LITTLE Sandy Desert Sulphate of Potash (SoP) fertiliser producer Kalium Lakes Ltd (KLL) aims to achieve an interim target production rate of 60,000 tonnes per annum from July.
The proposed interim target, as KLL ramps production back up after ongoing modifications to its remote desert processing plant, is two thirds of the original production estimate for its Beyondie project based at a chain of salt lakes 160 kilometres south-east of Newman.
It was announced in KLL's latest activities update to the Australian Securities Exchange.
A static pre-flotation mixer has helped overcome some issues broadly related to varying qualities of mixed salts, used as the raw material to produce SoP fertiliser and harvested after hypersaline brine drained from the salt lakes has passed through a series of evaporation and concentrator ponds.
As a result of pre-flotation mixing, addition of froth launder rings on two of the four flotation cells and other fine tuning measures, flotation circuit recoveries exceeded 70 per cent intermittently during March and April, KLL told the ASX.
More than 900t of SoP was produced up to April 26 last month, compared to 712t in March, 659t in February and 413t in January, KLL said.
Flotation circuit recovery rates in the final quarter last year were only 20pc.
The process plant's designed flotation circuit recovery rate is 85-90pc.
Flotation cell trials to determine "optimal settings" will continue next month, KLL said.
As well, cooler winter temperatures and a second heat exchanger to provide greater temperature control in the schoenite conversion circuit - to be installed in July - are expected to further lift production rates by alleviating the need to limit production periodically to cool the processing plant, it said.
"We have previously identified what needs fixing at Beyondie ... which includes improving flotation performance in three key areas and implementing temperature control within the schoenite conversion circuit," said KLL acting chief executive officer, Jason Morin.
"I am pleased to say we have been able to continue our progress in fixing these items during the (March) quarter, with the proof being delivery of our largest quarterly production figures to date," Mr Morin said.
"This momentum continued into April.
"While the March quarterly production rate is modest compared to our design goal, we are confident in reaching an interim production rate target of 60,000tpa in July this year as a result of the identification of the factors hindering the ramp up of the plant, subsequent findings and improvements made and being undertaken," he said.
Mr Morin said KLL expected to make further market updates once the interim production target was reached.
The Beyondie project's original SoP production estimate was 90,000tpa over a projected 50-year life, but was quickly revised to a possible 120,000tpa with addition of more evaporation and recycling ponds.
In the latest update Mr Morin said "no significant expenditure on the proposed 120,000tpa expansion is planned until production ramp-up targets beyond 60,000tpa are determined".
As previously reported in Farm Weekly, KLL, which was founded in 2014 to explore a researched educated guess by major private shareholder, director and Pilbara pastoralist Brent Smoothy that SoP fertiliser could be produced from brine beneath the crust on some outback salt lakes, has been a front runner in developing a local SoP industry.
Other potential competitors in a race to be first into production to claim major market share have run out of money or since fallen well behind, but KLL has also had problems.
It first produced commercial SoP at Beyondie in late 2021 but it rapidly became apparent modifications were needed to its processing plant - designed and built in modules overseas for erection on site - to achieve production targets and it was shut down for some time to allow for the modifications to happen.
All of the Beyondie project's SoP produced so far has been bought by global fertiliser giant K+S under a 10-year offtake and distribution agreement covering domestic and export markets.
Mr Morin was appointed acting chief executive officer after the previous KLL CEO Len Jubber resigned last month.
With qualifications in business, mining and minerals engineering, he was previously WA manager of mines for Alcoa and general manager operations for St Barbara at its Gwalia gold mine.
Mr Morin joined KLL last August as general manager operations.
