IC Potash Announces Successful Ochoa Potash Project Preliminary Economic Assessment
Economic Assessment of the Company’s 100%-owned Ochoa Sulphate of
Potash (“SOP”) Project (the “Preliminary Economic Assessment” or “PEA”)
located in south east
of
“This independent report is a major achievement for IC Potash,” Mr.
present value to the Ochoa Project of
discount rate of 10%, and
projected values are based on the estimated capital cost of
million
provides robust economics for the Ochoa Project with operations
producing 660,000 tons of SOP per year. Our mission is to develop aÂ
long-life, low cost mine, which will produce Sulphate of Potash, the
premium quality potash of the world, and the PEA indicates that the
Company’s New Mexico Ochoa potash asset is positioned to become one of
the world’s lowest cost producers of Sulphate of Potash.”
Recommendations and Conclusions
This Preliminary Economic Assessment indicates that the Ochoa Sulphate
of Potash project is economically viable and Gustavon recommends
continued development of the project including:
-
The completion of a prefeasibility study;
-
The commencement of environmental and permitting work; and
-
The obtaining of a sufficient bulk sample of ore for pilot scale
metallurgical testing and process optimization.
Dr.
Corp., stated: “My compliments to our world class team for the timely
execution of this critical milestone. We are now well financed to
carry out all recommended work, and prepared to evaluate strategic
development opportunities moving forward with the Ochoa Project,
including the possibility of establishing marketing partnerships with
international fertilizer companies.”Â
Economic Analysis
The National Instrument 43-101 Compliant Preliminary Economic Assessment
projects a base case production level of 660,000 tons per year of
Sulphate Potash (“SOP”), a mine life of 40 years with a capital cost of
expressed in
data is summarized as follows:
-
Internal rate of Return of 25% on a pre-tax basis based on a 100% equity
case;
-
Net Present Value of US
$1.4 billion using a pre-tax discount rate of
10% and no debt;
-
Net Present Value of
US$2.1 billion using a pre-tax discount rate of 8%
and no debt;
-
Operating production cost of
US$164 per ton of SOP;
-
Capital cost of
$662 million which includes a general contingency of$97 and engineering and procurement and management costs of
million$48 ;
million
-
Underground mining at a rate sufficient to produce 3.29 million tons of
ore per year;
-
Average mining extraction rate of 85%;
-
Average metallurgical recovery of 85%
-
Mine life of 40 years;
-
The Sulphate of Potash sales price forecasts were provided by CRU,
formerly known as British Sulphur Consultants. CRU is the leading
business consultancy for the fertilizer industries;
-
SOP prices for 2015 were forecast at
$508 per short ton and subsequently
varied for projected macroeconomic trends and anticipated changes in
Sulphate of Potash supply and demand;
-
While the project has the potential to produce Sulphate of Potash and
other fertilizer minerals such as Magnesium Sulphate, the study
included only Sulphate of Potash as this fertilizer mineral is readily
marketable in a very robust market.Â
Economic Impact of Resource Expansion
As provided in the press release of
million tons of potash resource in the measured and indicated resource
category. The detailed potash resource is provided in the table
below. In addition, there is a further resource of 300 million tons of
potash in the inferred resource category.
| 5 foot minimum thickness | Measured | Indicated | Measured and Indicated |
| Tons | 239,000,000 | 462,000, 000 | 700,000,000 |
| Grade Polyhalite | 82.7% | 82.4% | 82.5% |
| Equivalent Grade K2SO4 | 23.4% | 23.4% | 23.4% |
| 6 foot minimum thickness | Measured | Indicated | Measured and Indicated |
| Tons | 41,000,000 | 47,000,000 | 88,000,000 |
| Grade Polyhalite | 86.1% | 84.1% | 85.0% |
| Equivalent Grade K2SO4 | 24.4% | 23.8% | 24.1% |
Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated
economic viability. The objective of the upcoming pre-feasibility
study is to demonstrated economic viability.Â
Base Case of 660,000 tons per year production, operating costs:Â
| Area of Operations | Cost Per Ton Of Feedstock (US$) | Cost Per ton of SOP Product (US$) |
| Mining | $12.36 | $61.39 |
| Processing | $19.76 | $98.11 |
| G&A | $ 0.95 | $ 4.72 |
| Total | $33.07 | $164.22 |
Chief Operating Officer
NI-43-101 compliant mineral resource which included, at a five foot
minimum thickness cut-off, 239 million tons of measured resource of
polyhalite, and 462 million tons of indicated resource. It is this
resource which we intend to convert to Sulphate of Potash at a very low
cost of production. Thus this project has the potential to have a life
far in excess of the forty year mine life which was used in the
financial economic model. The Company is intent on moving quickly to
develop this project.”
The Preliminary Economic Assessment also considered a production
scenario of 1,000,000 tons of annual Sulphate of Potash production.Â
The capital cost for such a production level would be
Assuming a 40 year mine life and the same projected SOP prices as for
the base case, the Internal Rate of Return would be 30% and the Net
Present Value would be
10% and
The NI-43-101 Technical Report for Preliminary Economic Assessment and
the resource will be published on the System for Electronic Document
Analysis and Retrieval (“SEDAR”) no later than
is the mandatory document filing and retrieval system for Canadian
public companies. SEDAR is operated by the Canadian Securities
Administrators, a coordinating body comprising the 13 Canadian
provincial and territorial securities commissions.
Qualified Persons Report
All scientific and technical disclosures in this press release have been
prepared under the supervision of William J Crowl, a consultant to IC
Potash who is a Qualified Person within the meaning of National
Instrument 43-101.
The Qualified Persons in respect of the Preliminary Economic Assessment
were
MAusIMM,
engineers, and chemists in respect of the work included Dr.
Okita
Neuman
About IC Potash Corp.
IC Potash intends to become a primary producer of Sulphate of Potash
(“SOP”) by mining its 100%-owned Polyhalite Ochoa property in
Mexico
substantial premium over the price of Muriate of Potash (“MOP”), the
most widely used fertilizer in the world. Typically SOP sells at a
premium of 50% to MOP. ICP is focused on being the lowest cost producer
of SOP in the world. The SOP market is six million tonnes per year and
is a significant fertilizer in the fruit, vegetable, tobacco, potato,
and horticultural industries, and for agriculture in saline and dry
soils. SOP is also applicable in soils where there is substantial
agriculture activity with varieties of crops. ICP’s Ochoa property
consists of over 100,000 acres of federal subsurface potassium
prospecting permits and State of New Mexico Potassium mining leases.
Forward-Looking Statements Â
Certain information set forth in this news release may contain
forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown
risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are subject
to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the
control of ICP, including, but not limited to, risks associated with
mineral exploration and mining activities, the impact of general
economic conditions, industry conditions, dependence upon regulatory
approvals, and the uncertainty of obtaining additional financing.
Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of
such information, although considered reasonable at the time of
preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance
should not be placed on forward-looking statements.Â
NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER
(AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE)
ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. Â
SOURCE IC Potash Corp.
