Brazil's National Department of Mineral Production (DNPM) is
coordinating an analysis of the largest Brazilian sylvite beds
found in the state of Amazonas, with the objective of
establishing partnerships for exploration. Sylvite is a mineral
from which potassium chloride (KCl) is extracted to be used as a
fertilizer. Currently, Brazil imports 85% of the total potassium
chloride consumed in the country. The remaining 15% come from
the Taquari-Vassouras mine, located in the state of Sergipe, in
the Northeast of the Brazil. Amazon sylvite beds were found in
the 1980s, by Petrobrás. Estimated reserves are to the order of
1 billion tons, more than twice the 450 million-ton beds found
initially in Sergipe, where sylvite is explored by the Companhia
Vale do Rio Doce. Current annual production of potassium
chloride is 600 thousand tons, which supplies part of the
Center-South of the country. One of Brazil's government
priorities is to invest in mineral research and exploration,
says minister of Mines and Energy, Dilm