Fertoz Ltd. received a trenching and bulk sample permit for its Fernie phosphate mining claims in Alberta, part of the 7,100-hectare Fernie project that extends from British Columbia into Alberta.

The company said Jan. 14 that it is planning an initial 5,000-tonne bulk sample to develop organic nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium fertilizer products and expects to achieve cost savings of at least 15% relative to its existing stockpiles in Montana.

Fertoz secured a 100,000-tonne stockpile of phosphate rock near its Butte, Mont., operations in October 2018, which it said will allow it to meet its sales targets of between 30,000 and 50,000 tonnes of fertilizer products in 2019 and 100,000 tonnes in 2020.