1. 1 The Potash Story An essential element for plant growth along with nitrogen and phosphates Helps plants use water and resist drought Belle Plaine mines potassium chloride, KCl – Solution mining yields pure white potash product 93% of potash produced world-wide is used as fertilizer Only 3% of the Earth’s surface is arable farmland What is Potash? 1

2. Saskatoon Belle PlaineEsterhazy SaskatchewanManitoba Patience Lake Member…PLM Belle Plaine Member……BPM White Bear Member…….WBM Esterhazy Member………EM Potash Formation in Saskatchewan 2

3. Potash Mines in Saskatchewan 3

4. Text Only Slide Title Bullet 1 Bullet 2 Bullet 3 Bullet 4 – Sub bullet Bullet 5 4 Do we still make all these grades?? Grades of Potash 4

5. Text Only Slide Title Bullet 1 Bullet 2 Bullet 3 Bullet 4 – Sub bullet Bullet 5 5 Solution Mining Why Solution Mining? Conventional mining is not effective below 3600 feet Access to more potash- bearing formations Purer product 5

6. Text Only Slide Title Bullet 1 Bullet 2 Bullet 3 Bullet 4 – Sub bullet Bullet 5 6 Solution Mining Recovery Water is pumped into underground cavities KCl dissolved into the liquid Solution is pumped into the refinery How it Works 6

7. Text Only Slide Title Bullet 1 Bullet 2 Bullet 3 Bullet 4 –Sub bullet Bullet 5 7 The Solubility of Potassium Chloride & Sodium Chloride Solution mining is possible due to the solubility differences between NaCl and KCl 7

8. 8 2 Drilling Rigs, 8 Service Rigs on site Drilling rigs typically drill 18 new wells per year Utilizes conventional oil well drilling technology – Customized for potash solution recovery Mining Area: Our best kept secret 8

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10. 10 Co-generative process: Natural gas boilers produce high- pressure steam Steam creates 40 MW of power using turbo-generators Generator exhaust provides heat source for refinery potash production & mining area injection water heat Only ~10% of the plant’s power needs come from the grid Powerhouse 10

11. 11 Eight 185,000 gallon 5-story tall evaporators lined up in 2 rows of four Series configuration creates multiple effect to better utilize steam Concentrate the solution from the minefield into a KCl-rich solution Evaporators 11

12. 12 Seven 120,000 gallon crystallizers convert the potash solution into crystal slurry by means of vacuum boiling, product separation, potash crystal growth and purification Crystallizers 12

13. Cooling Ponds Secondary method of isolating KCl Solution is cooled courtesy of Mother Nature, causing KCl crystals to form and fall to the bottom of the ponds. – Utilizing Saskatchewan’s cold winters to our advantage – Improves overall plant energy balance Dredges are used to harvest the product “Free” crystallization 13