Market and product

Compiled by Bao Hien

High sulphur prices have forced the largest US phosphate fertiliser producer to idle some of its mines. Meanwhile, Europe is working to secure its own fertiliser supply, and apatite projects in Tunisia and Canada continue to expand.

US cuts production as sulphur costs rise

On 10 November, Mosaic, a leading US phosphate fertiliser producer, said it had reduced phosphate production in Florida, Louisiana and Brazil. According to the company, the aim was to match output with the amount of sulphur it could buy at acceptable prices. Sulphur is the raw material for sulphuric acid, which is used to dissolve phosphate rock and turn it into phosphoric acid.

Mosaic has also idled mining at South Fort Meade (US) and Miski Mayo (Peru) to avoid building up excess ore inventory. Its Florida plants are currently running at only about 60–65% of capacity.

The company paid an average of USD 715 per tonne for sulphur in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, the sulphur cost included in cost of goods sold is expected to rise to USD 800–850 per tonne. Mosaic has secured some sulphur at USD 615 per tonne, but not enough to run its US phosphate plants at full capacity. It has contracted about 65% of its sulphur needs for 2027. According to the company, idled facilities will restart only when margins improve steadily and spot sulphur prices fall.

Mosaic estimates that global phosphate trade volumes have fallen by about 20 million tonnes this year compared with last year, a trend expected to continue into 2027. However, demand for phosphate fertiliser in North America this autumn has been stronger than expected.

Europe seeks fertiliser self-sufficiency

On 9 November, the European Commission launched the EU fertiliser value chain partnership. Its aim is to secure fertiliser supply produced within the bloc, make the market more predictable for producers and farmers, and reduce emissions from the fertiliser industry. The partnership is a voluntary cooperation forum based on the EU’s Fertiliser Action Plan. Europe currently relies on imported phosphate fertilisers.

In other markets, several smaller phosphate rock projects are under way. In Brazil, the Pampafós mine of Aguia Resources (Australia) began production in June 2026. The company has stockpiled about 22,680 tonnes of pre-processed ore, enough for about six months of sales. In the US, Nevada Organic Phosphate said the confirmed mineralised zone at its Murdock Mountain project extends for more than 3.5 km.

Tunisia project planned to run for 49 years

Also on 9 November, PhosCo (Australia) released a scoping study for its Gasaat phosphate project in Tunisia. The total resource is 166.6 million tonnes of ore grading 20.6% P₂O₅. The project plans to mine 134 million tonnes over 49 years, producing 1.4 million tonnes of concentrate a year.

The ore will be upgraded by single-stage flotation and sold as two concentrates. The premium grade contains about 33% P₂O₅ and sells for USD 180 per tonne. The standard grade contains about 30% P₂O₅ and sells for USD 140 per tonne. Capital investment is estimated at USD 199 million. According to the company, the project could pay back its investment in about 20 months from the start of commercial production.

The study has an accuracy of ±35%. The project has not yet applied for a mining licence and has no investment or offtake agreements. The next steps are a pre-feasibility study and a feasibility study.

Canadian apatite targets LFP batteries

In Quebec, Canada, projects based on igneous apatite, which is highly pure, are targeting the lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery market.

First Phosphate has released an updated resource estimate for its Bégin-Lamarche deposit. Total measured and indicated resources stand at 204.7 million tonnes grading 6.05% P₂O₅. Indicated resources alone rose by 378% compared with the 2024 estimate. Beneficiation tests produced a concentrate grading 40.4% P2O5 at 88% recovery. According to the company, this concentrate is suitable for producing battery-grade phosphoric acid.

Arianne Phosphate, which is developing the Lac à Paul deposit with a concentrate grading 39% P2O5, is focusing on processing. On 22 October, Arianne’s joint venture with Travertine Technologies said it had produced commercial-grade precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) from a waste stream of purified phosphoric acid production. The product stores CO₂ and can be sold to the paper, plastics, paint and construction materials industries.

According to the joint venture, Travertine’s process recycles sulphuric acid and does not generate phosphogypsum, the largest waste stream of the phosphoric acid industry. A sample of the purified phosphoric acid has also been sent to an LFP cathode material producer for testing. The joint venture has not disclosed output or sales prices.