Recent Programs and Exploration Results: (page 23)
Recent work by IMD and IBI has consisted of beneficiation studies to remove magnetite from the soft phosphate and a bench scale process has been attained. A variety of fertilizer mixtures have also been prepared for test plot application. An environmental study has been completed. IMD and IBI have received further requests for phosphate and phosphate products that will be produced from the Busumbu phosphate deposit in Eastern Uganda. Two East African agricultural research organizations ICRAF (International
Center for Research in Agroforestry ) based in Nairobi and ADC (Agribusiness Development Center, USAID, IDEA project) Kampala, Uganda have urgently requested products for the next cropping season in January, 1999. Agricultural soils in Uganda and surrounding countries are characterized by major phosphate deficiencies. Field demonstration plots have shown that crop yields can be increased by 2 to 3 times through the application of phosphate fertilizer. Fertilizer use in the Busumbu phosphate market area, which includes Uganda, Western Kenya and surrounding countries is on the order of several hundred thousand tonnes per year. Most fertilizer is imported and its cost may reach U.S. $500-750/tonne at the village level. A large component of this cost is due to transportation. The Busumbu phosphate lends itself well to simple beneficiation and hence production of a low cost phosphate fertilizer. The Busumbu
Phosphate Mine was operational in the period 1945 to 1963 and is centrally located to the largest agricultural area in eastern equatorial Africa. Consequently, IBI's fertilizer products will not face the high
transportation charges of imported fertilizer coming through the port of Mombasa, Kenya.
Planned Exploration and Development Programs
Mine planning and permitting procedures have been put on a fast track. As well, line cutting, detailed geologic mapping, magnetometer surveys, digitizing of all information on a topographic base map,
surveying using satellite triangulation and modern surveying techniques are being used. A hammer seismic survey to define bedrock topography in conjunction with limited diamond drilling and/or Banka drilling to define depth, nature of the bedrock and possible carbonate (soevite) reserves suitable for agricultural lime are being considered. |
