PhosCo Delivers Dual Drilling Success at Gasaat and Sekarna Phosphate Projects
Key Takeaways
- All four Q2 FY27 drill holes at PhosCo's Gasaat Phosphate Project intersected phosphate mineralisation, with assay results pending across both the DOH and Sekarna North programs.
- DOH has now been drilled across 11 reported holes, with prior intercepts consistently grading 19.5–20.3% P₂O₅ across widths of 6.4–15.0 metres — a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate is expected to follow completion of the current program.
- Sekarna North delivered maiden phosphate hits in both scout holes — 6.0m from 46.5m and 7.4m from 25.0m — at a permit area just 10km from Gasaat and in the same Eocene-age stratigraphic setting.
- Prior metallurgical test work produced concentrate grades of up to 31.4% P₂O₅ via a single-stage flotation circuit, validating commercial ore quality before the project reaches feasibility stage.
- An Updated Scoping Study is targeted for October 2026, with a Bankable Feasibility Study and first production targeted for mid-2028 as the next major milestones on the development pathway.
DOH expands and Sekarna delivers as PhosCo builds toward world-scale fertiliser hub
PhosCo (ASX: PHO) has delivered a dual-front drilling success at its Gasaat Phosphate Project in Tunisia, extending the major DOH discovery and recording maiden phosphate hits at the Sekarna North prospect. With a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) for DOH now approaching and an Updated Scoping Study targeted for October 2026, the company is advancing toward a potential world-scale fertiliser development at a time when global supply pressure in fertiliser markets is intensifying.
All four holes have intersected phosphate mineralisation, though assay results are pending for each.
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Q2 FY27 drilling results across two fronts
DOH — continued expansion of a substantial discovery
DOH is a substantial slump block on the eastern side of the GK prospect, measuring approximately 600–750m in width and 950m from north to south. The structure dips approximately 25 degrees to the east, which contrasts with the westward dip observed at the GK, KEL, and KM prospects elsewhere in Gasaat.
The two new holes, GADD-36 and GADD-37, extend a program that follows nine previously reported holes announced on 3 June 2026. Upon completion, the combined drilling is expected to provide the basis for a maiden MRE for DOH, which has the potential to add to Gasaat’s existing resource base and support further project optimisation. A third hole, GADD-38, has also been drilled but results have not yet been reported.
The two new holes, GADD-36 and GADD-37, build on a program that began with the confirmed major phosphate discovery at Gasaat, which established DOH as a structurally distinct slump block capable of hosting a standalone resource alongside the existing KM and GK prospects.
The table below summarises prior DOH intercepts alongside the two new holes. Grades for the new holes are not yet available as assays remain pending.
| Hole ID | From (m) | Intercept (m) | Grade (% P₂O₅) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GADD-2025-20 | 93.3 | 12.5 | 20.1% | Incl. 2.4m @ 23.1%; 3.0m @ 24.9% |
| GADD-2025-21 | 103.7 | 10.1 | 20.3% | Incl. 2.0m @ 24.0%; 2.9m @ 24.3% |
| GADD-2025-22 | 68.1 | 11.5 | 20.3% | Incl. 2.0m @ 25.2%; 3.7m @ 24.8% |
| GADD-2025-23 | 78.1 | 13.3 | 20.2% | Incl. 1.7m @ 25.0%; 2.0m @ 25.7% |
| GADD-2025-25 | 25.0 | 15.0 | 19.9% | Incl. 2.7m @ 24.3%; 4.4m @ 24.3% |
| GADD-2025-26 | 57.7 | 14.5 | 20.2% | Incl. 2.0m @ 24.3%; 4.1m @ 24.4% |
| GADD-2025-27 | 56.0 | 6.4 | 19.5% | Incl. 2.5m @ 23.4% |
| CHDD-65 | 45.0 | 6.9 | 16.7% | Previously reported |
| CHDD-66 | 59.0 | 13.4 | 18.8% | Previously reported |
| GADD-2026-36 | 64.9 | 8.1 | Assay Pending | New hole — grade not yet available |
| GADD-2026-37 | 22.0 | 9.0 | Assay Pending | New hole — grade not yet available |
Sekarna North — a maiden discovery 10km from Gasaat
No previous drilling is known to have been undertaken at Sekarna North, making this PhosCo’s first-ever drilling in this permit area. Both scout holes successfully intersected phosphate mineralisation:
- SKDD-01: 6.0m of phosphate from 46.5m depth
- SKDD-02: 7.4m of phosphate from 25.0m depth
Assay results for both holes are pending.
Sekarna North sits within a permit area just 10km from Gasaat, in the same stratigraphic setting as the main project. The initial results support the concept of a regional processing hub across Tunisia’s Northern Phosphate Basin. The company is actively engaged with both the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mines and the Forestry Department regarding the southern section of the Sekarna tenement, where discussions are focused on understanding the implications of a proposed nature reserve overlay and determining a viable path forward for that portion of the permit.
Understanding phosphate mineralisation — why Gasaat’s geology is an asset
Gasaat is classified as a marine carbonate-hosted sedimentary phosphate deposit, meaning the phosphate formed in a shallow marine environment and accumulated as a single, laterally continuous layer within the sedimentary rock sequence. This geometry is commercially attractive because it is predictable, relatively easy to model, and amenable to conventional open-pit mining and processing.
The phosphate unit at Gasaat typically occurs as a single layer ranging from 1m to 52.5m in thickness, with an average of 10–15m. Internally, it is subdivided into three zones:
- Layer C — a transitional zone from mudstone to phosphate (the base)
- Layer B — the main phosphate mineralisation (the ore zone)
- Layer A — the transition from phosphate upward to limestone (the cap)
The same stratigraphic position has now been confirmed at Sekarna North, where phosphate sits at the base of Eocene-age rocks unconformably overlying Cretaceous marls. This geological consistency across both areas supports the case for a hub development model and de-risks further expansion drilling. Prior metallurgical test work adds further confidence: a simple, single-stage flotation circuit produced concentrate grades of up to 31.4% P₂O₅ (ASX announcement, 26 May 2026), validating the commercial quality of the ore.
The geological consistency seen at Sekarna North mirrors what PhosCo observed when intersecting high-grade phosphate at KH, another Gasaat prospect where the same Eocene-age stratigraphy delivered commercially attractive grades and reinforced the district’s lateral continuity.
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Near-term catalysts and the path to production
The company has several near-term milestones approaching across its Gasaat and Sekarna programs:
- Updated Scoping Study — on track for release in October 2026
- Maiden MRE for DOH — to follow completion of the current drill program
- Assay results for GADD-36, GADD-37, SKDD-01, and SKDD-02 — pending
- Continued drilling at DOH — further results to be announced progressively
- Diamond drilling at Simitu — ongoing at PhosCo’s wholly owned copper and base metals project
Beyond these near-term events, the source announcement notes that progression toward a Bankable Feasibility Study, with continued engagement of financiers and offtake partners, remains the pathway to a targeted first production date in mid-2028. That date is a target, not a guaranteed outcome.
Taz Aldaoud, Managing Director, PhosCo
“It is increasingly clear that we have the potential to establish the world’s next great fertilizer hub at Gasaat – just as the world is scouring for new fertilizer sources. We continue to expand the scale of the project with virtually every hole we drill…”
Gasaat now carries an expanding resource base, proven metallurgy at commercial concentrate grades, and a district-scale footprint confirmed by the Sekarna North results. The October Scoping Study represents the next major de-risking event, translating drilling success into a clearer picture of project economics at a time when the world is actively searching for large-scale, new fertiliser supply.
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