Name of the Project
Mardie salt and sulphate of potash (SoP) project.

Location
The project is located on the north-west coast of Western Australia.

Client
BCI Minerals.

Project Description
A prefeasibility study (PFS) has confirmed the technical and financial viability of the project.

The project aims to produce 3.5-million tonnes a year of high-purity industrial-grade sodium chloride salt from seawater using solar evaporation, crystallisation and raw salt purification.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The project has an estimated net present value, at a 10% discount rate of A$335-million and an internal rate of return of 20%, with payback expected five years after production starts.

Value
Total capital expenditure is estimated at A$335-million, with A$248-million allocated to the salt project and A$87-million for the SoP project.

Duration
The project has a five-year development timeline from the completion of the PFS to first production of salt in 2023.

Latest Developments
BCI now intends to conduct a definitive feasibility study, targeting completion during 2019.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
Salt Partners (salt processing and purification, salt purification plant design); K-UTEC Salt Technologies (SoP production, including bitterns evaporation and crystallisation flows, SoP processing plant design); K Wellisch & Associates (seawater evaporation and crystallisation flows, concentrator and crystalliser pond design); Roskill Information Services (salt market and pricing information); Integer Research (SoP market and pricing information); O2 Marine (environmental: Benthic communities and habitat surveys, marine fauna and surface hydrology); Stantec (environmental: mangal, algal matt and acid sulphate soil studies); RPS Group (environmental: storm surge and surface hydrology analysis); Phoenix Environmental Sciences (environmental: flora and fauna surveys); Pendoley Environmental (environmental: marine turtle survey and assessment); Land and Marine Geological Services (strategic planning and analysis of geotechnical testwork); Amberley Management (earthworks construction methodology and cost estimates); Drake-Brockman Geoinfo (geological photo interpretation for identification of construction materials); Cardno (port and civil design); Braemar Shipping Services, Clarkson, Jebsen (freight rate estimates); and Dalesford (review of capital expenditure and operational expenditure estimates).

On Budget and on Time?
Too early to state.

Contact Details for Project Information
BCI Minerals, tel +61 8 6311 3400 or email info@bciminerals.com.au.