Salt Lake Potash Ltd (ASX:SO4) has revealed a low capex, highly profitable, staged development model following its scoping study for a 50,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) sulphate of potash (SOP) demonstration plant.
The demonstration plant is intended to validate the technical and commercial viability of brine SOP production from the company’s Goldfields Salt Lakes Project (GSLP) in Western Australia, providing the basis to build a world class SOP operation across the nine lakes in the GSLP.
Williamson pit and brines
Salt Lake plans to construct the Williamson Ponds by the end of 2018, in parallel with completing a feasibility study for the demonstration plant, followed by initial kainite salt harvesting in mid-late 2019.
After the feasibility study, the company anticipates completing the balance of the on-lake infrastructure - evaporation ponds and trenches - while the fabrication of the process plant is completed offsite.
Scoping study results
Salt Lake will pursue a fast-track, staged approach to the development of a demonstration plant at Lake Way, taking advantage of the unique circumstances of the Williamson Pit to accelerate the development timeline, while also de-risking the project at each stage.