What you need to know
Some facts about mineral production in Saskatchewan, provided by the Saskatchewan Mining Association
1 High-quality, economically mineable deposits of both potash and uranium are currently produced in relatively few jurisdictions in the world. Canada, Russia and Belarus together account for just over two-thirds of global potash production, and Kazakhstan, Canada and Australia produce twothirds of the world’s uranium.
2 Saskatchewan has the largest high-grade reserves in the world for potash and uranium.
3 The province boasts almost half of world potash reserves and eight per cent of known recoverable uranium reserves. 4 Canada’s mineral production was valued at $44 billion in 2013. Potash, coal and iron ore were the leading commodities by value of production.
5 Saskatchewan was Canada’s third-leading mining jurisdiction in 2013, with mineral production valued at $7.2 billion.
6 Potash was Canada’s leading mineral by value of mineral production in 2013 at $6.1 billion. 7 Saskatchewan accounts for more than 90 per cent of Canadian potash production. There is one additional potash mine in New Brunswick.
8 In 2013, 15.8 million tonnes of potash was produced from 10 potash mines in Saskatchewan, including eight conventional underground mines and two solution mines. PotashCorp owns and operates five mines (Rocanville, Allan, Lanigan, Cory and Patience Lake). The Mosaic Company owns and operates four mines (Esterhazy K1 and K2, Colonsay and Belle Plaine) and Agrium owns and operates one mine (Vanscoy).
9 All brownfield potash mines have invested in expansion projects totalling more than $13 billion in the past five years. New production headframes at PotashCorp Rocanville — Scissors Creek and Mosaic Esterhazy K3 are in progress.
10 The Mosaic Esterhazy mine complex is the world’s largest potash mine.
11 K+S Potash Canada GP is developing the first new greenfield potash mine built in Saskatchewan in nearly 40 years. Production from this solution mine is targeted for 2016. BHP Billiton continues to advance the underground potash project near Jansen with potential initial production by 2020.
12 In 2013, Saskatchewan produced 100 per cent of Canada’s primary uranium, representing 16 per cent of the world’s production from two operating mines — McArthur River and Eagle Point. This is a decrease from 2005 when Saskatchewan production represented 28 per cent of global production.
13 In the first quarter of 2014, the Cigar Lake Uranium Mine commenced production, with the first shipment of ore being delivered to the McClean Lake mill.