Potash development company Kore Potash, with 97% ownership of the Kola potash project and the Dougou Extension (DX) potash project in the Sintoukola basin in Congo-Brazzaville, has provided an update to shareholders on its activities in the quarter ended December 31.

Under an early works agreement (EWA) for the Kola project, PowerChina and Kore successfully completed beneficiation tests in China in the presence of an independent Canadian potash expert, to the satisfaction of all parties.

Kore says the confirmation and reproducibility of previous test results proved reassuring to all engineering, procurement and construction contract parties.

These tests were also aimed at fine-tuning the process plant design.

Still in the context of the EWA, Chonfar Engineering, a subcontractor appointed by PowerChina, completed engineering surveys, geophysical tests and geotechnical tests around the main and ventilation shafts.

Kore explains that this exercise was aimed at ascertaining the lithology and structure of the surrounding rock formations of the shaft from an engineering viewpoint with special emphasis on rock integrity, geological structure, fault fractures, development and characteristics of joints and fissures, adverse geology and any weak interlayers.

Through drilling, borehole pumping test and hydrological observation, the hydrogeological conditions of the future shaft were fully defined including the number of aquifer layers, water volume, shaft-boring conditions, groundwater level, water yield, permeability coefficient, underground water quality and temperature.

The collection of rock, soil and water samples and an array of analytical tests, combined with geological data from field drilling observations completed the overview needed to progress the ongoing front-end engineering design of the shaft and underground mine, undertaken together by PowerChina and UMS Group of South Africa.

Kore notes that maritime drilling and bathymetric studies in the area surrounding the future jetty are progressing according to plan.

An offshore drilling platform was mobilised in December 2025 to carry out 18 offshore and intertidal drill holes.

Bathymetric studies will cover some 129 ha of sea area and topographic studies essential to jetty design will cover another 15 ha of the coastline.

The company says it received approvals from the Congo-Brazzaville government to start work in January.

Initiated earlier in 2025, the update of the environmental- and social-impact assessment at the Kola project slowed down during the last quarter while some design modifications are being considered which could impact the relocation action plan.

Meanwhile, the company points out that, on November 4, 2025, it announced the start of a formal sales process (FSP).

Kore confirms that it has received approaches from two parties, each of which are evaluating the possible acquisition of the entire issued, and to be issued, share capital of the company.

Meanwhile, the company invested $2.95-million in exploration in the December 2025 quarter.

As of December 31, 2025, the company says, it held about $10.5-million in cash.

“At present, the company remains focused on completing the financing of Kola and moving forward to construction of Kola as soon as possible.

“The company is also considering some strategic options which are available for the DX project. The DX project and Dougou deposit have, however, been closely reviewed as part of the FSP,” says Kore.