Peru's Miski Mayo prepares improvements to phosphate mine

Minera Miski Mayo, a Peruvian company formed by US fertilizer giant Mosaic and Japan’s Mitsui, is preparing investments of US$11.4mn in its Bayóvar phosphate mine.

The company, which operates the open-pit mine in northern region Piura, plans improvements to the concentrator and work to identify new reserves involving up to 51 diamond drill holes around the main pit, according to a document Miski Mayo sent to environmental certifier Senace. 

The document, a fourth technical support report (ITS), was prepared by consulting firm WSP Perú.

Extractive companies present an ITS when they plan to make investments with low social and environmental impact, and the works are carried out within areas already under concession.

According to the report, which can be downloaded in the Documents box in the top-right corner of the screen, there are two main modifications and three auxiliary ones. In the case of the former, Miski Mayo proposes the installation of a particle analyzer in the mineral conveyor belt, and a third filtering line in the concentration plant.

Of the three auxiliary modifications, one is related to the concentrator plant (adding a scale for tri-train trucks) and the other two to identifying mineral reserves, including an additional five multipurpose drill holes apart from the 51.

According to the mining company, the works will be carried out independently and will take eight months starting in January 2025. The modifications should be ready for use in 2026.