PERTH (miningweekly.com) - Potash developer Kalium Lakes has marked first commercial sulphate of potash (SoP) sales from its Beyondie mine, in Western Australia, to local fertiliser manufacturer and distributor, CSBP Fertilisers.
The sale formed part of an inaugural sale under an offtake agreement with K+S Asia Pacific. Product is expected to be despatched in regular weekly deliveries over the next month as part of the first sale made under the 10-year offtake agreement.
“We are pleased to advise the loading of our first delivery of SOP from the Beyondie SOP mine in accordance with previous advice to shareholders that commercial sales were targeted to commence in July 2022,” said Kalium Lakes CEO Len Jubber.
“This is an important milestone in the commissioning of the Beyondie SoP mine as the sole Australian producer of SoP. It also heralds the start of the era of domestic SoP production in Australia, for distribution to the Australian and international agricultural markets.
“Kalium Lakes wishes to acknowledge the support of offtake partner, K+S, and its local Western Australian buyer, CSBP, in being part of the inaugural delivery of the first Australian-made SoP.”
Beyondie is expected to be operating at an 80 000 t/y SoP production run rate by the first quarter of 2023, with the targeted 120 000 t/y run rate established by the third quarter of 2024.