this link may well have been posted in february from the audio broadcast (http://www.brr.com.au/event/75752), yet it makes a good summary of RUM's fertilizer prospects :
Shallow high grade phosphate discovery named Barrow Creek 1 found at Ammaroo. Subsequent to the end of year, RUM announces it .... is 100% owner of the Ammaroo Phosphate Project.
Rock Phosphate prices exported from Morocco, the world's largest exporter have risen from $125 per tonne to $150 per tonne in January. Demand remains strong.
An exploration budget of $1 million has been approved for resource drilling of Barrow Creek 1 for the first half of the year with two drill rigs secured to start drilling on March 1.
Favourable meeting with the Darwin Port Authority confirms available capacity for export via existing Darwin Port facilities.
Best results from widespread drilling at Barrow Creek 1 include:
2m @ 31.9% P2O5 from 4m in hole APAC 068
3m @ 31.2% P2O5 from 15m in hole APAC 119
2m @ 30.2% P2O5 from 6m in hole APAC 114
2m @ 28.8% P2O5 from 16m in hole APAC 118
2m @ 28.5% P2O5 from 7m in hole APAC 074
2m @ 27.9% P2O5 from 14m in hole APAC056
5m @ 27.2% P2O5 from 14m in hole APAC 070
4m @ 26.9% P2O5 from 20m in hole APAC 054
3m @ 25.8% P2O5 from 9m in hole APAC 069
5m @ 25.3% P2O5 from 24m in hole APAC 111
LOGISTICS
In December the company made a presentation to the office of the Minister for Mines and Energy in Darwin. Background to the presentation was the important impact the project could make on usage of the Northern Territory Railway infrastructure and the under-utilised capacity at the Darwin Port Corporation. A follow up presentation by senior personnel of the Darwin Port Corporation highlighted the available infrastructure and capacity of the new wharf facilities. The company is in preliminary discussions with Sydney based Origin Capital Group Pty Ltd, to provide logistics advice. The company is also intending to discuss the project with interested consumers in the next few months.
Ore Beneficiation
Common accessories in phosphate deposits include silica and silicates, as well as other impurities, but usually quartz, chert and clay. As a result, most phosphate deposits require beneficiating by crushing, sizing and flotation in order to increase the P2O5 content to around 31%. Barrow Creek 1 contains visible chert nodules which may well be removed by screening. As it is high grade it appears to have limited other impurities. It is planned to excavate at least two trenches into the phosphate horizon where it occurs within six meters of the surface and ship one tonne samples to the AMDEL metallurgical testing facilities in Adelaide. This should be commenced in March.
POTASH
Trench pump tests and Air Core drilling at Karinga Creek Potash Project give further encouragement that economic development of a schoenite operation may be viable at Karinga Creek.
Recent Karinga Creek Joint Venture meeting with Reward Minerals Ltd approves a minimum exploration budget of $500 000 for 2011 with a view to having a JORC compliant inferred resource by the end of the third quarter.
Potassium mineral precipitation trials in progress on brine bulk samples from Karinga Creek.
........... etc etc
RUM Price at posting:
53.0¢ Sentiment: Buy Disclosure: Held