Oilfield drilling rigs are a common sight across Saskatchewan, but one near Disley is being used for a different purpose. Buffalo Potash is using technology and techniques from the oil and gas industry as it develops a smaller-scale solution potash mine along Highway 11. “Our technology, our mining method actually takes a lot of key pieces of proven designs from the oil and gas industry,” said Quinton Hardage, President of Buffalo Potash. The Buffalo Potash reserves (outlined in yellow in the photo below) are expected to produce about 125,000 tonnes of potash annually. That’s a small fraction of the three to four million tonnes produced annually by its neighbours at K+S Bethune and Mosaic Belle Plaine. “Our technology will allow us to have smaller mines, and because we’re using literally off-the-shelf technology from the oil patch, it won’t cost us much per tonne, to make a tonne of potash in more traditional ways,” said Steve Halabura, CEO of Buffalo Potash. The project would be the second potash mine in the RM of Dufferin, which is also home to K+S Bethune. “K+S has been real good corporate citizens for us, and like any mine, there are always challenges, but for the most part the potash mine has been very kind as far as contributing to the community,” said Brian Weisbrod, Reeve for the RM of Dufferin. If all goes according to plan, Buffalo Potash expects to produce it’s first finished product during the first quarter of 2027, which it hopes proves this unique method of smaller scale potash mining is feasible in the province.
|
