Automation Canada Quarterly Volume 2 Issue 3 - 10

The United Nations estimates that world population will climb from 7
billion to 9 billion by 2050. This means higher demand for food for the
growing population, and more work for the farmers to produce more
food. And they will need fertilizers to do it, which is where potash
comes in, as 96% of the world's production of potash is used in fertilizers. The ten potash mines in Saskatchewan presently account for more
than 7 million tonnes of potash or about 25% of the annual world production.
The mission of these potash mines is to help the world grow the food
it needs. By striving to produce and deliver the
highest quality, most innovative crop nutrition
products, they help farmers rise to the challenge.
The simplest measure of the health of the
potash industry is the price the nutrient commands on the world market. But whether the
price per tonne dips to US$150, as was seen in
2005, or skyrockets to US$900 like in the heady
days of 2009, the true guarantor of success in the
industry depends on cutting unnecessary expenses, ensuring safety and benefiting from the
long-term planning made possible by marketleading processes, equipment and technology.

Challenges: Potash is a Beast
Potash is by no means easy to process; demanding
material characteristics combined with unique
processing requirements make it a challenge to
mine. Since potash is a corrosive material, it can
progressively destroy metal through chemical action. Potash creeps its way into nooks and crannies
to eat into equipment, and hardens into sharp
crystals that can cut and tear into seals.
When Scott Paish of Rittal visited some
Potash Mines in Saskatchewan, along with Rittal's distributor partner, Jonathan Petryk of E. B.
10

CANADIAN AUTOMATION

Horsman & Son , the doors of the traditional Nema 4X enclosures
were falling off due to caustic dust lodging inside the hinges causing
corrosion. The potash mines were looking for an enclosure to protect
valuable automation, instrumentation and electrical equipment that
come into contact with potash during processing. Petryk says, "Our
main goal has been to find an enclosure that can withstand the corrosive atmosphere, offer all-round protection, and last longer in potash
mines. This will help keep the bludgeoning costs in this potash mining
industry down, if the enclosures have some longevity!"
VOLUME 2, ISSUE 3

Automation Canada Quarterly Volume 2 Issue 3

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Automation Canada Quarterly Volume 2 Issue 3