Sismica Bielovenezolana nearly done surveying phosphorites deposit in Venezuela

– The Belarusian-Venezuelan geological prospecting joint venture Sismica Bielovenezolana has nearly finished surveying a major deposit of phosphorites in Venezuela. The information was released by First Vice Premier of Belarus Vladimir Semashko at the Belarusian-Venezuelan forum in Minsk on 27 November, BelTA has learned.

According to Vladimir Semashko, the project is in its advanced stage: geological surveying is nearly completed, the preparation of design specifications and estimates is nearly over, the decision will be made soon to start exploiting the deposit and build a mining and processing factory to make phosphate fertilizers later.

The project is interesting for Belarus from the point of view of starting the production of NPK (nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium) fertilizers in Venezuela using Belarusian potash raw materials and Venezuelan phosphoric ones. OAO Belaruskali has successfully mastered the technology to make NPK fertilizers and has opened the relevant factory this year. The three-component fertilizers are popular all over the world because during manufacturing the amount of each component can be tuned by computers to match needs of a specific crop taking into account the composition of soil, the climate and humidity for the sake of larger harvests.

The geological surveying of the phosphorites deposit began in 2007. The surveying phase is supposed to assess the value of the deposit, the quality of ore and its cleanability, and develop the feasibility study for the deposit’s exploitation.