sultan chases a phosphate deal, page-56

Rare earths sector posts huge gains amid pain PURE SPECULATION: Robin Bromby - THE AUSTRALIAN

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/rare-earths-sector-posts-huge-gains-amid-pain/story-e6frg9ex-1226073937668

Food a healthy stock

INVESTOR Jim Rogers spends most of his time in Singapore these days, but when George Soros's former partner hits New York he is in big demand.

And in interviews on Thursday, he identified food as one of the places to be.

The world has a staggering agricultural problem. Not only are developing countries wanting more and better food, the world's arable land is diminishing and humans are competing with stockfeed and ethanol demand; last week corn hit a new record of $US8 a bushel.

Rogers also argues that food prices must rise to make farming profitable again, or farmers will find better paying jobs.

This also explains why fertiliser must grow in demand, and why potash and phosphate prices keep rising.

In regard to potash, two new potential powerhouses are emerging: Ethiopia/Eritrea and Brazil.

We have South Boulder Mines (STB) in Eritrea with a resource and, in Brazil, Aguia Resources (AGR) now drilling for phosphate and soon for potash.

Since our exclusive report online during the week, Sultan Corp (SSC) confirmed it had been invited by the Togo government to tender for a phosphate project.

This small country is an important phosphate supplier.

The Togolese project is just 20km from a port. Sultan has done pretty well to keep this under wraps: it has been beavering away in Togo for three years.

Sultan has close to $6 million in the bank and some advanced metals projects in NSW and Montenegro.

Yet it is worth only $29m and the stock closed on Friday at 2c.