Silver Eagle Mines (CSE:SEM) implements a straightforward business quarry strategy, “Blow it up. Dig it up. Grind it up. Bag It up. And Ship it out by rail,” by using a direct-ship, pit-run system that brings truly organic, direct to application phosphorus to market. The companyfocuses on producing the only certified raw rock organic phosphate eligible for organic farming in the United States.
The organic food market in the United States is growing because of factors such as increasing health awareness among consumers and increasing environmental concerns due to the heavy use of pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and other chemicals in conventional farming. As a reagent, raw rock organic phosphate from Murdock Mountain is perfectly suited to regenerate soil to serve the fast growing organic food market.
This Silver Eagle Mines profile is part of a paid investor education campaign.*
Click here to connect with Silver Eagle Mines (CSE:SEM) to receive an Investor Presentation
Nutrien Ltd. (TSX and NYSE: NTR) announced today that Mr. Ken Seitz, Nutrien's President and Chief Executive Officer, and Mr. Jeff Tarsi, Nutrien's Executive Vice President and President, Global Retail, will be speaking at the 2025 BofA Global Agriculture and Materials Conference on Wednesday, February 26 at 10:30am EST.
The fireside chat will be video cast and available on the Company's website at https://www.nutrien.com/investors/events
About Nutrien
Nutrien is a leading global provider of crop inputs and services. We operate a world-class network of production, distribution and ag retail facilities that positions us to efficiently serve the needs of growers. We focus on creating long-term value by prioritizing investments that strengthen the advantages of our business across the ag value chain and by maintaining access to the resources and the relationships with stakeholders needed to achieve our goals.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250221992277/en/
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Jeff Holzman
Vice President, Investor Relations
(306) 933-8545
Contact us at: www.nutrien.com
News Provided by Business Wire via QuoteMedia
Phosphate is mainly used in the form of fertilizer for crops and animal feed supplements. Only 5 percent of world phosphate production is used for other applications, such as corrosion prevention and detergents.
Demand for phosphate fertilizers had created a US$54.6 billion market by 2023, and that figure is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.3 percent through 2030 to reach US$78.4 billion.
"One of the primary factors influencing the worldwide market for phosphate fertilizers is the increasing focus on sustainable agriculture," according to Persistence Market Research. "Phosphate fertilizers, which are widely recognized for their ability to augment soil fertility and enhance crop productivity, are crucial for the pursuit of sustainability objectives in the agricultural industry."
In its latest phosphate report, the US Geological Survey (USGS) states that global production of phosphate slipped in 2023 alongside lower demand in reaction to 2022's high phosphate prices. Most of 2023 was marked by volatility in the market as lower production met with increased consumption.
"World consumption of P2O5 contained in fertilizers was estimated to have been 45.7 million tons in 2023 compared with 43.8 million tons in 2022," the USGS reported. "World consumption of P2O5 in fertilizers was projected to increase to 50 million tons by 2027. The leading regions for growth were expected to be Asia and South America."
This list of the top phosphate countries by production is based on data from the USGS. Those interested in the phosphate mining sector will want to keep an eye on phosphate production data and mining companies in these countries.
Mine production: 90 million metric tons
China’s phosphate production decreased in 2023 to 90 million metric tons (MT), down from 93 million MT in 2022, but it is still first on the list of top phosphate-producing countries by a long shot. The drop in Chinese output is likely a result of the nation’s environmental crackdown on the mining industry.
The country also has the second largest phosphate reserves in the world, with 2.8 billion MT of the commodity. China’s government has placed restrictions on phosphate exports in an effort to drive down domestic prices of the fertilizer with its own supply. China is also the third largest producer of fertilizer mineral potash.
Mine production: 35 million metric tons
As the second largest phosphate-producing country, Morocco produced 35 million metric tons of the fertilizer in 2023, down from 39 million MT in the previous year. The North African nation’s phosphate output is expected to increased in the coming years due to ongoing capacity expansions, which are expected to be completed by 2026.
Morocco holds the world's largest phosphate reserves at 50 billion metric tons, accounting for over 67 percent of total global phosphate reserves.
Mine production: 20 million metric tons
In 2023, US phosphate mining production totaled 20 million metric tons, a slight drop of 200,000 metric tons from the previous year. The nation's nine producing phosphate mines are located across four states: Florida, North Carolina, Idaho and Utah. Florida is home to global giant Mosaic (NYSE:MOS), which is one of the largest phosphate producers in the US.
Most phosphate rock mined in the US is used for manufacturing phosphoric acid and superphosphoric acid. These types of wet-process phosphate products are used for items such as animal feed supplements. About a quarter of this is exported in the form of merchant-grade phosphoric acid, upgraded granular diammonium and monoammonium phosphate fertilizer, as well as other fertilizer products, according to the USGS.
Mine production: 14 million metric tons
Russia’s phosphate output in 2023 was on par with the previous year, coming in at 14 million metric tons. As per the US Geological Survey, the country has phosphate reserves of 2.4 billion MT. Russia is also the second largest producer of potash.
A significant portion of this phosphate is produced by PhosAgro subsidiary Apatit from apatite minerals at the Khibiny deposit, which is located east of Finland in Russia's Kola Peninsula. Phosphate operations are also found in Perm Krai at the Oleniy Ruchey apatite mine and processing facility owned by the Acron Group's North-Western Phosphorous Company.
European nations were previously Russia's biggest phosphate customers in the global market, but the country's war in Ukraine initially had an impact, directly influencing phosphate prices. However, Russian phosphate exports were supported through increases in shipments to countries including India and Brazil.
Mine production: 12 million metric tons
Jordan’s phosphate mining output rose slightly from the previous year, coming in at 12 million metric tons in 2023. Its phosphate reserves stand at an estimated 1 billion MT.
The country’s sole phosphate producer is state-owned Jordan Phosphate Mines Company, which operates as a phosphate miner and fertilizer producer. The company operates three mines and bills itself as the second largest phosphate exporter and the sixth largest producer of phosphate in the world. It reports that its production capacity exceeds 11 million metric tons of phosphate annually.
Mine production: 8.5 million metric tons
Saudi Arabia produced 8.5 million metric tons of phosphate last year, down by 500,000 MT from 2022’s output level. The country is sitting on 1.4 billion MT of phosphate reserves.
The Saudi Arabian Mining Company, also known as Ma’aden, produces up to 5 million MT of concentrated phosphate rock per year.
The Wa’ad Al Shamal Minerals Industrial City, an integrated phosphate fertilizer production complex, is a US$8 billion joint venture investment between Ma’aden at 60 percent, chemical manufacturer SABIC (TADAWUL:2010) at 15 percent and the Mosaic Company (NYSE:MOS), the largest potash and phosphate producer in the US, at 25 percent. However, in April 2024, Mosaic announced plans to sell its stake to Ma'aden for US$1.5 billion, a move that would bring the latter company up to 85 percent.
Mine production: 5.3 million metric tons
Brazil, another of the top phosphate countries by production, produced 5.3 million metric tons of phosphate in 2023 compared to 6.2 million MT in 2022. Brazil has a booming agricultural sector and is one of the world's largest fertilizer consumers and importers.
Mosaic is the country’s largest producer of phosphate and nitrogen. It also operates Brazil's only potash mine. Swedish fertilizer company Eurochem launched a new US$1 billion phosphate fertilizer production facility in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil in April 2024. The facility has a phosphate mine and plant complex with an annual production capacity of 1 million MT of advanced phosphate fertilizers.
Mine production: 4.8 million metric tons
Egypt’s phosphate-mining production in 2023 was 4.8 million metric tons, down 200,000 MT from 2022 output levels. According to the US Geological Survey, Egypt’s phosphate reserves now sit at 2.8 billion MT.
The phosphate company Misr Phosphate operates the Abu Tartour, the Sibaiya and the Red Sea mines, all of which host high grades.
Mine production: 4 million metric tons
Peru's phosphate output of 4 million metric tons in 2023 was on par with the previous year. About 98 percent of US phosphate imports originate from Peru.
Peru's investment agency ProInversión made a US$940 million commitment in mid-2024 for the expansion Fosfatos del Pacífico's Bayóvar mine in the Piura region, which is expected to bolster the country's domestic phosphate production for the next 10 years.
Mine production: 3.6 million metric tons
Tunisia’s phosphate output in 2023 was nearly on par with the previous year, coming in at 3.6 million metric tons. Tunisia is home to the fourth highest phosphate reserves in the world at 2.5 billion MT.
The North African country has been rising among the ranks of the world's largest phosphate producing nations. Last year, Tunisia’s state-owned phosphate firm Gafsa Phosphate Company ramped up its production as part of its US$76 million investment program.
Phosphates are compounds that usually include phosphorous and oxygen, and can have one or more common elements, such as sodium, calcium, potassium and aluminum.
Phosphate is mostly found in phosphate rock, a non-detrital sedimentary rock that contains high amounts of phosphate minerals. Phosphate rock can come in different forms such as quartz, calcite, dolomite, apatite, iron oxide minerals and clay minerals.
Phosphate is the natural source of phosphorous, which provides essential nutrients for plant growth and development.
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time news updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Demand for both phosphate and potash fertilizers is anticipated to continue growing as the world’s population increases and the amount of arable land decreases.
The phosphate market is expected to witness a compound annual growth rate of 5.3 percent between 2023 and 2030 to reach US$78.4 billion. Driving this growth will be increasing pressure on global food supply brought on by rising populations and climate change, as well as inflation and downstream costs. Phosphate is also increasingly becoming a sought-after battery material for the electric vehicle industry due to its use in lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries.
Thankfully, phosphate-mining production around the globe is expected to increase, with the largest areas of growth being Africa and the Middle East. Phosphate mining companies with project developments in Brazil, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Peru and Russia are all expected to contribute to increased phosphate rock production as well.
In fact, global phosphate mine capacity for contained phosphate is expected to increase from 63.6 million metric tons (MT) in 2023 to 69.1 million MT in 2027, according to the US Geological Survey's latest phosphate report.
With those numbers in mind, the Investing News Network has put together an overview of phosphate stocks. These phosphate companies are listed in alphabetical order and market cap data was current as of July 19, 2024.
Market cap: C$43.62 million
Arianne Phosphate is moving forward at its development-stage Lac à Paul phosphate project in Québec. The company has secured initial offtake and marketing deals, and the project is fully permitted and construction-ready. High-purity phosphate production from Lac à Paul has the potential to supply not only the fertilizer markets, but the clean energy markets as well.
Arianne Phosphate is conducting a research program in collaboration with the Environmental and Biotechnology Research Group of Cégep de Rivière-du-Loup with the goal of developing a new breed of fertilizers using organic waste and the company’s phosphate concentrate. In October 2023, the research partners received a grant of C$727,500 from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada to further their work.
In addition to agriculture, Arianne Phosphate is exploring the possibility of supplying high-quality materials to the energy sector, including for use in hydrogen fuel cells and LFP batteries.
In mid-2024, the company released favorable results from a pre-feasibility study for a downstream facility to transform igneous-based phosphate concentrate from Lac à Paul into a battery-grade phosphoric acid for use in LFP batteries. Highlights from the study include a pre-tax net present value of US$4.5 billion, an internal rate of return of 32 percent and a payback of 3 years.
Market cap: AU$5.64 million
Avenira owns the Wonarah phosphate project in Australia’s Northern Territory.
The site is considered one of the largest-known phosphate deposits in Australia, with two orebodies, Arruwurra and the Main Zone. At a 15 percent contained phosphate cut off, the site contains measured resources of 64.9 million metric tons at 22.4 percent phosphate, indicated resources of 133 million MT at 21.1 percent and inferred resources of 352 million MT at 21 percent.
Avenira is another phosphate company looking to supply the material to the LFP battery market in addition to the fertilizer industry. Last year, the company released a scoping study for an LFP cathode manufacturing project, and is planning to commence a feasibility study by December 2024. The company plans to initially use third-party feedstock for the plant.
Avenira’s Wonarah project also has the potential to supply high-grade yellow phosphorous to the agriculture sector, and the company is currently working with its strategic partner Sichuan Hebang Biotechnology (SHA:603077) to advance this goal.
Market cap: AU$31.71 million
Centrex Metals owns the Ardmore phosphate rock mine in Queensland through its wholly owned subsidiary Agriflex.
The site has a JORC-compliant mineral reserve of 10.1 million MT at 30.2 percent phosphorous pentoxide that is contained within an existing mineral resource of 16.2 million MT. In Centrex's half year ended December 31, 2023, Ardmore produced 66,035 metric tons of beneficiated phosphate.
Last year, Centrex inked a number of important offtake and partnership agreements, including binding offtake deals with Ameropa Australia and Ballance Agri-Nutrients for the purchase of phosphate from Ardmore. It also set up a memorandum of understanding between Agriflex and Neutrog Australia; together they will develop new organic and biological fertilizer products.
Centrix's Stage 1.5 expansion is underway and expected for completion by the end of this year. "During December 2024, upon the conclusion of the Stage 1.5 Expansion, Ardmore will unlock a production run-rate of 625ktpa, transforming it into a highly cashflow positive asset for the Company," stated Centrex CEO and Managing Director Robert Mencel.
Looking over to the LFP market, Centrex has signed an MOU with Lithium Australia (ASX:LIT) for the potential development of an LFP and lithium manganese ferro phosphate (LMFP) cathode material manufacturing plant in Australia.
Market cap: C$7.26 million
Chatham Rock Phosphate is focused on building a 2 million metric ton per annum international phosphate-mining and trading house targeting low-cadmium, organic phosphate. Chatham intends to be a major supplier of direct-application phosphate to the New Zealand and global agricultural sectors.
The company's pipeline of prospective phosphate operations includes the fully permitted Korella phosphate and rare earths mine in Queensland, Australia. Last year, Chatham signed a lease for a 22 hectare site to establish the Korella phosphate distribution hub in Cloncurry. The hub will be an essential component of the company’s “pit-to-port logistics solution," which will address the challenge of transporting phosphate rock from Chatham's Korella North, Korella Central and Korella South mines to the Port of Townsville.
In July, Chatham scored a major milestone with the Environmental Approval of its mining lease for the Korella North phosphate mine, and the company is targeting Q4 2024 for first production.
Market cap: AU$5.64 million
Fertoz markets and develops a range of organic fertilizer products in North America and Australia. The company feeds this business with phosphate rock from its operations in Montana, US, as well as Mexico.
Fertoz also has Wapiti and Fernie, two wholly owned rock phosphate projects in British Columbia, Canada, at which the company is currently working on mine permit renewals and bulk sample applications.
At Fernie, the company is projecting the second half of 2024 for the approval of four permits for production of 150,000 metric tons per year. The company is working towards bringing production online to allow it to supply its Canadian customers with Canadian phosphate fertilizers.
Through its products, Fertoz promotes sustainable agricultural practices that earn farmers carbon credits to offset emissions. The firm recently expanded its line of low-carbon and carbon-sequestering fertilizers and products. In its quarterly activities report for the period ending in March, Fertoz reported Q1 sales of 1,450 MT compared with 460 MT in Q1 2023.
Market cap: C$256.14 million
Itafos is a phosphate-based fertilizer and specialty products company with operations in Brazil and the US, as well as projects in Brazil and Guinea-Bissau.
Its Conda operation in Idaho, US, produces monoammonium phosphate, superphosphoric acid, merchant-grade phosphoric acid and specialty products, while its Arraias operation in Tocantins, Brazil, produces single superphosphate.
The vertically integrated company has five other phosphate-focused projects at various stages of exploration and development, including the construction ready, high-grade Farim phosphate mine project located in Guinea-Bissau and the vertically integrated high-grade Santana phosphate mine and fertilizer plant project in Pará, Brazil.
Itafos highlighted revenues of US$128 million in its Q1 financials report, up 7 percent over Q1 2023 on increased sales volumes. In April, the company released an updated technical report for the Conda fertilizer project, including an increased mineral reserve estimate and an extended mine life through 2037.
Market cap: AU$50.29 million
Phosphate exploration and development company Minbos Resources is focused on building a nutrient supply and distribution business targeting the agricultural sector of the Middle Africa region. The company’s Cabinda phosphate fertilizer project is located in Angola.
Minbos holds a mining license for Cabinda, as well as a commercial site for its phosphate granulation plant in Angola. The company reached an important milestone in October 2023 with the receipt of a term sheet for a US$14 million loan facility from the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa.
This July, Minbos provided an update about successful progress toward meeting the term sheet conditions as well as news that it will soon be converting its memorandum of understanding with Grupo Carrinho into a formal offtake agreement.
"In light of these developments and progress regarding funding facilities, the Company is contemplating the immediate expansion of the plant," stated the press release.
Market cap: US$9.53 billion
Mosaic is one of the world’s largest producers and marketers of concentrated phosphate and potash crop nutrients. It has various phosphate operations in Florida, Louisiana and South America.
In April, Mosaic announced an agreement to exchange its 25 percent stake in Saudi fertilizer giant Ma'aden's Wa'ad Al Shamal Phosphate Company for US$1.5 billion in Ma'aden shares.
Mosaic is a dividend stock, with its latest quarterly payout to shareholders taking place on June 20, 2024, at US$0.21 per share.
Market cap: C$34.35 billion
Nutrien, Canada’s largest potash company, is the product of the 2016 merger between phosphate-mining giants Agrium and the Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan.
The company is one of the world's largest providers of crop fertilizers and services, with an agricultural retail network that services more than 500,000 grower accounts. In addition to its expansive portfolio of potash assets, Nutrien operates two large integrated phosphate-mining and processing facilities and four regional upgrading plants in the US.
Nutrien also pays a quarterly dividend to its shareholders. On July 19, the company paid out a US$0.54 per share dividend.
This is an updated version of an article originally published by the Investing News Network in 2015.
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Discovering ways to invest in phosphate begins with understanding its primary uses.
Notably, about 90 percent of phosphate is consumed by the agriculture sector. Because of its essential properties, and since there is no known substitute for it, phosphate can be found in fertilizer products all over the world as a way to aid plant growth. It is also used as a supplement in animal feed, as a food preservative and for several other chemical purposes.
As the world's population grows and demand for food increases, the need for phosphate fertilizer is only expected to increase. For that reason, some believe phosphate investing is compelling. Read on for a brief overview of the phosphate market, including supply and demand dynamics and investing options.
The US Geological Survey's latest report on the phosphate industry shows that global phosphate rock production came in at 220 million metric tons (MT) in 2023, down slightly from 228 million MT in 2022.
China was the top phosphate rock producer last year by a long shot, putting out 90 million MT. Morocco is in second place with production of 35 million MT; the country also holds about 68 percent of global phosphate reserves. Third in line for production is the US, which produced 20 million MT of phosphate rock in 2023 from mines operating in the states of Florida, North Carolina, Idaho and Utah.
Phosphate is also produced in many other countries around the world, including Jordan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Vietnam, Peru, Tunisia, Brazil and Israel.
In terms of demand, the need for phosphate has been slowly increasing over the last few years. As mentioned, the world's growing population and the widening need for crop nutrients should keep demand growing steadily well into the future as well.
According to Future Market Insights, the global phosphate market is projected to expand at a CAGR of 2.4 percent between 2023 and 2033 to reach a value of US$21.4 billion by 2033. Demand for nutrient-rich food and specialty phosphates is driving this growth.
"Phosphates are essential components of fertilizers and soil amendments used to replenish phosphorous levels in the soil," the report states. "The increasing adoption of modern farming techniques and the focus on sustainable agriculture are further driving the demand for phosphates."
The International Fertilizer Association estimates that 85 percent of the world’s soils are deficient in nitrogen, while 73 percent are deficient in phosphorus (phosphates) and 55 percent are deficient in potassium (potash).
It's clear that the phosphate industry will need to look into additional mine expansion and exploration opportunities to meet the growing demand and future growth that is forecast for the sector.
With the future of phosphate looking bright, some investors are wondering how to get into the space. There are certainly ways to do so, although phosphate investing is a little trickier than investing in more mainstream commodities like gold and silver.
One way investors can invest in phosphate is by buying shares of an exchange-traded fund that has exposure to phosphate. The VanEck Agribusiness ETF (ARCA:MOO) is one example. However, most market participants choose to invest directly in phosphate-focused companies. Here are three of the largest producers:
For more information on phosphate and potash companies that have been working to advance their projects, including smaller firms with development-stage projects, check out Phosphate Stocks to Watch, ASX Agriculture Stocks: 5 Biggest Companies and 5 TSX and TSXV Potash Companies.
This is an updated version of an article originally published by the Investing News Network in 2013.
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time news updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
The S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) dropped 1.1 points this past week to close at 551.23.
The Bank of Canada held steady, announcing on Wednesday (January 24) that it will be maintaining a 5 percent target for its key overnight rate. It based its decision on year-end inflation figures that peg inflation at 3.4 percent for December.
The central bank expects inflation to remain in the 3 percent range for the first six months of 2024, before easing toward its 2 percent target in 2025. Meanwhile, the Bank of Canada projects that the country's gross domestic product (GDP) will remain relatively flat in 2024; it is projecting a 0.8 percent increase for the year, with a 2.4 percent increase in 2025.
South of the border, the US Department of Commerce released advanced real GDP estimates from the Bureau of Economic Analysis this past Thursday (January 25). The report shows the continued resilience of the US economy, with GDP achieving growth of 3.3 percent in Q4 and 2.5 percent overall for 2023. The Federal Reserve hasn’t made a statement on the numbers, but the American central bank is expected to hold rates steady when it meets next week.
Looking further afield, continued attacks by Yemeni Houthis in the Red Sea are forcing more companies to find alternate routes in an attempt to avoid the region. Additionally, drought conditions that began in Panama last year are forcing restrictions on vessel traffic through the Panama Canal and have reduced ship crossings by 36 percent.
Against that backdrop, which TSXV-listed mining companies posted gains last week? Read on to find out.
Weekly gain: 79.49 percent; market cap: C$66.92 million; current share price: C$0.36
Arianne Phosphate is an exploration company focused on developing its Lac à Paul project in Québec, Canada. The asset, which the company says is the world’s largest greenfield phosphate deposit, is fully permitted and is expected to cost US$1.55 billion to develop based on an engineering study released in March 2023.
Once complete, the mine is projected to produce 3 million metric tons (MT) of phosphate concentrate per year. In addition to applications as a fertilizer, Arianne is projecting demand from the growth of lithium-iron-phosphate batteries.
Shares of Arianne were up this past week following's Wednesday's news that the Québec government has added apatite, a phosphate-based mineral contained in Lac à Paul, to the province's critical and strategic minerals list. The addition of apatite to the list may give Arianne easier access to support through grants, tax credits and research funding.
Weekly gain: 57.14 percent; market cap: C$57.03 million; current share price: C$0.275
Falco Resources is a gold exploration and development company that is operating within the Abitibi Greenstone Belt in Québec, Canada. Its flagship asset is the Horne 5 project, which consists of 67,000 hectares of land in the Noranda mining camp and includes 13 historic gold and base metals mining sites.
A 2021 feasibility study estimates that the project's measured and indicated resources stand at 4,886,000 ounces of gold, 48,625,000 ounces of silver, 176,982 MT of copper and 839,937 MT of zinc.
Falco shares got a boost this past week after the company entered into an operating license and indemnity agreement with Glencore (LSE:GLEN,OTC Pink:GLCNF); it will give Falco a license to use a portion of Glencore's lands to develop and operate the Horne 5 project. Falco described the deal as an important milestone that will allow the company to move forward with the permitting stage and help it get financing for the project.
Weekly gain: 45.45 percent; market cap: C$14.73 million; current share price: C$0.08
Salazar Resources is an exploration and development company focused on assets in Latin America.
Its flagship project is a joint venture with Adventus Mining (TSXV:ADZN,OTCQX:ADVZF) that is focused on the development of the Curipamba project in Central Ecuador, which consists of seven mining concessions across 21,500 hectares and includes the copper and gold El Domo deposit.
An updated resource estimate for the project published in 2021 shows that it holds measured and indicated quantities of 189,400 MT copper, 21,600 MT lead, 231,700 MT zinc, 680,000 ounces of gold and 12,969,000 ounces of silver.
Salazar shares saw gains this past week following a press release on Monday (January 22) announcing that the Curipamba project has been granted an environmental license, which clears the way for the company to begin construction and operation of mining activities.
Weekly gain: 42.65 percent; market cap: C$57.57 million; current share price: C$0.97
Arbor Metals is an exploration company focused on its Jarnet lithium project located in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay territory in Northern Québec, Canada. The project consists of 47 claims covering an area of 3,759 hectares and is located near Patriot Battery Metals' (TSXV:PMET,OTCQX:PMETF) Corvette-FCI property, which has demonstrated significant lithium mineralization, and is among the highest-profile lithium projects in the region.
Shares of Arbor rose last week following Tuesday's (January 24) release of assay results from a fall 2023 prospecting program. The company collected 77 rock samples from the central and south block claims, along with 31 chip samples from a new pegmatite. The highest grading of the samples yielded 88 parts per million (ppm) lithium and came from the south block. Overall the samples returned an average grade of 16 ppm lithium, along with 338 ppm rubidium.
Arbor said it is encouraged by the results and believes they lay a strong foundation for future exploration at the site.
Weekly gain: 42.42 percent; market cap: C$39.548 million; current share price: C$0.47
EV Nickel is a nickel exploration company focused on its Shaw Dome asset south of Timmins in Ontario, Canada. The project covers over 30,000 hectares with more than 100 kilometers of strike length. Its two primary zones are the W4 zone, which contains measured, indicated and inferred reserves of 19,640.5 MT of nickel; and the large-scale CarLang area, which hosts indicated and inferred resources of 2.4 million MT of nickel.
Shares of EV Nickel were up more than 42 percent last week, although the company hasn’t released any news since its interim financial report on November 28.
Data for this 5 Top Weekly TSXV Performers article was retrieved at 10:00 a.m. PST on January 26, 2023, using TradingView's stock screener. Only companies with market capitalizations greater than C$10 million prior to the week's gains are included. Companies within the non-energy minerals and energy minerals were considered.
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Phosphate is an essential component in global food production, with nearly 90 percent of all production going to the agriculture sector.
In addition to being a core ingredient in much of the world's fertilizer, the mineral is also used as a food preservative, to supplement animal feed and in products such as lithium iron phosphate batteries.
As the world's population continues to grow, demand for phosphate will only increase. While this trend can make phosphate a very attractive investment, it is not something one should dive into without research.
Alongside nitrogen and potassium, phosphorus — the chemical element contained within phosphate — is an essential nutrient for plants. In addition to stimulating root development and general growth, it plays a critical role in enabling plants to capture and convert energy from the sun. Without it, plants can experience severely stunted growth or even death.
Phosphate, in other words, is critical in all forms of agriculture, from feed for livestock animals to fruits and vegetables. Therein lies the problem. Demand for phosphorus is increasing at such a significant rate that the world has begun experiencing fertilizer shortages.
Part of the problem is global overdependence on chemical acid-based fertilizers. Due to industrial farming and overfarming, critical farmland is being increasingly rendered fallow. This means that without fertilizer, it's difficult — if not impossible — for anything to grow there.
According to the International Fertilizer Association, roughly 73 percent of the world's soils are phosphorus deficient.
It's not difficult to see what could happen to the global food supply chain if the phosphate market is disrupted. We already experienced some disruptions during the pandemic, which resulted in skyrocketing food prices and widespread shortages. If the current global phosphate market is any indication, we could be in for much worse.
Case in point: In late 2022, we experienced the third major phosphate fertilizer price spike in 50 years, according to researchers with the UK’s Phosphorous Transformation Strategy.
As it currently stands, global phosphate supply is immensely vulnerable to disruption.
This is primarily because roughly 85 percent of the world's remaining high-grade rock phosphate is concentrated in just five countries. China is by far the largest of these, producing roughly 85 million metric tons (MT) of phosphate in 2022. Morocco, which notably contains approximately 70 percent of known phosphate reserves, was in second place at 40 million MT.
If phosphate supply from either of these countries was ever significantly disrupted, the results could be catastrophic. Given that China's government has a history of leveraging its resources as a political tool, this could happen sooner rather than later. The global climate, after all, is not exactly what one would describe as geopolitically stable.
It isn't just a lack of supply that's the issue, either. Phosphate usage and production aren't exactly sustainable. Chemical runoff from acid-based liquid phosphate fertilizer is a frequent concern, toxifying groundwater and potentially poisoning wildlife.
At present, the phosphate market needs two things. First, a more sustainable means of production, refinement and agricultural application. Second, mining companies that are working to uncover and develop new and more environmentally friendly phosphate resources.
The good news is that a few companies are well on their way to achieving both goals, thanks to a process known as remineralization and the usage of raw rock phosphate.Phosphate rock, colloquially known as phosphorite, comes in many different forms. It's actually something of an umbrella term for several different apatite-based mineral groups. The minerals themselves take the form of either sedimentary or igneous deposits, with the latter accounting for roughly 80 percent of global phosphate production.
The traditional process for making acid-based fertilizer involves dissolving phosphate rock in either nitric or sulphuric acid. Diammonium phosphate (DAP) and monoammonium phosphate (MAP) are created by reacting ammonia and phosphoric acid, which forms a slurry that is then solidified to produce a granulated fertilizer.
However, there is increasing evidence that the use of certain kinds of crushed raw rock phosphate — granulated phosphate rock — can also be used to remineralize and revitalize soil. More importantly, it can potentially achieve this without any of the hazardous side effects of traditional acid-based chemical fertilizers.
Roughly 95 percent of all known phosphate ore suitable for acid-based fertilizer contains impurities like uranium, thorium and cadmium that can harm plant growth and potentially prove toxic to humans. Raw phosphate ore that's suitable for direct application is incredibly rare. It's this remaining 5 percent of clean rock phosphate that has the potential to be a game changer.
Given the importance of phosphate production to global food supply, it should come as little surprise that there are multiple stocks worth considering as an investment in the space — we've included a few of the more promising ones below.
Arianne Phosphate (TSXV:DAN), for instance, is a phosphate company with a development-stage phosphate project situated in Quebec. It is currently collaborating with Cegep Riviere-de-Loup's Environmental and Biotechnology Research Group to develop a new breed of acid-based fertilizer that uses the company's phosphate concentrate combined with organic waste. It's also exploring the potential to supply high-quality materials to the energy sector.
Australia-based Avenira (ASX:AEV) owns and operates the Wonarah phosphate project, one of the largest known phosphate deposits in Australia. Wonarah hosts measured resources of 64.9 million MT at 22.4 percent phosphorus pentoxide. As with Arianne, Avenira is considering supplying acid-based phosphate to the battery market.
Mosaic (NYSE:MOS), meanwhile, has the distinction of being one of the world's largest producers and marketers of acid-based concentrated phosphate and potash crop nutrients. The company maintains phosphate operations in Florida and Louisiana as well as South America. Its stock has greatly benefited from increased phosphate prices and demand.
Nevada Organic Phosphate (CSE:NOP) is arguably among the most unique of these companies. Its flagship project, Murdock Mountain, hosts one of the 5 percent of clean rock phosphate resources. The most notable thing about this resource is that it contains no harmful impurities — it is environmentally friendly and perfectly suited for direct application as a granulated rock phosphate fertilizer. The company is focused on producing the only certified raw rock organic phosphate eligible for organic farming, initially targeting the nearly US$6 billion organic food market in the US.
Although the phosphate market makes for an incredibly attractive investment target, not all phosphate mining and exploration companies are created equal. One must consider not only current market trends and conditions but also the other aspects of each company's value proposition, including both sustainability efforts and business partnerships. More importantly, one must understand, at least in broad strokes, the state and nature of global phosphate production.
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