BCI Minerals is pleased to present our Annual Report for the 2022-23 Financial Year, celebrating significant milestones and achievements throughout the year.
Those milestones include the completion of the primary seawater intake station, accommodation village, and ponds one to four at our Mardie Salt and Potash project. Several assets remain underway, including the marine structure package and our purpose-built 2.4km jetty.
Once completed, the Mardie Project will be the first major salt project developed in Australia in 25 years and the only Australian operation to produce both commercially saleable salt and sulphate of potash (SOP) fertiliser.
BCI Chair, Brian O’Donnell, said while there had been challenges globally for the resources sector, Mardie had managed to further improve its economic outlook as projected consumption also increased.
“Construction progress has been promising, and we strongly believe Mardie will become one of the most sustainable, long-lasting, and naturally renewable resource projects globally,” Mr O’Donnell said.
“Although global costs have increased for construction, so too have the long-run prices of salt, due to an increase in market demand and an anticipated shortfall in supply at the time BCI expects to deliver first salt on ship.
“Asian salt markets are projected to increase consumption by 22 per cent by 2030, and Mardie is well-positioned to capitalise on this exciting opportunity.”
Located on the Pilbara coast in the centre of Western Australia’s key salt production region, Mardie’s key raw materials are seawater from the Indian Ocean, sun and wind.
Solar and wind energy provide over 99 per cent of the energy required for salt and potash production, making Mardie a highly sustainable project.
We also closely collaborate with stakeholders to achieve sustainability goals in other priority areas, including safety and wellbeing, our relationships with Traditional Owners and local communities, and environmental compliance.
Throughout this report, you’ll find exciting examples of the work we’ve been undertaking in those areas and others, including safety, indigenous and cultural heritage, ground disturbance, and corporate governance.
Looking ahead, Managing Director David Boshoff said BCI’s focus will include advancing several essential facilities in accordance with critical path activities, continuing to develop the brine circuit, and extending jetty construction.
“As a team, we have prioritised an outcome-oriented mindset to deliver on business objectives. This means we continue to build a culture that fosters high performance and standards whilst holding ourselves accountable for delivering efficiently on our commitments,” he said.
“This is an exciting time for BCI as we focus on delivering a project that will create long-term value for our shareholders and opportunities for the local community.”
View our FY23 Annual report here.