In the course of the briefing MD Steve Ward mentioned to produce...

In the course of the briefing MD Steve Ward mentioned to produce a simple phosphate instead of phosphoric acid.

Phos acid was expected 80.000t/a at 1000US$/mt; now without building a plant to process phosphoric acid, this will be replaced by a simple precipitation of "simple" Calciumphosphate; some of my buddies thought a simple phosphate is one of inferior quality.
Oh no, because a complex, natural phosphate (complex because of fluorine, silica, uranium, thorium, REE, heavy (toxic) metals) of high quality is characterized by a P2O5-content of 28 to 32%, whereas Arafuras "simple" Calciumphosphat will be free of other impurities and has a P2O5-content of more than 43%! The price for high quality natural, complex (in the sense of not simple)Phosphaterock is 100 to 125 US$/mt; so what would You pay for a pure, fine grained, precipitated Calciumphosphate with a 43% higher P2O5-content?
Btw the same amount of phosphate in the chemical form of acid will yield 120.000mt/a of "simple phosphate". Got it? Higher value at much less capex and opex as well; might be a reduced revenue but the same profit at least.

GL RMIN