Name of the Project
Colluli sulphate of potash (SoP) project.

Location
The Danakil Depression, which is situated within the East African Rift Valley of Eritrea – one of the world’s most geothermally endowed rifts.

Project Owner/s
The project is 100%-owned by the Colluli Mining Share Company (CMSC), a 50:50 joint venture between resource company Danakali and the Eritrean National Mining Corporation (ENAMCO). CMSC’s aim is to become a producer and exporter of sulphate of potash (SoP) during 2022.

Project Description
In a front-end engineering design (FEED) study completed in January 2018, the Colluli project was established as the most advanced, economically attractive and fundable SoP greenfield development project worldwide.

Colluli is also the closest known SoP deposit to a coastline anywhere in the world, only 75 km from the Red Sea.

At FEED production rates, the project has an expected mine life of 200 years. It is fully permitted, with the mining agreement and all requisite mining licences in place.

Colluli is the only known SoP resource that allows for the extraction of potassium salts in solid form that, in turn, allows for immediate processing, significantly less time between mining and revenue generation, and a reduction of the evaporation pond’s footprint, consequently contributing to a lower overall capital intensity.

A modular development approach has shown a highly scalable, long-life project. The shallow mineralisation of the project makes the resources amenable to opencut mining.

Module 1 is expected to produce 472 000 t/y of premium SoP. Module 2, starting production in Year 6 of the project, will increase total SoP production to 944 000 t/y. The massive Colluli ore reserve has significant capacity to underpin further expansions and support decades of growth beyond modules 1 and 2.

The mine will comprise an openpit, developing progressively from north-east to south-west. The pit will have a progressive working face that will provide access to each of the mineralised layers simultaneously. The orebody comprises sylvinite, carnallitite and kainite that will be fed as ore feed into the processing plant and from which sylvite, carnallite and kainite will be extracted and mixed to produce SoP.

Mining will be conducted by mining contractors using conventional mechanised equipment, with no drill-and-blast required. Mined ore will be transported by truck to a run-of-mine pad adjacent to the processing plant.

Colluli has significant diversification potential beyond SoP, including the option to produce additional potash and salt products such as muriate of potash, SoP-magnesia, kieserite, gypsum, magnesium chloride and rock salt.

Potential Job Creation
The project is expected to create more than 500 permanent jobs for locals and Eritrean nationals in Module 1, and more than 650 (cumulative) jobs once Module 2 is online, and benefits from strong local support.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The project has an after-tax net present value, at a 10% discount rate, of $902-million for modules 1 and 2, and an internal rate of return of 29.9%. Module 1 has a payback of 3.25 years.

Capital Expenditure
Module 1 development will require an initial capital investment of $302-million. The $200-million senior debt facility offered by Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), as well as the equity investment from AFC, has provided the majority of the funding required for construction and project execution.

The incremental Module 2 development is expected to require an initial capital investment of $202-million.

Planned Start /End Date
Construction is expected to start in 2021, with production targeted for 2022.

Latest Developments
Danakali is continuing to evaluate its renewable-energy options of solar, wind and geothermal energy in terms of its becoming a zero carbon producer of SoP.

With wind and solar proving viable options, Danakali will now work with its preferred power provider, Aggreko, on further developing these solutions.

Significantly, the mining licence area is in close proximity to known geothermal gradients, including at Alid, on  the axis of the Danakil Depression, between the Red Sea and the Afar Triple Junction. Alid has been recognised by the Eritrean Ministry of Mines and Energy (MoEM) as a potential high-geothermal resource, owing to the evidence of various surface manifestations and the presence of underground magma.

Danakali says this is “extremely promising” as a geothermal power source.

The miner has highlighted that geothermal and other renewable-energy sources are set out in Eritrea’s national renewable-energy policy and development framework. As such, Danakali will use the impressive body of work already conducted in Eritrea to develop its plans and further its commitment to carbon neutral SoP production.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
The company and project have a strong network of partnerships, including EuroChem (ten-year binding offtake agreement with Danakali for up to 100% of Module I production), AFC and Afreximbank (provision of $200-million in senior debt finance to CMSC, with the AFC having also agreed to a $50-million strategic equity investment in Danakali); DRA Global (EPCM contractor), Inglett & Stubbs (preferred power contractor); EMW (preferred mining contractor); and Turner & Townsend (contract development).

Contact Details for Project Information
Danakali CEO Niels Wage, tel +61 8 6189 8635 or email info@danakali.com.