Australian mining company PhosCo has reported significant high-grade phosphate mineralization from a newly identified exploration zone at its Gasaat project in Tunisia’s Kasserine governorate, delivering a major boost to the asset’s credentials for large-scale commercial development.
The company confirmed that all five initial drill holes at the newly designated KH zone successfully intersected phosphate mineralization, returning standout intercepts of 19.4 metres grading 20.66% phosphorus pentoxide (P₂O₅), including a higher-grade section of 9 metres at an impressive 24.21% P₂O₅.
These fresh results supplement Gasaat’s existing mineral resource inventory, which was estimated in May at 166.6 million tonnes averaging 20.6% P₂O₅. Strategically, the KH zone lies approximately 3.5 kilometres from the site of the proposed processing plant—a proximity that PhosCo believes could significantly enhance project economics and streamline future infrastructure development.
PhosCo is targeting the development of an integrated phosphate and fertilizer operation designed to serve European and Mediterranean markets. Supporting this commercial ambition, metallurgical test work conducted on ore from the adjacent KM deposit has produced concentrate grades of up to 31.4% P₂O₅, with recovery rates ranging between 75.1% and 83.7%, underscoring the project’s potential for efficient beneficiation.
While Gasaat remains firmly in the exploration and development phase—and its current mineral resources should not be classified as economically mineable reserves—the company is advancing steadily toward a critical milestone. A preliminary economic assessment (PEA) is scheduled for release in the third quarter of 2026. PhosCo continues to evaluate the project’s multiple prospects as Tunisia intensifies efforts to revive its phosphate sector, an industry that still operates significantly below its historic production levels and could benefit immensely from fresh discoveries such as Gasaat.
TunisianMonitorNews
