Nutrien's February 2025 technical report on Lanigan in Saskatchewan describes a mill that has concentrated potash ore since 1968 and shipped 3.403 million tonnes of finished product at 60.97% K2O in 2024.
The National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report on the Lanigan Potash Deposit (KLSA 001 D), dated February 20, 2025, covers Nutrien Ltd.'s Lanigan potash operation in Saskatchewan, Canada. Lanigan has mined and concentrated potash ore since 1968. The report describes the recovery methods in terms of a long operating record rather than a new design: the mill uses both flotation and crystallization to turn raw ore into near-pure potassium chloride (KCl), sold as granular, standard and fine standard grades for agriculture.
Critical Data
| Parameter | Value | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Report date | February 20, 2025 | Not applicable | NI 43-101 technical report, Nutrien Ltd. |
| Operator | Nutrien Ltd. | Not applicable | Qualified persons: Jodi Derkach and Craig Funk |
| Production since | 1968 | Not applicable | Continuous sales since mining began |
| Finished potash, 2022 | 2.457 | Mt | 60.99% K2O average grade |
| Finished potash, 2023 | 2.889 | Mt | 61.03% K2O average grade |
| Finished potash, 2024 | 3.403 | Mt | 60.97% K2O average grade |
| Mill recovery, past decade | 80.1 to 85.9 | % | Average 82.7% |
| Concentration methods | Flotation and crystallization | Not applicable | Product is near-pure KCl |
| High-voltage power capacity | 72 | MVA | Utility can meet projected demand |
| Brine inflow (2012 inflow) | About 490 | L/min | From the Souris River Formation; no impact on production |
Overview
Raw potash ore is processed on surface at the Lanigan mill, where flotation and crystallization methods both deliver concentrated red potash products, near-pure KCl, that are shipped to markets in North America and offshore. All finished products leave by rail over existing track.
Production has risen over the past three years, from 2.457 million tonnes in 2022 to 3.403 million tonnes in 2024, while the average product grade has held close to 61% K2O. Over the past ten years, mill recovery ranged from 80.1% to 85.9% and averaged 82.7%. Given this record and Nutrien's experience with the deposit, the report anticipates no fundamental potash milling problems in the foreseeable future. Quality control testing and test work to optimize circuit performance and product quality continue at the site and at Nutrien's research facilities.
Key Process Stages
Ore processing on surface. Potash ore is processed in the Lanigan mill on surface. The report's simplified flow diagram shows the flotation and crystallization milling methods used.
Flotation and crystallization. Both methods concentrate the ore into finished potash products, near-pure KCl.
Product finishing and shipping. Granular, standard and fine standard grade products are made for agricultural use and shipped by rail.
Additional Interesting Data and Summary
Fresh water for milling comes from a waterline from the Dellwood Reservoir, about 10 km away, and from the Hatfield Valley Aquifer, under a licence issued by the Water Security Agency. High-voltage power capacity is 72 MVA, and the report's ten-year projection shows the utility can meet foreseeable demand. The nearest cities are Humboldt, about 45 km away, and Saskatoon, about 100 km away.
The report also covers brine inflows, a main risk for Saskatchewan potash mines because salt dissolves in water. Lanigan has had numerous small inflows of connate brine from the Prairie Evaporite and Dawson Bay formations over 50 years of mining. An inflow found in 2012 in an abandoned area, sourced from the Souris River Formation, runs at about 490 litres per minute. It is collected and pumped to surface for disposal into the Deadwood Formation and has had no impact on production. Inflow into the two shafts, designed to be water-tight, is not measurable.
In summary, Lanigan is a mature potash operation whose recovery method is proven by more than five decades of production, with a recent ten-year average mill recovery of 82.7% and output rising to 3.4 million tonnes of finished product in 2024.
Key Processes
- Underground potash ore processed on surface
- Flotation
- Crystallization
- Production of granular, standard and fine standard KCl products
- Rail shipment of finished products
Source: Nutrien Ltd., National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report on Lanigan Potash Deposit (KLSA 001 D), Saskatchewan, Canada, February 20, 2025.
Technical report and processing history
The following archived source profiles have been consolidated here to preserve the project’s processing history and study context.
Lanigan — 2014 Technical Report
Lanigan — 2014 Technical Report
| Company | PotashCorp |
| Date | 2014 |
| Region | Saskatchewan, Canada |
| Commodities | Potash |
Executive Summary
The Lanigan mine has been in operation since 1968, producing high-grade finished potash products for agriculture and industry. The facility utilizes both flotation and crystallization methods to concentrate potash ore into near-pure KCl products. Production data from 2012 to 2014 shows annual output ranging from 1.653 to 2.241 million tonnes with an average grade of approximately 60.87% K2O.
Mill recovery rates have averaged 81.8% over the past decade, with actual rates fluctuating between 75.6% and 85.7%. Over the 46-year mine life to date, 181.284 million tonnes of potash ore have been mined to produce 52.643 million tonnes of finished potash products, resulting in a concentration ratio of 3.44.
Infrastructure is in place to meet current and projected requirements for energy, water, and process materials. High-voltage power utilization is 32 MVA, with sufficient capacity for future demand. Water is sourced from the Dellwood Reservoir and Hatfield Valley Aquifer, supported by existing paved roads, rail-lines, and natural gas feed.
Website: https://www.nutrien.com/about/our-business/locations?tab=potash
Report Date: 2014
Region: Saskatchewan, Canada
Commodity: Potash
Lanigan — 2017 Technical Report
Lanigan — 2017 Technical Report
| Company | Nutrien |
| Mine | Lanigan |
| Region | Saskatchewan, Canada |
| Commodities | Potash |
Executive Summary
The Lanigan mine has been mining and concentrating potash ore to produce saleable quantities of high-grade finished potash products since 1968. Products include granular, standard, and suspension grade potash for agricultural use. Raw potash ore is processed on surface, and concentrated red potash products are sold and shipped to markets in North America and offshore.
Over the past three years, production of finished potash products at Lanigan ranged from 1.817 million tonnes in 2017 to 2.030 million tonnes in 2016, with average grades between 60.72% and 60.96% K2O. Actual mill recovery rates over the past decade have been between 75.6% and 85.9%, averaging 82.9%.
Given the long-term experience with potash geology and actual mill recovery at Lanigan, no fundamental potash milling problems are anticipated in the foreseeable future. Quality control testing and monitoring geared towards fine-tuning and optimizing potash milling and concentrating processes are conducted on an ongoing basis at all Nutrien minesites and at Nutrien research facilities.
Website: https://www.nutrien.com/about/our-business/locations?tab=potash
Report Date:
Region: Saskatchewan, Canada
Project Status:
Commodity: Potash
Throughput:
Mine Life:
Mine Type:
Ore type:
Lanigan Potash Mine: Flotation, Crystallization and Performance
A combined flotation and crystallization processing route at the Lanigan mill has produced finished potash products since 1968, with reported mill recovery rates averaging 81.8% over the past decade.
Report context
This article is based on the technical report for the Lanigan Potash Mine, dated to cover operations through December 31, 2014. The report describes processing methods and historical performance for a potash operation that has been mining and concentrating ore since 1968.
Processing route
Overview of recovery methods
At Lanigan, both flotation methods and crystallization methods are used to concentrate potash ore into finished potash products. The simplified process flow diagram referenced in the report shows that raw potash ore is processed on surface, and concentrated finished potash products (near-pure KCl) are produced for sale and shipment to markets in North America and offshore.
Ore processing and concentration
Potash ore is mined and concentrated to produce saleable quantities of high-grade finished potash products, including granular, standard and industrial grade potash for agriculture and industry. The process is designed to produce final product grades averaging above 60% K₂O based on reported historical data.
Quality control and optimization
Quality control testing and monitoring geared towards fine-tuning and optimizing potash milling and concentrating processes are conducted on a continual basis at PotashCorp minesites and research facilities. At Lanigan, tests to fine tune basic potash milling and concentration operations are carried out on an ongoing basis. The report states that given the long-term and recent history of actual mill recovery, no fundamental potash milling problems are anticipated in the foreseeable future.
Infrastructure
Infrastructure is in place to meet current and projected requirements for energy, water and process materials. High-voltage power utilization at the Lanigan Division is 32 MVA. The ten year projection indicates that the utility can meet the foreseeable future demand. The operation requires a sustained fresh water supply for the milling process, sourced from both a local reservoir called the Dellwood Reservoir and a regional aquifer called the Hatfield Valley Aquifer. The Lanigan Division is also served by existing paved roads, rail-lines and natural gas feed.
Key reported parameters
| Parameter | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Finished potash production (2012) | 1.653 million tonnes at 60.87% K₂O average grade | Historical operating data |
| Finished potash production (2013) | 2.241 million tonnes at 60.83% K₂O average grade | Historical operating data |
| Finished potash production (2014) | 1.676 million tonnes at 60.94% K₂O average grade | Historical operating data |
| Mill recovery rate over past decade | 75.6% to 85.7%, averaging 81.8% | Historical operating data |
| Mine life production (1968 to December 31, 2014) | 181.284 million tonnes ore hoisted; 52.643 million tonnes finished potash products | Historical operating data |
| Concentration ratio (ore tonnes to finished product tonnes) | 3.44 | Historical operating data |
| High-voltage power utilization | 32 MVA | Reported design/current capacity |
Technical qualifications
This article is based solely on the original technical report sections provided. The report describes a simplified process flow diagram (Figure 23) and a chart of mill recovery rates (Figure 24) that are referenced but not reproduced here. No detailed flowsheet information, circuit designs, reagent schemes, equipment specifications, or economic data were provided in the extracted source material. The report does not present specific testwork results; rather, it notes that ongoing quality control testing and monitoring are conducted. Production figures and recovery rates represent actual historical operating data, not design or guaranteed performance. The report date covers operations through December 31, 2014, and does not show any changes after that date.
*Source: Lanigan Potash Mine technical report covering operations through December 31, 2014, Sections 17.0 Recovery Methods.*
