Nevada Organic Phosphate Inc., a Canadian-based leader in organic sedimentary phosphate exploration, reported assay results on January 12 that address a central question for its Murdock Mountain project in northeast Nevada: whether the phosphate-bearing rock meets contaminant thresholds required for organic fertilizer certification in the United States. According to the company's news release, heavy metal contaminant assays from the Upper Phosphatic Zone at Murdock Mountain were well below the limits typically applied by certifying bodies when evaluating mineral fertilizers for organic use (https://ibn.fm/DSelU).
For organic producers in the U.S., certification is governed by the USDA National Organic Program. While the USDA-NOP does not publish specific numeric limits for heavy metals in mineral fertilizers such as rock phosphate, certifiers rely on a combination of USDA-NOP rules and state regulations to establish acceptable thresholds. The assay results from Murdock Mountain reportedly fall well below these typically applied limits, clearly supporting eligibility under USDA National Organic Program standards as applied by certifiers.
Independent laboratory testing followed ISO-accredited and NI 43-101-aligned QA/QC protocols, with assays confirming consistency of phosphate grades and thickness in the Upper Phosphatic Zone. This technical validation is crucial for both regulatory approval and market acceptance of the material as suitable for organic agriculture.
The significance of these findings extends beyond a single mining project. Murdock Mountain represents a rare North American sedimentary phosphate deposit suited to direct application, meaning the material could potentially be used without extensive chemical processing. This contrasts with many conventional phosphate sources that require significant refinement and may contain higher levels of contaminants unsuitable for organic farming.
Organic agriculture represents one of the fastest-growing segments of the global food system, with demand for certified organic inputs increasing correspondingly. The availability of domestically sourced, certified organic phosphate could reduce dependence on imported materials and provide North American organic farmers with a more secure supply chain. Ongoing drilling is planned to further define the scale and continuity of the resource, which could have implications for long-term organic fertilizer availability in the region.
The company maintains a newsroom where updates are available (https://ibn.fm/NOP), providing stakeholders with ongoing information about project development. As organic certification processes continue and resource definition advances, the Murdock Mountain project could potentially contribute to the diversification of organic fertilizer sources available to U.S. agricultural producers.
