U.S. Phosphate Supply Study
Fertecon Research Centre, Ltd.

KEMWorks personnel participated in a study of the supply, distribution, and disposal of phosphate fertilizer in the United States through 2010.  This study covered the following aspects:

• Profile of each existing phosphate rock production site
• Current chemical composition of the phosphate rock being produced
• Estimated changes in inventory by company over the study period
• Current mine ore reserves and mine plans
• Likely potential new phosphate rock mines reserves and mine plans during the study period
• Current phosphate rock disposal by company
• Description of captive phosphate fertilizer plants owned by each producer
• Estimates of current sales contracts
• Impacts of deteriorating ore grades and increasing production costs
• Impact of industry restructuring

The project involved KEMWorks assistance in the collection of reserves data from the operating mining companies generation of maps showing existing and potential mining reserves, port and chemical plant locations, and estimation of current (1997) and future phosphate rock production costs based on ore characteristics. Proprietary mine capital and operating cost estimation models were used.