Page 9 - Mosaic Esterhazy K3 Project
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THE ENORMITY OF THE PROJECT IS A THING TO BEHOLD
So how did Mosaic manage to sink shafts 20-foot in was used to load the blasted muck into buckets that
diameter 3,500 feet into the ground? A combination were hoisted to surface. When the shaft wall was
of sinking winches and hoists located at surface, exposed, a shaft wall liner was constructed as the
and the respective hoist ropes operated through shaft sinking advanced.”
the permanent north headframe, and the temporary
south sinking headframe, is the answer. Esterhazy K3's North shaft headframe began
production in January 2019. It is used to move
“A five-level galloway structure was utilized in potash ore to the surface and transport people
both the north and south shafts, and it functioned and equipment, says Boutin. The K3 South shaft
as a working stage for both personnel and headframe, which is used solely to move potash
equipment,” Boutin explains. “The conventional ore to the surface, began production in November
drilling and blasting method was used to sink the 2021. As of the end of March 2022, there are a total
20 ft diameter shafts through the bare earth. An of nine mining machines cutting underground at K3
excavator suspended below both galloways and that can provide an average of 50,000 ore tons
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