JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Potash development company Sirius Minerals and Tanzania State-owned business Tanzania Fertilizer Company (TFC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish and formalise a joint venture (JV) to blend and distribute polyhalite-based fertiliser products in Tanzania and the surrounding region.
The MoU contained provisions for the negotiation of an offtake agreement to supply up to 500 000 t of polyhalite a year to be used by the JV.
“We believe that polyhalite could represent a significant opportunity for Tanzanian agricultural practices and aspirations due to its unique mineral constituency and its competitive cost, which will have significant positive impacts on the fertiliser market and application practices,” TFC GM Salum Mkumba commented.
Sirius noted that the MoU was the result of ongoing discussions between the company and TFC and followed the MoU signed between Sirius and the Tanzanian Ministry of Agriculture in July to implement a series of crop trials using polyhalite as a fertiliser base for future use in Tanzania.
“Our partners believe that polyhalite could play a significant role in the future of fertiliser use and we are delighted to be working towards a platform for polyhalite into the important growth markets of Tanzania and other countries in East and Central Africa,” Sirius CEO and MD Chris Fraser said.