Fertilizer: Overview
South Boulder’s two 100% owned fertiliser projects in Western Australia are the Lake Disappointment Potash Project in the Gibson Desert and the Cardabia Phosphate Project in the Carnarvon Basin.
South Boulder Mines Ltd also has an interest in the Colluli Potash Project located in the Danakil Depression region of Eritrea (Africa) approximately 200kms south east of the Capital Asmara and comprises 906km2;
Potash is a generic term for potassium salts - its primary use is as an ingredient in agricultural fertilisers. There is no known substitute for potassium as a plant nutrient.
World consumption is currently in excess of 50 million tonnes per annum and demand is expected to outstrip supply over the next 5-10 years.
The Cardabia Phosphate Project’s prospectivity has been enhanced by the recent ‘eight’ fold improvement in rock phosphate prices and the projected strong demand for phosphate fertiliser.
The Eritrean Project consists of buried evaporite deposits in which two shallow potash bearing horizons were identified from historic diamond drilling.South Boulder intends to complete detailed data compilation and to undertake diamond drilling, to confirm the reported potash intercepts and to collect samples for preliminary metallurgical test work.
South Boulder believes the project has the potential to host a world class potash deposit and is committed to assessing this potential.South Boulder is in the process of setting up a local branch office in Asmara including the recruitment of local administration and geological staff in order to support exploration.