Bush Toilet Phosphate Discovery

Added by on April 6, 2011

A geologist struck gold when digging for an outback dunny while exploring for phosphate in remote parts of the Northern Territory.

A team of researchers from Rum Jungle Resources had travelled to the area of Barrow Creek, north of Alice Springs, to look for phosphate. With a team of 20 people it soon became necessary to dig for a bush toilet.

The site for the dunny was chosen some 24km away from the exploration grid and one of the geologists was given the task of digging the 20m long drop.

In doing so he soon started to spot nodules of phosphate in the soil  – just what he was looking for but in the wrong place. “He kicks a few rocks around his feet and sure enough, it was phosphate,” said Rum Jungle Resources Chief Executive David Muller.

Muller added “It gives us a lot of heart that it’s pretty widespread and wherever we drill, it’s there.”

After the surprise discovery, the company has now decided to expand the parameters for the Ammaroo phosphate project.