Mining Intelligence and News
Spain

Muga-Vipasca Project

Click for more information

Categories

Summary

Mine TypeUnderground
Study CompletedFeasibility
StageConstruction
Commodities
  • Potash
  • Salt (evaporated)
  • Salt (rock)
Mining Method
  • Room-and-pillar
  • Continuous
Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotMuga-Vipasca is one of the most competitive potash projects globally. Muga is a unique project – with shallow mineralization with no aquifers above it there is no need to build a shaft. Muga is fully permitted: Environmental, mining concessions, and construction licenses obtained.

Mine production is planned over 2 phases. For the first few years and until construction of Phase 2, the Project will be selling only SMOP.

The Governments of Navarra, Aragón, and Spain are jointly appealing the Goyo permit ruling while reaffirming strong institutional support for Highfield’s Muga Potash Project, with a Supreme Court decision expected in late 2025.

Highfield Resources has adopted an owner-managed delivery model for the Muga-Vipasca Potash Project, securing major contracts for underground and civil works that remain on hold pending financing, with nearly two-thirds of the construction budget already awarded and aligned with feasibility study estimates as of June 2025.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Highfield Resources Ltd. 100 % Indirect
The Concession is wholly owned by and exploration is operated by Geoalcali S.L., the wholly owned Spanish subsidiary of Highfield Resources.

Contractors

Lock

- subscription is required.

Deposit type

  • Evaporite

Summary:

The depositional basin bounds are defined to the south-west at the east-south east/west-north west trending Rocaforte Syncline near the margin of the Aragón River. To the north-west is the Sierra de Leyre anticlinal structure that overthrusts the Pamplona Marls Formation, the underlying unit of the evaporite. This thrust and two reverse faults run approximately east-west.

The first fault in the north is within the Pamplona Marls over Yesa turbidites. The second is coincident with the Liedena Sandstone, which overlays the evaporite. These faults are considered the extension of the Loiti Fault towards the east which also corresponds to the synsedimentary line between marine sediments within the Basin to the Eocene-Oligocene continental sediments at the thrust front.

The south boundary of the Exploration Target is an important fault running north-west/south-east that extends towards the east acting as limit to Magdalena anticline, considered the southern limit of southeastern section of the Muga Project area. In the west, the fault converges to the Loiti structure beyond the investigated area.

Deposit has no aquifers and has shallow mineralization.

Reserves

Lock

- subscription is required.

Mining Methods

Lock

- subscription is required.

Required Heavy Mobile Equipment

Lock

- subscription is required.

Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

Lock

- subscription is required.

Commodity Production

CommodityProductUnitsAvg. AnnualLOM
Potash MOP Mt 128
Salt (evaporated) Crystals Mt 16
Salt (rock) De-icing salt Mt 8.5

Operational metrics

Metrics
Hourly processing rate  ....  Subscribe
Annual production capacity  ....  Subscribe
Ore tonnes mined, LOM  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2023 study.

Production Costs

CommodityUnitsAverage
C1 cash costs Potash EUR  ....  Subscribe
Assumed price Salt (evaporated) EUR  ....  Subscribe
Assumed price Salt (rock) EUR  ....  Subscribe
Assumed price Potash EUR  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2023 study / presentation.
** Net of By-Product.

Project Costs

MetricsUnitsLOM Total
Pre-Production capital costs $M EUR  ......  Subscribe
Expansion CapEx $M EUR  ......  Subscribe
After-tax NPV @ 8% $M EUR  ......  Subscribe
After-tax IRR, %  ......  Subscribe

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Sep 30, 2025
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Sep 30, 2025
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Sep 30, 2025
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Sep 30, 2025

Workforce

Aerial view:

Lock

- subscription is required.