First Phosphate Corp. (NASDAQ: PHOS) announced that a peer-reviewed study of its Bégin-Lamarche igneous phosphate deposit in Quebec has been published in Ore Geology Reviews on ScienceDirect.

The study was authored by scientists from Queen's University and Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC). It covers geological characterization of the Mountain, North and South Zones of the deposit, which is part of the 1.14 billion-year-old Lac-Saint-Jean Anorthositic Suite in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec.

Key findings include that phosphate mineralization at the site can produce concentrate levels of approximately 40% P₂O₅, which the study states aligns above global averages for igneous phosphate concentrates. The deposit also showed low concentrations of chlorine and other trace elements, which the study says supports its suitability as a potential source for purified phosphoric acid (PPA) used in lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cathode production.

The study also noted that the geometry, thickness and near-surface occurrence of certain phosphate layers suggest conditions that may be favorable for open-pit mining, subject to further engineering and mine planning studies.

The research involved mineralogical, petrological and geochemical analysis across the deposit's three zones. Apatite was identified as the primary phosphatic mineralization, confirming the magmatic origin of the phosphate-bearing zones.

The scientific disclosure in the company's announcement was reviewed and approved by Steeve Lavoie, P.Geo., Chief Geologist of First Phosphate and a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101.