Phosphate rock junior Kropz Plc reported it had achieved first production of phosphate concentrate from its Elandsfontein operation in South Africa.
The company started plant commissioning in the fourth quarter of last year, and said it has achieved a concentrate grade of 31 percent P2O5. It said concentrate samples will now be prepared for shipment to a number of potential buyers to confirm product specifications.
Kropz is targeting to start sales to smaller local customers in South Africa late this month.
The company said the focus at Elandsfontein will now shift to increasing ramp-up of operations to achieve nameplate capacity and enable the first commercial large-scale shipment of concentrate, while optimizing process recoveries.
It expects full production capacity by early fourth-quarter 2022. The plant has a targeted design processing capacity of some 1 million mt/y, according to Kropz’s website.
Product for export will be shipped by road and rail the 43 km to the West Coast port of Saldanha, one of Africa’s biggest ports.
Kropz owns a majority 74 percent stake in the Elandsfontein phosphate project.