Ravensdown Seeks Local Phosphate As Cheaper Source
March 25th, 2009
Major feritiliser producer Ravensdown has begun prospecting in Otago and South Canterbury for a cheaper source of phosphate rock as an alternative to currently expensive imports. The farmer co-op is exploring development of phosphate rock reserves in South Otago, about 40 km south of Dunedin and it is also prospecting for phosphate and limestone in coastal east Otago and South Canterbury. Test results showed encouraging levels of phosphate at the only known commercially mined phosphate deposits in NZ at Clarendon which was last mined in the 1940’s when supplies from Nauru Island were shut down by the Japanese occupation.
Data on this privately-owned deposit was last published in 1989 when Dr Barry Douglas estimated reserves of 5m tonnes at 11% P205 rock pre-beneficiation on 72ha of the estimated 500 ha site. Further processing of the phosphate rock has significant potential, according to Ravensdown. The world price of phosphate rock has risen from a long-term price of about $US50 a tonne to peak at at $US500 a tonne last year. World phosphate prices are now around $US250 a tonne. Ravensdown has also been awarded a two-year PP51147, a 262sqkm permit covering a 10km wide strip largely onshore from Warrington to north of Palmerston on the Otago coast.
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