Great Quest Product Demonstrations Lauded as Milestone for Sahel Agriculture
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA (November 21, 2013) - Great Quest Metals Ltd (the "Company" or "Great Quest") (TSX-V: GQ) is pleased to report the work of the Institute for Rural Economic Development ("IER"), a Malian government research partner. Demonstration crops using Great Quest's enriched and granulated direct application Tilemsi natural phosphate fertilizer were planted this July and August, for harvest and analysis in December and January. Very positive results have been achieved such that Great Quest and the IER have held infield seminars with major consumer groups and government officials to raise awareness for this significant milestone. Tilemsi natural phosphate has been available in Mali intermittently for over 30 years, and the agricultural community is well aware of its effectiveness. However, these crop demonstrations are the first crops utilizing the Tilemsi phosphate in granulated form and solubility aids developed by Great Quest.
A total of 27 agronomic trials are currently underway in the five major agro-ecological climatic regions of Mali, where large-scale commercial agriculture occurs. Crops currently under cultivation are cotton, maize (corn), rice (irrigated, upland and lowland varieties), millet, sorghum, cowpea (or black-eyed pea), and peanuts.
Tilemsi natural phosphate was prepared in six different formulations:
♦ Enriched Medium Grade (27% P2O5)
- Simple (no additives)
- With Sulfur
- With bacteria (for plant growth substances production and (P) uptake acceleration)
♦ Enriched High Grade (35% P2O5),
- Simple (no additives)
- With Sulfur
- With Sulfur and Boron
In the field, these were blended with Nitrogen (as Urea) and Potash (as KCl) to form a complex NPK, compared to blends using chemical phosphate (as mono-ammonium phosphate) as is standard practice and unimproved Tilemsi phosphate (powder) as has been available in the Malian market.
As part of an effort to prepare the market for our product we invited corporate and co-operative fertilizer buyers, farmers and agronomists to visit our product trials. Thus far almost 250 farming professionals, representing 477,000 tonnes of annual fertilizer buying, have visited our field demonstrations and attended presentations on our project. Support for Great Quest's work has been unanimous, with all participants eager to have the product available in the Malian market.
Project Coordinator, Dr. Lamine Traore of the IER, commented: "Participants were happy to see Tilemsi phosphate granulated and beneficiated up to 27% and 35% P2O5, and also learned that its solubility has been increased. This is the first time the rock has been improved for better application and effectiveness. In the field many of the participants noted that plants using the Great Quest formulations retained their green colour longer than the other plants indicating a good use of soil water and nutrients. All those who attended agreed this product should be made available as quickly as possible. Participants also gave suggestions for optimal marketing of the Tilemsi product"
About Great Quest
Great Quest Metals Ltd. is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on the development of African agricultural mineral projects for local production of farm-ready fertilizers. The Company's flagship asset is the Tilemsi Phosphate Project, encompassing 1,206 km2 in northeastern Mali, containing high quality phosphate resources amenable to use as direct application fertilizer. Great Quest is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol GQ, and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol GQM.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF GREAT QUEST METALS LTD.
"Jed Richardson"
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
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