TORONTO, March 24, 2015 /CNW/ - Verde Potash (TSX: "NPK") ("Verde" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that
funds from Brazil's National Council for Scientific and Technological
Development ("CNPq") have been received by the Federal University of
Uberlândia ("UFU"), who has reimbursed the Company for costs to process
its potassium silicate rock into the fertilizer ThermoPotash ("TK") for
UFU's experiments. The funds allow the Company to provide UFU with the
necessary TK tonnage to carry out its agronomic research program, as
previously announced on October 6, 2014. Verde would also like to
provide an update on engineering and environmental permitting.
Funding from CNPq
In October 2014, Verde announced that CNPq, a research financing branch
of the Federal Government, awarded Dr. Gaspar Korndörfer, Professor at
UFU, a grant of R$513,693.90 (around CAD $236,000 at the time) to fund
a research program to further demonstrate the full range of agronomic
applications of TK. Dr. Korndörfer received the disbursement of these
funds at the end of last year. In February 2015, Verde received
R$161,800 (~ CAD $70,794) to produce the necessary amount of TK for the
agronomic trials coordinated by Dr. Korndörfer. The focus of Dr.
Korndörfer's work is on sugar cane, an area where the professor is a
leading expert and consultant.
Engineering and Environmental License
The Company has reached essential milestones with respect to the
engineering and environmental work necessary to obtain an environmental
license:
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Lima & Zanette, a Brazilian engineering and consulting firm, completed
the mine engineering work (mechanical, electrical and civil) in
November 2014.
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Engineering studies, developed by IC Ambiental, were concluded in
January 2015. The work delineated some improvements required on
secondary roads accessing the mine site, for which an environmental
impact study is required. The Company expects the study to be completed
in April 2015.
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The hydrogeological study, initiated in August 2014 by MDGEO - Serviços
de Hidrogeologia Ltda, a Brazilian consulting firm, was completed in
February 2015. This study was required to identify and measure the
mine's impact on groundwater during the dry and wet season. The Company
initially expected completion of the study in Q4 of 2014 (as previously
announced on August 13, 2014), however, due to Brazil's current water
shortage crisis, the study could only be finalized in February 2015.
Normally the wet season starts in November and continues until March.
The wet season only began at the end of December 2014, delaying the
Company's ability to measure the water level.
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In September 2014, the Company filed a request with The Institute of
Historical and Artistic Heritage (IPHAN)1, to obtain permission to commence an archaeological study to identify
if the deposit and surrounding areas contain any archaeological
material. IPHAN is a federal agency under the Ministry of Culture,
responsible for preserving the different elements that make up the
Brazilian society. Archaeological work is a standard requirement to
obtain an environmental license, but cannot be carried out without
first obtaining IPHAN's approval. Verde only received approval in
January 2015. The Company believes the delay between the time the
application was filed and the time it was approved was due to the
change in government as a result of the 2014 election. As soon as Verde
received approval, its team initiated work early February 2015 and
expects the study to be completed by the end of March 2015.
Environmental Licensing
In recent weeks, the Company has been receiving questions from
shareholders about obtaining an environmental license and would like to
add some clarifications on this issue. Specifically, the questions
being asked are around the following lines:
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If the Company's project is so important to Brazil, why is it not being
prioritized?
-
Is there any specific aspect of the project that creates a hurdle to
obtaining a license?
-
Has anything else happened or is happening in Brazil that might be
interfering with timelines?
1. If the Company's project is so important to Brazil, why is it not
being prioritized?
The state environmental agency for Minas Gerais ("SUPRAM2") has a significant degree of autonomy, which allows for reduced
political influence over matters of environmental licensing. The system
adheres to the strict rule of law, with individual liability and high
penalties for officers caught misapplying or overlooking the law. As
SUPRAM is an independent agency, the environment regulations are
applied in a manner that is significantly immune to political pressure.
As it is an agency, there is only so much one can do to push it beyond
its sphere of autonomy without risking prosecution.
The degree of relevance or priority a project is to the country does not
allow for leniency in how the regulations are applied; a Company has to
fulfill every single legal requirement with respect to completion of
various environmental studies to obtain a license. SUPRAM outlines
demanding, rigorous and extensive requirements that are similar, if not
more stringent, than those standards applied in advanced economies.
Although the requirements are clearly identified, the specifics are
subjective. For example, archeological regulations outline that an
excavation study is required. However, one officer may want to see a
full excavation study and another may not think a full excavation study
is necessary. Another example is the requirement for a fauna study.
Depending on the officer responsible for reviewing the study, a fauna
study completed in the dry or wet season is enough while another
officer may deem that two studies are necessary, one in the dry season
and one in the wet season.
2, Is there any specific aspect of the project that creates a hurdle to
obtaining a license?
There are no issues that can be attributed specifically to the Company's
project that could make it a difficult project for which to obtain an
environmental license. It is a relatively small project without any
waste by-product and very little overburden. The mine pit occupies only
32 hectares and because of its smaller footprint and minimal
environmental impact, Brazilian environmental authorities classify the
project as Class III, which allows the Company to apply for the
preliminary permit and construction permit simultaneously.
3. Has anything else happened or is happening in Brazil that might be
interfering with timelines?
The State of Minas Gerais, as Brazil's most prolific mining region, has
the largest number of applications for environmental licenses in the
mining sector, which contributes to slower than average proceedings. In
addition to what is already an inherently slow process, in 2014, the
FIFA World Cup, the federal and state elections for the executive and
legislative branches, and the subsequent transitions in governments all
had a significant impact. Additionally, the following specific facts
have all impacted timelines:
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Since August 2014, staff at SUPRAM has been negotiating for better
wages, drastically reducing the number of hours effectively worked;
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Government budget cuts have affected agencies across the board; most
teams are now smaller than necessary; and
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The presence of new bureaucracy, where different steps require permits
from intervening agencies (i.e. in December 2014, the State of Minas
Gerais introduced an additional study required prior to issuing an
environmental license).
President & CEO, Cristiano Veloso, commented: "I have full confidence
that Verde will be issued the license given the high caliber of the
assessment work completed and the minute environmental impact our
project has. The Company is prepared to withstand extended timelines
having cut its burn rate substantially last year. In February 2015,
Verde's cash burn rate was approximately C$120K."
Brazilian Currency
The Brazilian currency has weakened in face of the US Dollar and all
major foreign currencies. This has rendered inputs for farmers more
expensive; conversely, the commodities most farmers produce and sell
are priced in US dollars, more than making up for the shortfall. The
falling Real also benefits Verde because the bulk of the Company's
costs are in Brazilian Reais while most of the funds are held in
Canadian dollars.
About Verde Potash
Verde Potash, a Brazilian fertilizer development company, is focused on
advancing the Cerrado Verde Potash Project located in the heart of
Brazil's largest agriculture market. Cerrado Verde is the source of a
potash-rich deposit from which the Company intends to produce both
ThermoPotash ("TK") and potassium chloride ("KCl"). TK is a
controlled-release, non-chloride, multi-nutrient fertilizer that is
ideally suited for Brazilian soils. In addition, the Company is
developing its Calcario limestone project, limestone being a key raw
material in the Company's process to produce both TK and KCl.
About the Cerrado Verde Potash Project
Cerrado Verde is a unique project: 1) its high grade potash rock
outcrops and is amenable to strip mining, allowing fast construction of
a scalable operation; 2) it is located in the midst of the world's
third largest and fastest growing fertilizer market; 3) it connects to
Brazil's largest fertilizer distribution districts via existing and
high quality infrastructure; 4) it has the potential to supply both TK
and KCl to Brazil's local agriculture market from its large potash-rich
deposit.
Cautionary Language and Forward Looking Statements
NEITHER THE TSX EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT
TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. THIS PRESS RELEASE CONTAINS CERTAIN "FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS", WHICH
INCLUDE BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, STATEMENTS WITH RESPECT TO THE FUTURE
FINANCIAL OR OPERATING PERFORMANCE OF THE COMPANY, ITS SUBSIDIARIES AND
ITS PROJECTS, AND STATEMENTS REGARDING USE OF PROCEEDS. FORWARD LOOKING
STATEMENTS CAN GENERALLY BE IDENTIFIED BY THE USE OF WORDS SUCH AS
"PLANS", "EXPECTS", OR "DOES NOT EXPECT" OR "IS EXPECTED",
"ANTICIPATES" OR "DOES NOT ANTICIPATE", OR "BELIEVES", "INTENDS",
"FORECASTS", "BUDGET", "SCHEDULED", "ESTIMATES" OR VARIATIONS OF SUCH
WORDS OR PHRASES OR STATE THAT CERTAIN ACTIONS, EVENT, OR RESULTS
"MAY", "COULD", "WOULD", "MIGHT", OR "WILL BE TAKEN", "OCCUR" OR "BE
ACHIEVED". FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS INVOLVE KNOWN AND UNKNOWN RISKS,
UNCERTAINTIES AND OTHER FACTORS WHICH MAY CAUSE THE ACTUAL RESULTS,
PERFORMANCE OR ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE COMPANY TO BE MATERIALLY DIFFERENT
FROM ANY FUTURE RESULTS, PERFORMANCE OR ACHIEVEMENTS EXPRESSED OR
IMPLIED BY SAID STATEMENTS. THERE CAN BE NO ASSURANCES THAT
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS WILL PROVE TO BE ACCURATE, AS ACTUAL RESULTS
AND FUTURE EVENTS COULD DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THOSE ANTICIPATED IN
SAID STATEMENTS. ACCORDINGLY, READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE RELIANCE
ON FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS.
Readers are cautioned not to rely solely on the summary of such
information contained in this release and are directed to the complete
set of drill results posted on Verde's website (www.verdepotash.com) and filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) and any future amendments to such. Readers are also directed to the
cautionary notices and disclaimers contained herein.
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1 Instituto do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional
2 Superintendências Regionais de Regularização Ambiental
SOURCE Verde Potash Plc
