Potash 101

A BETTER WAY TO PRODUCE

Solution Mining is a proven and well-known technique where Potassium Chloride(KCl), commonly referred to as Potash, is dissolved by salt saturated brine injected into sylvinite layers to form caverns. The potassium-bearing solution is pumped to the surface for recrystallization and final processing. Surface processing is initiated either by evaporation ponds or mechanical evaporation. Where water is plentiful, evaporation ponds may be ideal. In arid or semi-arid agricultural zones, mechanical evaporation may be preferable as this process requires far less water and can utilize brines which are not included in water rights but are included in existing mineral rights.

Cavern Development Techniques

Pilot Production:
15,000 TPY

Single Well Solution Mining

Sump development
Cavern control
Cavern growth
Primary Mining

Commercial Production:
50,000-150,000 TPY

Dual Well Solution Mining

Well connection
Cavern control
Cavern growth
Primary mining
Secondary mining

Well Field Development:
200,000-500,000 TPY

Multi-Cavern, Single or Dual Well

Directionally drilled from the central drill pad
Minimize surface disturbance to ease access and minimize land use
Centralize operations for controls, pumping, and piping

CRYSTALLIZER AND PROCESSING

Modular Mechanical Extraction of Potash

For decades, potash processing has typically been through concentration in ponds and flotation to separate salts. Challenges came with land and water availability, salt separation, and handling of salt wastes. Companies then focused on more efficient, consistent, mechanical methods which are not affected by weather and varying salt concentrations. Beneficially, custom potash levels can also be tailored to customer needs through this method. Many Canadian potash plants use evaporation-crystallization. Over the past 10 years great advances in surface processing using mechanical equipment (mostly factory or field assembled modules) provided optimized production at varying input salt levels and customized output finished product concentrations.

Benefits of Mechanical Evaporation

Reduced water consumption.
Reduced land footprint.
Less visual impact on the surroundings.
Modular “packaged” units for the systematic staging of production expansion.
Increased tolerance to climate/weather impacts.
Year-round production.