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Itafos is demonstrating the benefits of integrated phosphate production in a strained market
Founded in 1999 to develop an integrated phosphate mining and fertilizer business in Brazil, Itafos was entirely reshaped when it acquired the Conda mine and manufacturing plant in 2018. Since then, Conda has become the company’ s core operation, and Itafos has deployed more than $ 250 million to extend the life of the asset and optimize the plant. Alongside Conda, the organization also operates the Arraias phosphate facility in Tocantins, Brazil, as well as two undeveloped projects: Farim, a high-grade phosphate mine project located in Guinea- Bissau; and Santana, a vertically integrated high-grade phosphate mine and fertilizer plant project located in Pará, Brazil.
CEO David Delaney elaborates on the operations and evolution behind the success of Itafos.“ At Conda, we produce phosphate fertilizer across two primary products: monoammonium phosphate( MAP), a dry fertilizer that is used by farmers across North America, and superphosphoric acid( SPA), a liquid fertilizer that is primarily used as a‘ starter’ that is applied concurrently with planting, mostly for corn,” he begins.“ Conda also manufactures MAP with micronutrients( MAP +), merchant grade phosphoric acid( MGA), and hydrofluoric acid( HF). In total, Conda produces about 550,000 short tons of fertilizer products per year, with MAP representing about 70 percent and SPA representing about 25 percent of the total annual production.
“ At our Arraias plant in Brazil, we manufacture sulfuric acid for sales to domestic customers, as well as a variety of lower grade phosphate fertilizers that meet the needs of the local farmers. We produce
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