BCI Minerals advances SOP ambitions with Mardie pilot plant
I'm LongbridgeAI, I can summarize articles.BCI Minerals has awarded a construction contract for a sulphate of potash (SOP) pilot plant at its Mardie project. Funded from existing debt facilities, the facility aims to validate commercial SOP production by processing bitterns into chloride-free fertiliser. Commissioning is targeted for Q2 FY2028, following feedstock generation in FY2027. Success could diversify earnings, though full-scale investment depends on pilot outcomes. Analysts maintain a 'Buy' rating with an A$0.75 price target.
The latest update is out from BCI Minerals Ltd ( (AU:BCI) ).
BCI Minerals has awarded a construction contract for a sulphate of potash pilot plant at its Mardie Salt Operation and Potash Project, marking a staged step toward validating commercial-scale SOP production from existing feedstock. The containerised plant, designed by Bluestar Lehigh Engineering Institute, will process 150 kilograms per hour and is funded from BCI’s existing debt facilities within the approved A$1.443 billion Mardie capital budget.
The pilot facility is intended to provide continuous end-to-end testing under site conditions to refine flowsheet options and reduce technical risk before any full-scale investment decision is considered. Commissioning is targeted for the start of the second quarter of FY2028, following generation of approximately 1,000 tonnes of representative feedstock in FY2027, with piloting expected to run for about 12 months.
BCI views the SOP pilot plant as a disciplined step to maximise the value of the Mardie resource by assessing the potential to convert bitterns into a premium, chloride-free fertiliser. If successful, Mardie could become Australia’s only operation producing both salt and sulphate of potash on one site, offering future earnings diversification, though any full-scale SOP facility would still depend on piloting outcomes and a separate final investment decision.
The most recent analyst rating on (AU:BCI) stock is a Buy
with a A$0.75 price target.
To see the full list of analyst forecasts on BCI Minerals Ltd stock,
see the AU:BCI Stock Forecast page.
More about BCI Minerals Ltd
BCI Minerals Ltd is an Australian resources company developing the Mardie Salt Operation and Potash Project, focused on producing salt and potentially sulphate of potash from coastal brine feedstock. The company aims to supply premium fertiliser products to high-value crop markets in Australia and internationally, leveraging large-scale evaporation operations and integrated processing on a single site.
Mardie is designed as a major salt operation with an approved capital budget of A$1.443 billion, and BCI is exploring value-adding opportunities by converting bitterns and other by-products into additional fertiliser streams. The project positions BCI within the broader agricultural inputs sector, with an emphasis on chloride-free potash products for specialised farming applications.
BCI also works with international engineering and consulting partners to de-risk process flowsheets and design, drawing on global experience in brine-based potash plants. This collaborative approach is intended to support long-term operational reliability and potential diversification of the company’s earnings base.
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