Kanga Potash (KP) is low-cost muriate of potash (MOP) project located in the Kouilou Province of the Republic of Congo (ROC). It is being jointly developed by Sarmin Minerals Exploration, a subsidiary of Sarmin Mining Group, and Luxembourg-based private equity group African Mineral Exploration and Development (AMED).

A definitive feasibility study (DFS) for the project was released in October 2020, while a pre-feasibility study (PFS) was completed in September 2018.

The exploration license for the potash project was approved by the Council of Ministers in August 2016, and it was renewed for a period of two years by the Ministry of Geology and Mining in September 2019.

The pre-construction works for the project are currently underway. The Kanga potash mine is estimated to produce up to 2.4 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) of MOP over an estimated mine life of 30 years.

Project Gallery

Location, geology, and mineralisation

The Kanga potash project is located approximately 32km north of the port city Pointe Noire, in the Kouilou Province of the Republic of Congo.

Spread over approximately 320km2, the project site features up to 210m-thick carnallite horizons holding ultra-thick potash seams.

Estimated mineral resources at Kanga potash

The Kanga potash project mining project is estimated to hold approximately 4,730 million tonnes (Mt) of indicated mineral resources grading 17.1% of potassium chloride (KCl) and containing 810Mt of KCl.

The inferred mineral resources are estimated to be 7,160Mt grading 16.7% KCl and containing 1,197Mt of KCl.

Kanga Potash project development plan

The Kanga potash project is planned to be developed in three phases. The project is expected to produce approximately 400,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) of MOP in phase one. In phase two, the production capacity will be increased to 800,000tpa. It will be further ramped up to 2.4Mtpa in phase three.

The project intends to produce MOP in two grades for bulk blended fertilisers, as well as for use as raw material for the production of chemically mixed or compound Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium (NPK) fertilisers.

Infrastructure facilities

The project involves the development of a 600 thousand tonnes per annum (Ktpa) processing plant, a solution mining field, and a designated jetty.

The processing plant will consist of a wet plant, a dry plant, a compaction plant, along with bagging and bulk storage facilities. The project will utilise seawater as the primary source of processing water.

The location of the project allows direct access to major oil support services, electricity supply, low-cost gas supply, and existing tarred road infrastructure.

Exploration drilling

A three-well drilling program was conducted for the Kanga potash project between May and August 2017. It discovered thick potash seams at a depth between 300m and 1,100m, in 13 mining horizons.

Contractors involved

Novoporo was contracted by Sarmin Minerals Exploration for the preparation of the pre-feasibility and the definitive feasibility studies for the Kanga potash project. It also provided management and technical support services for the exploration drilling program at the project site.

Minestrone was subcontracted by Novoporo for providing expenditure estimates along with project control and procurement services.

WSP Consultancy Canada carried out the environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) in June 2020. It conducted the ESIA work in cooperation with local consultancy BUTEO.

K-UTEC was engaged for geochemical assays, while Rembe Consulting conducted cavern temperature modeling.

IFG delivered rock mechanics and associated modeling services, while SRC executed control analysis of check samples.