Aim-listed Kropz says development on the Elandsfontein project continues to advance, despite ongoing restrictions related to Covid-19.

As previously reported, the company’s hearing with the Water Tribunal regarding Elandsfontein’s integrated water-use licence has been scheduled for September 3 to 5.

This follows after the South African government prohibited the tribunal from reconvening since March as a result of Covid-19 and the need to keep physical distance between people.

The hearing, which is the outcome of a battle between the developers of the project and environmental activists, will determine whether Kropz keeps the water license it needs to develop the Elandsfontein project in South Africa’s Western Cape Province.

The activists claim that the water license being used by the operation was awarded improperly, while Kropz is refuting the claim.

In addition to the issues related to the water-use licence, the processing facility also had to be modified to achieve the desired consistent phosphate grade, which involved additional testwork and equipment modifications.

Ongoing testwork results have been used to finalise detailed design inputs for the Elandsfontein Optimisation project, while an engineering, procurement and construction management contract for the project has been awarded to DRA Projects South Africa.

Kropz has placed orders for several long lead items for the processing plant, including stacked screens and flotation cells.

The company envisions phosphate production from the project to start in the fourth quarter of 2021.

The processing plant will produce a final saleable concentrate to the expected specification of 68% bone phosphate of lime and about 31% phosphorus oxide, using a flotation configuration of direct, followed by a reverse, flotation circuit.

Meanwhile, Kropz in the six months ended June 30, concluded a competitive tender process for updating the feasibility study for its Hinda project, in Congo-Brazzaville.

This while Kropz continues a process to divest its interests in the Aflao project, in Ghana.