South African phosphate producer Foskor Ltd. said on June 11 a fire at its Richards Bay phosphoric acid plant will not impact production or supply, despite damage to phosphate rock and sulfur conveyors, local media reported, citing a company statement.
The fire broke out on June 10 at the phosphate rock transfer tower, where phosphate rock and sulfur are conveyed into storage facilities. The fire was extinguished before any severe damage could occur to the conveyor, and no employees or contractors were hurt, according to reports, citing Foskor’s General Manager of Logistics, Shipping and Materials Handling, Musa Xulu.
The company expects the damaged conveyors to be operational again by the end of June.
However, according to a news report by the Zululand Observer, “a large section” of the conveyor system was “completely destroyed” before the fire was extinguished. It reported the fire will result in “millions of rands” worth of loss, damage, and repair, and that the repairs “could take months to be effected.”
The cause of the fire is still being investigated, Foskor reported. The company had not responded to Green Markets inquiries by press time.
Foskor produces sulfuric and phosphoric acid and MAP and DAP at Richards Bay. The company has production capacity for 300,000 mt/y of DAP/MAP at the site, according to Green Markets’ data. Foskor mines and beneficiates phosphate rock at Phalaborwa in South Africa’s northern Limpopo Province, and from there it is railed to Richards Bay.