POTASH: PotashCorp competes Rocanville expansion

[caption id="attachment_1003720424" align="aligncenter" width="550"] With a nameplate capacity of 6 million t/y, Rocanville is now the world’s largest potash mine. (Credit: Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan)[/caption] SASKATCHEWAN – Saskatoon-based Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan announced on Oct. 12 that it had successfully completed the expansion of its Rocanville mine to 6.5 million tonnes annually. Nameplate capacity more than doubled from 3.0 million t/y, so too did the workforce to more than 750. Rocanville is PotashCorp’s lowest cost producer. PotashCorp had an expansion budget of $3 billion for the 10-year project. A new mine shaft was sunk, and the existing service shaft was converted to a second production shaft. A new mill, 500,000-tonne storage facility, new rail and loadout equipment was also included in the project. A celebratory event, held in the office building at the new Scissors Creek site, was attended by more than 300 people, including local and provincial elected officials, suppliers, employees from the Rocanville operation and several members of PotashCorp’s board of directors and senior leadership team. “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. We are also grateful to our contractors for their significant contributions during this extensive project,” said PotashCorp president and CEO Jochen Tilk. Readers can watch the Rocanville video at www.PotashCorp.com/news/2318/.