Potash Mine Expansion
Growth and Development
Project VAULT = VAnscoy ULTimate Expansion. The fundamental goal of this project is to reach the ultimate capacity of the Vanscoy, Saskatchewan potash mine. Learn more about our Vanscoy facility and potash production. Watch the video
The planned brownfield expansion will see a new processing train added to the existing facility. Once the underground production is ramped up, the expansion is expected to add an average of 750,000 tonnes of annual potash capacity to the mine, resulting in a projected increase in production capacity of close to 40 percent by 2015.
In December of 2009, an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract was executed by Agrium Wholesale with a Joint Venture comprised of SNC Lavalin Inc. and PCL Industrial Management Inc. (JVV) to further develop the engineering and ultimately complete the expansion. The project is currently progressing through the Front End Engineering Development phase (FEED).
Agrium has made significant progress on Project VAULT over the last year. Primary areas of focus were feasibility studies, scope definition, engineering and cost estimation, Value Engineering and scope optimization.
The project is expected to generate significant development in:
- additional mining equipment and underground mainline conveyor upgrades
- hoisting system upgrades
- modifications to surface raw ore handling and storage
- mill processing upgrades, including the installation of a standalone 1 million tonne per year processing train
- additional compaction capacity
- Various, concurrently completed, infrastructure and utility upgrades to support Project VAULT’s expanded production levels
The mega project is expected to generate close to 80 project-based jobs in the areas of Project Management, Construction Management and Functional Business. The construction phase of the project is expected to require more than 800 tradespersons at its peak, and approximately 3 million man-hours to complete.
Most of the construction work on the capacity addition is expected to be completed in 2012 and 2013. Additional tonnage expansion is expected to be available in 2014. The full 2.8 million tonnes of annual production capacity is expected to be achieved in 2015.
