Western Potash Milestone Phase 1 Project Starts Hot Mining
April 30 2020 - 5:01PM
Western Resources Corp. (TSX: WRX) (“Western” or “the
Company”) is pleased to announce that Western Potash
Corp., the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, safely and
successfully started its Hot Mining operations Tuesday, April 28,
2020 at its Milestone Phase I Plant, southeast of Regina,
Saskatchewan.
Hot Mining recirculates heated saturated brine
from the crystallization pond into the caverns, and preferentially
extracts the dissolved potash (KCl) which returns to the
crystallization pond, while leaving the salt (NaCl) in place
underground. Hot mining demonstrates the enhanced horizontal
solution mining process while building an inventory of potash in
the crystallization pond. By design, each cavern will be producing
about 4,000 tonnes of KCl per month into the crystal pond. The
horizontal selective solution mining is environmentally friendly
and capital efficient, while also greatly shortening the time to
production compared to traditional mining. This will be the first
greenfield potash mine in Canada that will leave no salt tailings
on the surface, thereby significantly reducing water and energy
consumption.
The process plant is expected to be completed
and ready to harvest the inventory of potash in the pond by the end
of 2020. Once finished the plant will de-brine, dry and compact the
potash and truck to the local Port Lajord fertilizer distribution
center where Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) has signed a binding
off-take agreement with Western to sell the 100% of the
offtake.
Appropriate operating permits were obtained as part of the
on-going permitting process, and the Company continues to work in
close conjunction with the RM of Lajord, Provincial government, the
local community and businesses.
Mr. Fritz Venter, President and CEO of Western
Potash Corp., commented: “The start of Hot Mining is a significant
milestone for the Project construction, it demonstrates the
viability of the new technology, and will bring about significant
economic values to investors and shareholders. This technology will
disrupt the Solution Mining Potash industry. I would like to thank
everyone involved in the successful construction and startup of Hot
Mining, including the Western team, a number of sub-contractors,
vendors and local businesses and government who continued to give
their best despite having to deal with the evolving pandemic and
the challenges it presented.”
For more information on the Company, please refer to:
www.westernresources.com, Tel: 604-689-9378.
Cautions Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements
Except for statements of historical fact
relating to the Company, certain information contained herein
constitutes “forward-looking information” under Canadian securities
legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not
limited to, statements with respect to the filing and results of
the Technical Report. Forward-looking statements are based on the
opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements
are made and they are subject to known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results
of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or
implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking
information. Although management of the Company has attempted to
identify important factors that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those contained in forward-looking
information, there may be other factors that cause results not to
be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance
that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results
and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in
such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue
reliance on forward-looking information. The Company does not
undertake to update any forward-looking information that is set out
herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
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