PotashCorp’s Rocanville now the world’s largest potash mine
Saskatchewan boasts some of the world’s largest potash deposits and the world’s largest potash mine too – PotashCorp’s Rocanville operation.
The company recently completed a $3-billion expansion at Rocanville to bring its annual nameplate capacity to 6.5 million tonnes, up from three million tonnes preexpansion.
The project, which took nearly 10 years to complete, included construction of a new mine shaft that is more than a kilometer deep. The shaft – located at Scissors Creek, 16 kilometers from the main mine site – is the first one built in Saskatchewan since 1979, when a shaft was excavated at Lanigan.
The Rocanville expansion also included construction of a new mill, a new 500,000-tonne storage facility, new rail and rail loadout equipment and conversion of the existing service shaft, used for people and materials, to a second production shaft, for bringing ore out of the mine. The main mine site is just north of Rocanville, a two-and-a-half hour drive east of Regina.
“We are very proud of our employees for their accomplishments here at Rocanville – they were truly dedicated to working hard and working safely. As a result, this mine is poised to be a key part of our company’s future for years to come,” Jochen Tilk, PotashCorp’s President and CEO, said at an event held last month to celebrate successful completion of the project and ramp up of the increased production capacity.
The gathering took place in the large hall that is part of the new office building at the Scissors Creek site. More than 300 people attended, including local and provincial elected officials, employees from the Rocanville operation, members of PotashCorp’s Board of Directors and senior leadership team and several suppliers who provided key goods and services.
“We are grateful to our contractors for their significant contributions during this extensive project,” Tilk said. At the height of the project, there were more than 1,800 contractors on site.
The permanent workforce at Rocanville has doubled to more than 750 employees.
“We have a strong team at Rocanville that is committed to optimizing our production capability here,” Mark Fracchia, President, PCS Potash, said at the event.
Fracchia noted that the expansion was completed on time, on budget and the work was performed safely. “We’re proud of the safety record we achieved. It was best-in-class for our industry and it’s a reflection of the combined and sustained efforts of our employees and contractors.”
Safety will continue to be a core value at Rocanville, he added. “As we strive to achieve our business goals at this operation, it’s a priority for us to ensure the safety of our employees and contractors and to continue to grow our strong relationships with the communities in this region.”
With Rocanville now online, PotashCorp has the flexibility to navigate a variety of market conditions.
“By enhancing our capacity at Rocanville, our lowest cost operation, we have improved our competitive position and are ready to respond to the world’s increasing need for potash.” Jochen Tilk President and CEO, PotashCorp