Junior phosphate mining company HPS II LLC said Dec. 6 that it is poised to move forward with the permitting phase of its plan to open a new phosphate resource in North Central Florida. The plan includes facilities in both Bradford and Union counties. Production projections for each plant currently forecast approximately 1.2 million st/y of 66-68 BPL (30-31 percent P2O5) wet rock.
HPS II LLC was formed by local families with the purpose of bringing this ore body, which contains approximately 60.9 million st of recoverable high-quality “Bone Valley”-characteristic phosphate rock, into the world market.
There are no plans to build fertilizer production processing facilities.
HPS reports that it has engaged Kleinfelder, an engineering and environmental professional services firm, to oversee the mining permit process.