Aguia Resources (ASX:AGR) will likely begin mining at the Três Estradas phosphate project in Brazil in March next year and first processing and sales by mid-2026.
CEO Tim Hosking says progress across all workstreams is advancing to plan, budget, and timelines in order to start mining operations at Três Estradas in March and processing at the DB plant shortly after.
“We are also very encouraged by the growing base of offtake volumes of PAMPAFOS, currently held under LoIs, and we expect local demand to continue expanding,” the CEO says.
Mine services and logistics contractor Contrasapper is nearing completion of the mine implementation plan. Drainage systems for the sump area have been finalised, and the upgrade of 9km of municipal road access has also been completed.
Aguia, Construsapper, and ABG found that moving the main drain west at the waste pile site would improve layout and avoid clearing 5.4 hectares of native forest and preserve two drainage channels.
This change will be reviewed by FEPAM in its first site inspection on 8 December, and after approval, both the pile and pit area work will proceed together, keeping the project on schedule.
Aguia notes these activities mark the completion of mine preparation as outlined in the installation license and environmental licenses.
Concurrently, the environmental consulting firm ABG is providing environmental monitoring services in accordance with the environmental license. These services include air quality data collection, surface and groundwater quality assessment, vegetation suppression oversight, and the monitoring and health evaluation of local fauna.
Environmental monitoring will continue for the duration of the project. The initial data required for reports to be submitted to FEPAM will be finalised alongside the aforementioned civil works, with final data submission scheduled for January.
This will conclude the application process for the operating license. Given the timeframe required for Fepam’s analysis of the report, it is anticipated that the LO will be issued by Fepam in March 2026.
Upon issuance of the operating license, Aguia says mining operations will start to establish the initial stock required for launching the PAMPAFOS production facility.
The commissioning and formation of this initial stock are anticipated to occur during March and April, with the first product being available FOB to customers May 2026.
Write to Adam Orlando at Mining.com.au
Images: Aguia
