Inside Nutrien’s Pilot Plant: Testing new ways to improve potash production

It's mining week and for the first time, Nutrien is giving people an inside look at the Saskatoon lab where it tests new tech.

Instead of testing new technology at active mine sites, Nutrien is doing much of that work inside a Saskatoon facility.

The Nutrien Pilot Plant includes a small-scale mill, labs, workshops and testing areas designed to improve potash production.

For the first time, cameras and journalists were invited inside for a behind-the-scenes tour.

“This space gives us the opportunity to de-risk projects. We can run experiments here without disrupting the operations — which can have real impacts if we shut down production,” said Courtney Rohachuk, manager of the pilot plant.

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One key area is the flotation cell, where potassium chloride is separated from the rest of the mined material to create potash fertilizer.

New technology and control settings can be tested in Saskatoon before being introduced at Nutrien’s active mines.

Mark Buchinski, director of the pilot plant, said the Saskatoon facility supports all six of Nutrien’s Saskatchewan potash mines.

“This facility is focused on doing the innovation and research ahead of time,” Buchinski said.

He said the pilot plant played a major role during potash mine expansions in 2010, helping refine new equipment before it went into operation.

“We brought them here, optimized the design over the course of six months to a year,” Buchinski said.

“We were able to install something back at the sites before they needed them to actually start producing potash.”

Staff at the facility say the work is constantly evolving alongside new technology.

“There’s still so much to learn and so much to discover, so I think it’s exciting to be a part of that possibility,” Rohachuk said.

Saskatchewan is the world’s largest producer of potash.