CanPacific Potash Inc.’s is one step closer in developing a new 3.25 million tonne-per-year solution mine in southern Saskatchewan.
The company was given conditional approval for its Albany Potash Project based on the findings of an environmental assessment.
“The Ministry of Environment’s role is to ensure environmental responsibility is appropriately managed for developments such as potash mines,” said Dustin Duncan, Saskatchewan’s environment minister.
“During the public review period of this project, we heard concerns about potential impacts to native grassland and wetlands and those concerns have been directly addressed in this decision to grant conditional approval for the project.”
CanPacific must meet the following conditions:
- For native grassland and wetland habitat that cannot be avoided by the project, CanPacific must develop a compensation plan for approval by the Ministry of Environment.
- The plan will identify affected native grassland and wetlands, identify the methods to restore/enhance existing areas or create new native prairie/wetlands, and provide a timeline for completing the work and monitoring the areas.
- CanPacific must submit a signed development plan agreement to the RM of Francis prior to construction proceeding. The company must also obtain further ministerial approval for future development of the 20-year well-field areas.
“The consideration of public comments is a long-standing and established part of the province’s environmental assessment process,” Duncan said.
“Scientific evidence, combined with these comments from the public, continues to be the foundation upon which we make environmental assessment decisions.”
The Albany potash mine would be located 50 kilometres southeast of Regina, near Francis and Sedley.
WATCH (August 2019): Going underground with Nutrien’s potash crews