Russia's Acron begins underground mining operations at Talitsky potash site

MOSCOW. March 17 (Interfax) - Acron has commenced underground mining operations at the Talitsky section of the Verkhnekamsk potash and magnesium salt deposit in Perm Territory, the company said.

"As part of preparations for the start of operations, the installation of the main mine hoisting equipment has been completed, two Ural-20R mining and tunneling machines have been put into operation, and the excavation of mine workings at the Talitsky Mining and Processing Complex (MPC) has begun. To date, the excavation of a 320-meter-long crosscut between shafts no. 1 and no. 2 has been completed, with approximately 10,600 tonnes of rock extracted," it said.

Acron's subsidiary, Verkhnekamsk Potash Company (VPC), received the license to develop the Talitsky section in 2008. The MPC's capacity will be 2 million tonnes of potassium chloride per year, with the potential to increase to 2.6 million tonnes per year. Currently, Acron does not have its own potash raw materials for the production of complex fertilizers (the company's annual demand is 600,000 tonnes).

Acron plans to start potassium chloride production at Talitsky in 2026 and reach the MPC's design capacity by 2029.

The company estimated that the amount of capital investment required to complete the project was $1.6 billion a year ago.