BCI Minerals awards 150 kg/hr pilot plant contract

• BCI Minerals awarded a construction contract for a 150 kg/hr sulphate of potash pilot plant.
• The new testing facility will be funded entirely from the company's existing $1.44 billion capital budget.
• The company stated this pilot phase is required to validate operations before any full-scale commercial investment.

BCI Minerals (ASX:BCI) awarded a construction contract for a 150 kg/hr sulphate of potash pilot plant at its Mardie Project.

The pilot project expenditure is fully covered by the previously approved $1.44 billion capital budget.

" The SOP pilot plant is an important next step in BCI’s disciplined approach to maximising the value of the Mardie resource," said BCI Minerals Managing Director David Boshoff.

The company stated that Bluestar Lehigh Engineering Institute will install the plant, with commissioning targeted for Q2 FY28.

The company noted any full-scale facility remains subject to successful piloting.

Following the announcement, the BCI Minerals share price was down at $0.46.

Engineering consultancy eXcellerate will provide independent project oversight.

The company expects this testing could eventually make Mardie the only Australian operation producing both salt and sulphate of potash.