SHAFT SINKING: Thyssen wins contract for Burr studies

SASKATCHEWAN — Athabasca Potash has awarded the contract for shaft sinking studies at its Burr project 107 km east of Saskatoon to Thyssen Mining of Regina. No development commitment has yet been made.

Athabasca has identified 39.3 million tonnes of indicated and inferred resources that average 13.18% K₂O and 0.09 MgO. The estimate made in 2007 to bring a 2.0-million-product-tonne operation to commercial production would be over $2.0 billion.

Thyssen (www.ThyssenMining.com) is currently competing four shaft sinking projects in Canada, the United States and Russia. The Burr contract includes preliminary design and cost estimation of two shafts, headframes, hoists and all related material handling and control systems.