The Carmo Project comprises approximately 38,000 hectares located in the central
part of the Minas Gerais State, in Central Brazil. Widespread samples of up to 22%
P2O5 led to systematic drilling in order to validate geological
continuity as inferred from surface mapping and the goal is to provide enough material
for a first phase of technological characterization and metallurgical testing to
be completed by the end of the current calendar year.
The emerging picture at this early stage is that of a highly prospective and potentially
large-scale phosphate project with good infra-structure and in close proximity to
extensive farm land and to several bulk fertilizer blenders. Hence a lower plant
capacity is required for standalone operations when compared to other exploration
projects elsewhere in Brazil.
MBAC’s exploration target for the Carmo Project comprises apatite-bearing volcanics
and phreatomagmatic derivatives of the upper-Cretaceous Mata da Corda formation
which have been subject to secondary P2O5 enrichment constrained
by paleo-geography.
Common source characteristics and proximity to the Araxá, Tapira and Catalão carbonatites
(which host the three largest phosphate mines in Brazil) are as important for the
geological model as are the proximity to consumers and over 30 bulk fertilizer blenders
for the business model.
