Harvest Minerals Ltd. has started infrastructure work to prepare for open-pit mining toward the end of October at its Maximus phosphate project in Brazil.

The company said civil works at the project are expected to take about 30 days, and it expects to receive the trial mining permit by then.

Harvest is also planning to start a new 35-hole drill program at the Maximus project, according to a Sept. 28 release.

The aircore drilling will focus on increasing the size of the current resource to support an increased mine life and production rate and define the full extent of the mineralization at the project.

Drilling is expected to start in mid-October and is expected to take 25 days to complete.

The company was granted a four-year environmental license for the Maximus project earlier in the month.