Kaasik said the initial budget for the second phase of the project was €6.1 million, but the total cost is expected to be around €5.1 million.

"This is mainly because various tasks and workloads were completed somewhat more cheaply or more quickly than we initially planned," said Tiit Kaasik, head of the Mineral Resources Department at the Geological Survey of Estonia.

The official said there should now be enough information to decide if research into phosphorite should continue. The report is expected to be completed by the end of June.

"In any case, the next phase would not be mining but detailed studies. Whether there will be a next phase or not has not yet been decided. First, we need to complete the report and then make those decisions," Kaasik added.

The Geological Survey of Estonia began studies of phosphorite and strategic mineral resources in 2018. During the first phase, existing materials were digitized, and 37 new boreholes were drilled in Lääne-Viru County to partially verify them.

During the second phase of the studies, in the autumn of 2024, under the leadership of the Geological Survey of Estonia, an industrial quantity of phosphorite — 28.6 metric tons — was brought to the surface from seven boreholes in the Aru-South study area of the Toolse deposit in Lääne-Viru County.

Kaasik said the studies into Estonia's phosphorite reserves have been "truly broad and thorough."

"The largest part consisted of technological testing, during which we examined the beneficiation of phosphorite, processing possibilities and how they function. In addition, we analyzed various environmental impacts very thoroughly," he said.

While an environmental impact assessment was not carried out, the potential impacts were discussed. "We also conducted a life-cycle analysis of these processes. A profitability analysis and a socioeconomic analysis were also carried out," Kaasik added.

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