To be built 30km southeast of Regina, Saskatchewan, the Albany Project is a proposed three million tonne per year solution potash mine
Image: The Albany Project is a proposed three million tonne per year solution potash mine. Photo courtesy of Khusen Rustamov from Pixabay.
CanPacific has secured an environmental impact assessment approval for its Albany Project in southern Saskatchewan, Canada.
The project includes the development of the CanPacific’s KL262 property and a proposed 3.25 million tonne per annum potash mining operation.
Located 30km southeast of Regina, Saskatchewan, in the RM’s of Lajord and Francis, the Albany Project has been approved for its next phase of development by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment. The Albany Project, which sits on the southern margin of the Elk Pointe Basin within the Devonian Prairie Evaporite sequence, focuses on three major potash beds that include the Patience Lake, the Belle Plaine, and the Esterhazy.
CanPacific Potash is a joint venture between North Atlantic Potash with a 68% stake and Rio Tinto Potash Management with 32%.
Conditions of the approval from the Saskatchewan government
According to the conditional approval from the Ministry of Environment, the Canadian company must offer compensation for any affected native grassland and wetland habitat.
One of the other conditions to be met by the company include identification of the methods to restore or enhance the existing areas as well as create new native prairie or wetlands.
The conditions also include further approval from the Ministry of Environment for the future development of the 20-year well-field areas.
Saskatchewan Environment Minister Dustin Duncan said: “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 Potash’s comprehensive environmental impact study is developed by SNC-Lavalin (Saskatoon). It is also offering services through the permitting approval process of the project.
CanPacific CEO David Waugh said: “We are strongly committed to developing a project that is environmentally sustainable and respects our neighbours.
“We are pleased that the project can proceed with the Ministry’s approval, the endorsement of local rural municipalities, and the strong support of stakeholders across the region.”
In July 2018, the Saskatoon-based company had submitted a final environmental impact statement to the provincial government.