Sylvite Mine

SYLVITE MINE

The above photo shows the potash mine located at Rocanville, Saskatchewan which was purchased by Hudson Bay Mining & Smelting Co. Ltd., in 1972. It was operated for a number of years, then purchased by the Saskatchewan Government which today is known as the Saskatchewan Potash Corporation.

A well-lit spacious maintenance shop is the first thing mining crews see as they leave the service shaft 3,145 feet below surface at Sylvite. Dimensions of the shop are: 500 feet long, 27 feet high and 37 feet wide. Entrance to the mining areas can be seen midway along the left-end wall. Mining crews travel throughout the mine on specially-built personnel carriers such as the one parked near the entrance to the mining areas.

One man operates the world's largest 4-rotor potash mining machine – a 258 ton, 38 foot long giant that under normal operating conditions cuts 12 tons of ore while it advances one foot per minute. Maximum cutting area of the rotors is 26 feet wide by 8 feet high. Manufactured for Sylvite of Canada division, HBM&S, the machine, with Harold Esslinger at the controls, is shown making a second pass 3,145 feet underground at Sylvite's potash mine near Rocanville, Sask.

Checking mining plans 3,145 feet underground in front of the worlds' largest 4-rotor potash mining machine are, left to right: Don Smith, production manager and Bill Schultz, mine superintendent, of Sylvite of Canada division (potash) of Hudson Bay Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd. cutting 12 tons of ore while it advances one foot per minute, the ore is carried from the mine face through the machine and discharged at the rear through a hopper onto a towed extensible ore conveyor that can be lengthened to 4,000 feet by adding 400 foot sections. Size and positioning of the cutting rotors can be seen in this picture.

The doughnut shaped piece of potash ore shown above was cut by the hub of one of the whirling 8 foot diameter rotors on the Marietta, the world's largest 4 rotor mining machine, in the underground workings at Sylvite mine. Holding this 350 lb., near perfect specimen – a completely circular “doughnut” is a rarity – are left to right: George Olafson, mine superintendent; Julien Kopchynski, chief mine engineer; Brian Kaukinen, mine maintenance engineer, and Bill Schultz.

Loading Sylvite potash at Vancouver seaport for export to Korea.

Copyright 2013 G.B.Reid