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  3. Mineral Resource Data System (MRDS)

Saskatoon Mine

Plant in Saskatchewan, Canada with commodity Potassium
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Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Commodities
  6. Materials information
  7. Nearby scientific data
  8. Ore body information
  9. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  10. Mineral rights holdings
  11. Land status
  12. Ownership information
  13. Production statistics
  14. Workings at the site
  15. Links to other databases
  16. Bibliographic references
  17. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10158525
MAS/MILS ID 1220550003
Record type Site
Current site name Saskatoon Mine
Alternate or previous names Patience Lake

Comments on the site names

  • PROPERTY WAS PREVIOUSLY LISTED AS "SASKATOON", HOWEVER THEIR ARE OTHER "SASKATOON" MINES IN THE AREA. TO PREVENT ANY CONFUSION, THE NAME WAS CHANGED TO PATIENCE LAKE.

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: -106.40077, 52.09997 (WGS84)
Location accuracy 1000(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Alaska(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country State
Canada Saskatchewan

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Potassium Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Halite Unknown
Sylvanite Unknown
Sylvite Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) -106.40077, 52.09997
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Strike N60W
    Dip 07S
    Thickness 31M
    Area 18645HA
    Depth to top 1550M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 SEDIMENTARY
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Primary mode of Origin EVAPORATION
    Primary Ore Control BEDDING
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. NONE
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 UNKNOWN
    Strike And Dip N60W:07S
    Minimum Depth to Top 1000
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 200
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 10
    Total Surface Area (HA) 18645
    Date of Last Modification 950706

Comments on the geologic information

  • MOST OF CANADAS POTASH MINES AND DEPOSITS ARE LOCATED IN THE PRAIRIE EVAPORITE FORMATION OF SOUTHERN SASKATCHEWAN. THIS EVAPORITE FORMATION IS GENERALLY FLAT-LYING, BUT GRADUALLY DIPS TO THE SOUT. THE FORMATION IS APPROXIMATELY3500 FEET DEEP AT ITS NORTHERN END, AND 5000 FEET DEEP AT ITS SOUTHERN END.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Underground
Development status Plant
Commodity type Non-metallic
Significant Yes
Mining method Auger Mining - Solution Mining
Year of first production 1958
Plant type Beneficiation (Mill)
Plant subcategory Crystallization
Milling method Crystallization

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Minerals Only

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Potash Corp. Of Saskatchewan (Pcs)
    Interest 100
    Home office Canada
    Year 1993
    First year 1993
    Last year 1994
  • Type Owner
    Owner Rio Algom Ltd. Canada
    Interest 100
    Home office Canada
    Year 1991
    First year 1991
    Last year 1993
  • Type Operator
    Owner Potash Co. Of Canada (Pca) (Sub Of Rio Algom)
    Interest 100
    Home office Canada
    Year 1991
    First year 1991
    Last year 1993

Production statistics

  • Year 1967
    Description Potash Ore 1710000 Mt Of Ore Treated
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Potassium Potassium 1710000mt
  • Year 1971
    Description Potash Ore 1220000 Mt Of Ore Treated
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Potassium Potassium 1220000mt
  • Year 1975
    Description Potash Ore 1820000 Mt Of Ore Treated
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Potassium Potassium 1820000mt
  • Year 1982
    Description Potash Ore 1699999 Mt Of Ore Treated
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Potassium Potassium 1699999mt
  • Year 1988
    Description Kcl Production 1295000 Mt Product
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Potassium Potassium 1295000mt
  • Year 1989
    Description Kcl Production 1175000 Mt Product
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Potassium Potassium 1175000mt
  • Year 1992
    Description Kcl 300182 Mt Product
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Potassium Potassium 300182mt

Comments on the production information

  • AFTER CONVERTION OF MINE TO A SOLUTION MINING OPERATION, KCL PRODUCT GRADE AND RECOVERY DATA ARE BASED ON BELLE PLAINE (KALIUM) SOLUTION MINING OPERATION.

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • ESTIMATED RESOURCES USED IN THE 1983 PROPERTY EVALUATION.
  • POTASH COMPANY OF SASKATCHEWAN PURCHASED THIS PROPERTY IN SEPT. OF 1993 FORM PCA. PCA CONVERTED THIS MINE TO A SOLUTION OPERATION IS 1987. RATED ANNUAL CAPACITY IS 1,000,000 MT KCL ACTUAL 1992 PRODUCTION WAS 300,182 MT KCL.
  • GRADE DATA WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLISHED RESERVE ESTIMATE.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Overall depth 1000M
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ESTIMATE
    Mining Method SOLUTION MINING 10-89
    Hardness of Rock NONCOHERENT WITH EXCESSIVE WATER
    Rock Characteristics SEMIPLASTIC OR PLASTIC
    Rock Support Chars. SUPPORTING
    Mine Support Chars. POST, HEADBOARD, CAPS, ROOF BOLTS
    Number of Shafts 2
    1st Condition of Workings FLOODED
    Capacity 3162
    Capacity Units MT COMMOD/DAY
    Operating Days per Year 365
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1991

Comments on other economic factors

  • THE PATIENCE LAKE OPERATION USED AN UNDERGROUND MINING METHOD (ROOM AND PILLAR) TILL 1987, WHEN EXECIVE WATER INFLOW CLOSED THE OPERATION. THE OPERATION WAS CONVERTED TO A SOLUTION MINING OPERATION, IT REACHED COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION IS OCTOBER 1989, AT 1,154,000 MT KCL PRODUCT PER YEAR. OPERATING SCHEDUAL IS ESTIMATED AT 365 D/YR. 1992 KCL PRODUCTION WAS 300,182 MT/YR.
  • OPERATION WAS CONVERTED TO SOLUTION MINING IN 1987, IT REACHED COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION IN 1989.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    POTASH COMPANY OF AMERICA FIRST TO GO INTO PRODUCTION,

  • Deposit

    THE NORTHERN MINER, JULY 14, 1966.

  • Deposit

    BRITISH SULFUR, WORLD SURVEY OF POTASH RESOURCES, 3RD

  • Deposit

    EDITION, 1979.

  • Deposit

    ENGINEERING AND MINING JOURNAL, INTERNATIONAL DIRECTORY

  • Deposit

    OF MINING AND MINERAL PROCESSING OPERATIONS, 1980.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL, MINING ANNUAL REVIEW, JUNE 1981.

  • Deposit

    WORLD MINING YEARBOOK, CATALOG, SURVEY AND DIRECTORY,

  • Deposit

    AUGUST 1982.

  • Deposit

    WORLD BANK STAFF WORKING PAPER #293, 1978.

  • Deposit

    PHOSPHORUS & POTASSIUM NO 187, PAGE 7, SEPT-OCT, 1993.

  • Deposit

    CANADIAN MINES HANDBOOK 1990-1991, PAGE 384.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 06-JUL-95 Buckingham, David A. U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

Supplemental information added by qvyshift.com. Not part of the original USGS MRDS record.

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