Canada (EDC) had approved a A$150-million project finance facility, pending contractual close and the satisfaction of all conditions precedent, with a seven-year tenor.


Two leading commercial banks have also increased their credit approvals to a combined A$181-million in project finance facilities. This was in addition to the A$490-million, 15-year facility from the Northern Australia Infrastructure Fund (NAIF) and the A$160-million, 11-year facility from Export Finance Australia (EFA).

These facilities will fund all components of the Mardie project other than the sulphate of potash (SoP) plant.


BCI earlier told shareholders that debt funding for the SoP plant is proposed to be progressed during 2024 following the completion of further design and cost development.

The project finance facilities are fully underpinned by forecast salt revenues only.

“This completion of the project finance package is an important project milestone, with the support shown by key lenders indicating strong confidence in BCI’s Mardie project, said MD David Boshoff on Monday.

“The participation of EDC, alongside NAIF, EFA, and the two commercial banks, provides BCI with a strong, diversified lender group who are willing to support the project in the long term.”

All facilities remain conditional on formal documentation, securing required tenure and approvals for the optimised feasibility study area, equity funding, offtake arrangements, and satisfying other customary conditions associated with the loans. BCI is targeting completion of formal debt documentation in the first half of 2024 and the first drawdown of debt in the second half of 2024, subject to satisfying all relevant conditions precedent.

BCI earlier this year flagged a A$500-million cost blow-out at Mardie, while also warning of delays to first production.

The project is now estimated to cost A$1.62-billion, while first salt production is anticipated mid-2026 and SoP in mid-2027, instead of the initial target of the first quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2026 respectively.

https://www.miningweekly.com/article/bc ... 2023-10-09

vidéo youtube sur le projet Mardie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw--idDO7XQ
il s'agit d'évaporation de l'eau de mer à grande échelle (sur 132 km2 !) et récupération du sel ordinaire NaCl et de sel de Potasse.
production annuelle de 5.35 millions de tonnes de sel NaCl et de 140 000 t de sels de Potasse.




Mardie Project Layout

explications à lire ici : https://www.bciminerals.com.au/our-asse ... otash.html
le sel de Potasse est récupéré tout à la fin, aprés que tout de sel NaCl soit déjà récupéré cristallisé.
Il s'agit donc de Sel de Potasse de mer. Il y a aussi une industrie de ce genre sur le Mer morte / Israel.

selon cette page : https://www.techniques-ingenieur.fr/act ... ium-31253/ il y a 3% de sel NaCl dans l'eau de mer pour 1300 ppm soit 0.13 % de sel de Potassium. soit un ratio 3/0.13 = 23

au projet Mardie le ratio donne 5 350 000 /140 000 = environ 38. on est dans le bon ordre de grandeur.

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suite de ce post du 12 mars 2023 http://www.oleocene.org/phpBB3/viewtopi ... 8#p2364548

L'agrandissement de la mine Jansen au Canada va mener à la plus grande mine de Potasse du monde vers 2029.

BHP to invest $4.9bn in Jansen stage 2 potash project in Canada
The additional commitment in the Canadian potash project will double its production capacity to about 8.5Mtpa

By NS Energy Staff Writer 01 Nov 2023

Australia-based resources company BHP has authorised a $4.9bn investment for stage two of the Jansen potash project (Jansen Stage 2) located in Saskatchewan, Canada.

According to the company, the additional commitment to the Canadian potash project will double its production capacity to about 8.5 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa). It is said to transform the Jansen project into one of the world’s largest potash mines.

The construction of the Jansen Stage 2 project is estimated to take nearly six years.

The project is scheduled to deliver the first production in 2029, followed by a ramp-up period of three years.

Stage two of the Canadian potash project will deliver about 4.36Mtpa of production.

BHP’s additional investment for the Jansen Stage 2 will fund the development of additional mining districts, and the completion of the second shaft hoist infrastructure to accommodate higher mining volumes.

It will also be utilised for the expansion of processing facilities as well as the addition of more rail cars.

Besides, the funding will be utilised to increase storage facilities at the port.

In October 2022, BHP approved an initial commitment of $188m to buy long lead equipment and begin process plant foundation works.

BHP CEO Mike Henry said: “The stage two investment advances BHP’s strategy to increase its exposure to commodities positively leveraged to the global megatrends of population growth, urbanisation, rising living standards and decarbonisation.

“Potash, used in fertilisers, will be essential for food security and more sustainable farming.”

Stage one of the Jansen potash project is 32% complete and advancing in line with its schedule, said the company.

BHP aims to achieve the first production from the Jansen Stage 1 in late 2026.

The company approved a $5.7bn investment for Stage 1 of the Canadian potash project in August 2021 and $4.5bn in pre-Jansen stage 1.

https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/news/b ... in-canada/

la mine de Jansen actuellement :

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suite de ce post du 23 avril 2023 http://www.oleocene.org/phpBB3/viewtopi ... 7#p2368007

Le projet de mine de Potasse Autazes au Brésil gelé pour suspension de permis :

Brazil Potash’s Autazes project halted on permitting suspension

21 nov 2023

A Brazilian court has once again frozen the permitting process for Brazil Potash’s $2.5 billion Autazes potash project in the Amazon.

The decision does not cancel the permits already granted to the Canadian miner, but rather prevent it from moving forward, Brazil Potash said.

The ruling responded to a new request from the federal prosecutors office (Ministério Público Federal – MPF), claiming there were serious violations and irregularities in the granting of a preliminary permit. The MPF, which is a body independent from Brazil’s government, alleges to have reviewed audio recordings, video reports, telephone calls, and that it has have face-to-face hearings, all of which show “the chaotic situation established between the Mura people and indigenous leaders in the villages”.The MPF also said Brazil Potash’s local unit, Potássio do Brasil, as well as its representatives have pressured and threatened locals.This is the third time the Amazon State’s Court rules against the interests of the company and its key stakeholders, including the Mura Indigenous people, chief executive, Matt Simpson, told MINING.COM.
The first time was 2018 and a second one in September this year. Both rulings were overturned by the Federal Court in Brasilia, which said the lower court’s judge based his decision in flawed and biased information. Brazil Potash said it was confident the newest recent lower court ruling would be overturned by the Federal Court, given that it conflicts with a prior ruling from the top court itself, along with the “highly questionable merits of the case”. Indigenous leaders told MINING.COM in October that there wasn’t a consensus on the benefits of the Autazes among the Mura people, with some against the project and others, such as the Mura Indigenous Council (CIM), in favour.Brazil Potash has consistently denied any wrongdoing, adding that the opinion of 34 of the 36 villages impacted by the project were heard.

The proposed mine and processing facilities in Autazes, 75 miles (120 kms) southeast of the capital of Amazonas state, Manaus, would require about three years to complete.The project will be built on low density cattle farm land, deforested several decades ago by prior owners, Brazil Potash says. The ore body is not located under indigenous land, but is within 10km of two reserves resulting in the need for consultations with locals. Production is expected to start in 2026 with an initial output sufficient to cover about 20% of Brazil’s potash needs. Project capacity is pegged at 2.2 million tonnes of potassium chloride per year according to the company.Potash is a vital commodity in Brazil, and there are several potential projects in a 400-km belt south of the Amazon which the government hopes will end its almost complete reliance on imports of the material.The majority of potash used in Brazil comes from mines in Canada, the world’s number one producer, and Russia. Russia and Belarus jointly account for about 41% of global potash exports – but disruptions spurred importer countries to find other suppliers.

https://script.finanzen.ch/nachrichten/ ... n-13058018

https://www.mining.com/subscribe-login/?id=1132861

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suite de ce post du 26 fevrier 2023 : http://www.oleocene.org/phpBB3/viewtopi ... h#p2363560

Anglo American to sell share in $9bn UK potash mine
It is understood that Anglo has already begun to identify potential investors for the potash mine development.

Annabel Cossins-Smith December 29, 2023


View of the Woodsmith mine site under construction. Credit: Anglo American.

Mning major Anglo American is preparing to sell a 49% minority stake in the UK’s biggest mining project in North Yorkshire.

Anglo chief executive Duncan Wanblad told City analysts that the company is “moving at pace to find a partner” to share the costs of the $9bn Woodsmith polyhalite fertiliser mine project.

It is understood that Anglo has already begun to identify potential investors for the development, which it has so far poured $2.5bn into, before starting a formal sales process, the Times reports.

There is speculation that the company will target infrastructure investors and sovereign wealth funds for the sale and is also looking to find distribution companies to buy the fertiliser produced from the project.

Wanblad said it needed to be “the right partner at the right price for this particular asset”. It is understood that the company is looking for investors to buy in to the project by early 2025, with a 49% expected to be offered, although Anglo will maintain control.

The northern English county of Yorkshire is home to the world’s only mined source of polyhalite, a type of potash that is useful in the production of fertilisers because it contains potassium, magnesium, sulphur and calcium, four critical nutrients required by plants.

In 2018, British fertiliser developer Sirius Minerals, which used to own and operate the mine, began work on a 23-mile-long tunnel to connect the site to a port in Teesside for transportation. At the time, costs for the tunnel were initially expected to reach $3.2bn, with operations slated to begin in 2022.

In 2020, after Sirius Minerals fell into financial crisis following failed investment rounds for the Woodside mine, Anglo rescued the project by acquiring the developer. It has since poured around $2.1bn into the tunnel, which is currently unfinished at 16 miles long. Estimates suggest that a further $4bn will be required to finish the tunnel, with operations now expected to begin in 2027.

https://www.mining-technology.com/news/ ... e/?cf-view

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La derniére fiche de l' USGS sur la Potasse (Potash) https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs20 ... potash.pdf

moins 4 % de la production mondiale

Data in thousand metric tons of K2O equivalent



mon post de l' an dernier : http://www.oleocene.org/phpBB3/viewtopi ... 2#p2364082

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suite de ce post du 15 oct 2023 http://www.oleocene.org/phpBB3/viewtopi ... 4#p2378394

Congo-Brazzaville : pourparlers entre Kore Potash et Power China pour construire une mine de potasse

Agence Ecofin 01 avril 2024

En République du Congo, le secteur minier est peu développé malgré d’immenses ressources minérales. Leur exploitation au cours des années à venir pourrait contribuer à diversifier l’économie nationale.

En République du Congo, Kore Potash vise la signature d’un contrat d'ingénierie, d'approvisionnement et de construction pour son projet de potasse Kola, au 2ème trimestre 2024. C’est ce qu’a annoncé la société minière constituée au Royaume-Uni dans ses résultats financiers publiés fin mars, précisant que des discussions sont en cours avec le groupe Power China qui a soumis une proposition en février.

Selon un accord conclu en juin 2022 avec Power China, la société doit développer une usine de traitement de 2,2 millions de tonnes pour exploiter la mine sur 31 ans. L’investissement initial nécessaire est évalué à 1,83 milliard USD pour 40 mois de travaux de construction. Des négociations sont en cours depuis plusieurs mois pour mobiliser les fonds, mais aucune date n’a été donnée pour la décision finale d’investissement.

Si le projet Kola entre en production, il pourrait contribuer à transformer le visage du secteur minier en République du Congo, et accélérer la diversification d’une économie largement dominée par l’exploitation du pétrole. Des revenus annuels de 773 millions USD et un EBITDA de 583 millions USD, selon les estimations de Kore Potash.

https://www.agenceecofin.com/potasse/01 ... de-potasse

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suite de ce post du 26 novembre 2023 http://www.oleocene.org/phpBB3/viewtopi ... 0#p2380740

Brazil potash project in Amazonas receives license

09/04/24
Amazonas state's environmental agency Ipaam issued an environmental license to install Potassio do Brasil's Autazes project.

Valid for three years, the license authorizes the construction of the complex, including an 800-meter deep mine.

Ipaam granted a preliminary license to Potassio do Brasil in 2015, which is a subsidiary of Canadian firm Brazil Potash. But a state court suspended the license in September 2023, ruling that it should have been granted by the federal environment watchdog Ibama instead, following allegations submitted by a public civil suit. Amazonas state's federal regional court overruled the suspension in October 2023 under the argument that the mine is not in an indigenous territory.

The installation license comes with 26 restrictions/conditions, including the protection of the fauna, maintaining preserved areas, a report of activities every six months and suspension of activities any type of archeological, historical, or artistic vestiges are verified.

The company projects to invest around $2.5bn in the project, with the construction phase set to last around four and a half years. Potassio do Brasil also plans to build a port in Autazes city to ship the mineral.

The Autazes project is scheduled to initially produce 2.2mn metric tonnes (t)/yr of potash. That is Brazil's main potash project and is considered the most promising to reduce the country's dependency on imports under the national fertilizer plan.

The project is expected to provide around 20pc of Brazil's potash requirements. The national fertilizer plan aims to reduce the share of fertilizer coming from imports to around 40pc by 2050, down from nearly 85pc. Brazil currently imports more than 95pc of its potash needs.

https://www.argusmedia.com/en/news-and- ... es-license

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suite de ce post du 5 nov 2023 http://www.oleocene.org/phpBB3/viewtopi ... 0#p2379660

BHP says first stage of Jansen mine almost halfway complete

Staff Writer | April 18, 2024 |

The world’s biggest miner, BHP revealed on Thursday that the first phase of its massive potash mine in Saskatchewan, Canada, is ahead of schedule and near the halfway point of completion at 44%.


Located 140 km east of Saskatoon, the Jansen project is set to become one of the world’s largest producers of potash, a commodity considered to be a pillar of future growth for the company. It also represents the single largest private economic investment in the province’s history.

Since giving the project its go-ahead in 2021, BHP has been injecting capital to speed up its development even when potash prices were falling. Even before its approval, the group had spent $4.5 billion on the project.

The proposed potash mine is being built in four stages, with $5.7 billion already spent on the first stage alone. The aim, according to BHP, is to start Phase 1 production in late 2026, with expected potash production of 4.2 million tonnes a year.

In its quarterly update Thursday, the Australian mining group also said that the second stage, which was approved last year and is expected to cost another $4.9 billion, will start in 2029. This would add another 4.4 million tonnes of annual production.

The entire four-phased development could have annual production of between 16-17 million tonnes, BHP previously stated.

https://www.mining.com/bhp-says-first-s ... -complete/