Junior sulfate of potash (SOP) producer Agrimin Ltd., Nedlands, Western Australia, has secured major project status from the Australian government for its Mackay sulfate of potash (SOP) project, located near the East Pilbara town of Kiwirrkurra in Western Australia.
The major project status, which was approved for three years, will help Agrimin receive additional support from the Australian government. Highlighting the project’s significant to the economy, the Australian government said it is extending its help to the company to boost the development of the project, which will generate multiple jobs in the region
According to Agrimin, Lake Mackay is the largest known potash-bearing salt lake in Australia, comparable in size, but smaller than other such lakes – Great Salt Lake in the U.S. and Lop Nur in China.
In January, the company reported that it had upgraded its Mineral Resource estimate for the Mackay potash project to 123.4 million mt, up some 470 percent from the 26.1 million mt listed in a May 2018 Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) (GM Jan 24, p. 27). The initial PFS foresaw SOP capacity of 426,000 mt/y, with all production shipped through the company’s Wyndham Port Facility, some 785 km from the project, to world markets.