Goldfields’ premium potash potential hailed

Salt Lake Potash boss Tony Swiericzuk has hailed “outstanding” results from the company’s pilot plant test work on salts harvested from the aspiring producer’s Lake Way project near Wiluna.

Salt Lake yesterday announced a pilot plant operation by the Saskatchewan Research Council had yielded a sulphate of potash product with a potassium oxide grade of more than 53 per cent.

In a statement to the market, Salt Lake claimed the results meant the product was comparable to other premium-grade soluble products.

The test work has been incorporated in the Lake Way bankable feasibility study expected for early October.

Mr Swiericzuk said the results pointed to the potential for Lake Way to supply a premium SOP to the market.

“This is a significant outcome for the company and will strengthen the already compelling economics for the Lake Way Project,” he said.

“We are focused on finalising the BFS, which will reflect the pilot plant results and confirm the excellent potential of Lake Way.”

Salt Lake is one of a handful of WA companies rushing to become Australia’s first SOP producer by tapping the hypersaline brines beneath the State’s vast inland salt lakes.

The salty liquid is then evaporated in ponds before being treated and purified into SOP.

Salt Lake has nine projects across the northern Goldfields, but its first focus is Lake Way on a granted mining lease.