Agrimin continues with process test work at Mackay

Additional process test work with leading equipment vendors is ongoing at Agrimin’s (ASX:AMN) Mackay potash project in WA.

Process test work

Agrimin’s integrated owner’s team, supported by Turner & Townsend JukesTodd as project management consultant, is progressing several front end engineering design (FEED) work streams.

The outcomes of the FEED study will provide a greater degree of accuracy for operating and capital costs, as well as minimise the risk of material changes during the execution phase of the project.

An extensive technical review during the current FEED phase, together with the reported experienced of other potash projects in WA, led to the requirement for further process test work to be completed.

This additional test work will aim to de-risk Mackay’s start-up stage by demonstrating the targeted potash-bearing salt mineral can be consistently produced from the expected harvest salt feed during the start-up stage.

In collaboration with a leading crystallisation vendor, additional work is underway to test and confirm the optimal harvest salt preparation under a range of operating conditions for the conversion reactor.

The conversion reactor is integral to the downstream processing stages and once testing is advanced, it will facilitate further test work to confirm the successive flotation process.

Harvest salts from Lake Mackay have been prepared for conversion test work to gain a better understanding on the range of process conditions.

Agrimin chief executive Mark Savich commented on the work.

“Our current process test work is aimed at providing improved confidence around the harvest salt preparation and conversion stage of the process flowsheet, prior to embarking on the construction phase,” he said.

“Over the coming months we will be testing the key operating parameters of the conversion step being particle size, temperature and residence time using a range of harvest salts that we expect to encounter during the start-up stage of the project.”

Environmental approval

The Mackay potash project is currently being assessed by the Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).

Agrimin is responding to comments made by the EPA and approval remains on track for the second half of 2023.

“In parallel with the test work, we continue to progress the Environmental Impact Assessment as fast as possible given this remains on the critical path to the project’s development,” Mr Savich said.

“While this has taken longer than anticipated, we are proud of the high quality, industry-leading environmental work that has been completed by our team and we remain absolute in our commitment to managing the Mackay potash project in a socially acceptable and environmentally responsible manner.”