Mosaic announces immediate closures of Esterhazy K1, K2 potash mine shafts
The Mosaic Company announced it is closing the K1 and K2 potash mine shafts in Esterhazy, effective immediately.
In a press release Friday, the company said the timeline of the closures was accelerated by nine months due to a recent increase in brine inflows. The mines were already scheduled for closure as part of the transition to the K3 mine shaft.
“The intention was always to close out K1 and K2, those mines have reached kind of the end of their mine life,” Sarah Fedorchuk, vice president of government and public affairs for North America at The Mosaic Company, said in a phone interview.
Fedorchuk said the closures will have no workforce impact, with K1 and K2 workers being transferred to K3.
Mosaic intends to resume production at the Colonsay potash mine and said it will be recalling workers as soon as “practical.”
“This restart will offset a portion of the production lost by the early closure of the K1 and K2 shafts at Esterhazy, and position the company to take advantage of the expected strong potash markets in 2022 and beyond,” Mosaic said in the release.
With the closures happening earlier than anticipated, Fedorchuk said the company is expecting a one million tonne shortfall from its original 2021 projections.
“There’s going to be a bit of a short term supply and demand issue with potash, but by this time next year K3 will be fully operational,” Fedorchuk said.
With Colonsay returning to service and the Esterhazy K3 ramping up to full capacity in the next year, Mosaic expects potash production could increase by two million tonnes from 2020 levels, by March 2022.
Mosaic has been managing brine inflow in Esterhazy since 1985 making it the longest a brine inflow has been managed in the history of the industry.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Pedestrian, baby injured after stroller struck and dragged by vehicle in Squamish, B.C.
Police say a baby and a pedestrian suffered non-life-threatening injuries after a vehicle struck a baby stroller and dragged it for two blocks before stopping in Squamish, B.C.
Senate expenses climbed to $7.2 million in 2023, up nearly 30%
Senators in Canada claimed $7.2 million in expenses in 2023, a nearly 30 per cent increase over the previous year.
Demonstrators kicked out of Ontario legislature for disruption after failed keffiyeh vote
A group of demonstrators were kicked out of the legislature after a second NDP motion calling for unanimous consent to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh failed to pass.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
RCMP uncovers alleged plot by 2 Montreal men to illegally sell drones, equipment to Libya
The RCMP says it has uncovered a plot by two men in Montreal to sell Chinese drones and military equipment to Libya illegally.
Government agrees to US$138.7M settlement over FBI's botching of Larry Nassar assault allegations
The U.S. Justice Department announced a US$138.7 million settlement Tuesday with more than 100 people who accused the FBI of grossly mishandling allegations of sexual assault against Larry Nassar in 2015 and 2016, a critical time gap that allowed the sports doctor to continue to prey on victims before his arrest.
BREAKING Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko won't play in Game 2
The Vancouver Canucks will be without all-star goalie Thatcher Demko when they face the Nashville Predators in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series.
Man wanted in connection with deadly shooting in Toronto tops list of most wanted fugitives in Canada
A 35-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of Toronto resident 29-year-old Sharmar Powell-Flowers nine months ago has topped the list of the BOLO program’s 25 most wanted fugitives across Canada, police announced Tuesday.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.