Name of the Project
Khemisset potash project.

Location
Northern Morocco.

Project Owner/s
Potash developer Emmerson PLC.

Project Description
A feasibility study completed in June 2020 confirmed Khemisset as a world-class, low capital cost, high-margin potash mine.

The project will have a yearly run-of-mine extraction rate of six-million tonnes a year.

At full production, Khemisset could produce 810 000 t/y of muriate of potash (MoP) and one-million tonnes a year of de-icing salt over an initial 19-year mine life.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The project has an after-tax net present value, at an 8% discount rate, of $1.4-billion and an internal rate of return of 38.5%, with a payback of 2.6 years.

Capital Expenditure
Khemisset has demonstrated an incredibly low preproduction capital cost of $387-million.

Planned Start/End Date
The project can be built over two years.

Latest Developments
Emmerson has signed two memorandums of understanding (MoUs) for the supply of potash and salt to be produced at its Khemisset mine.

Under the terms of its MoU with Swiss-based agritrader Keytrade, Emmerson will supply 245 000 t/y of MoP for ten years.

Under the terms of the second MoU, it will supply at least 245 000 t/y of MoP and at least 500 000 t/y of sodium chloride to commodity trading company Hexagon for ten years.

These MoUs will account for more than 65% of MoP production and 50% of salt production.  

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
Golder Associates (feasibility study), including Moroccan Salts (consultant and resource geologists); Global Potash Solutions and Barr Associates (processing design); Barr Associates (engineering package for the mineral processing facility); Reminex (balance of the basic engineering package); Reminex and BBA (due diligence on design assurance, operational readiness and risk management); and DeltaBEC (project infrastructure).

Contact Details for Project Information
Emmerson PLC, tel +44 207 236 1177.