Company now mined 25 million tonnes of potash using automated technologies
Trevor Berg, senior vice-president of potash operations at Nutrien, said the teleremote operating technology provides several benefits for workers and the company.
“Not only is (above ground) a nicer environment for them, but it also allows for efficiencies during shift changes,” he said.
The company began putting automated mining technologies in place a few years ago and has had steady growth since then. Berg said this past year was an especially good one for the initiative.
“More than half of the tonnes in that 25 million were just produced this year,” he said.
At year-end, Berg said the company will have 20 mining machines outfitted with teleremote technology and hopes to get that number up to 30 in 2025. By 2026, Nutrien wants to mine 40 to 50 per cent of the potash it produces using remote mining technologies.
“Annually, this year we’re going to cut about 35 per cent of our ores through automation,” he said.
Berg said the company originally set out to mine 33 per cent of its ore via automated technologies this year, but exceeded those expectations.
“It’s a big deal and it’s something for us to celebrate for sure and just keep that great momentum going forward,” he said.
At an investor day at the New York Stock Exchange this past summer, Nutrien executives said the company was expecting to spend between $15 million and $20 million annually to implement automated technologies at its potash mines. At the time, chief executive Ken Seitz said the new technologies would help the company deal with inflationary pressures.
“It really is about maintaining our position on the cost curve,” he said.
The company is getting business benefits from its investment in technology, but Berg said the main driving force behind the development and implementation of these technologies is a desire to improve safety.
Using machines outfitted with teleremote technologies means workers can be removed from the mining face, which can at times be hazardous. He said the company has observed a decrease in the number of incidents in such areas.
“Our No. 1 goal starting this program and for our company is to keep our employees safe,” he said.
Berg said the company has made sure frontline workers have been part of the process in terms of developing and implementing the technology, with some ideas originating from workers.
“We take a collaborative approach and talk about the challenges that they have and then use technology to actually solve problems,” he said.
Berg said he was recently onsite at one of Nutrien’s mines and the operators told him that running the machines remotely was a more comfortable experience and allowed them a better field of vision when working.
Heading into the future, he said operating mining machines remotely is going to be the way forward for the company, but some workers will still need to be underground to help support those machines.
“There is a lot of labour work to do behind the mining machines, so that’s not going to go away, but we’re going to continue to work on innovative ways to help make that easier,” he said.
Karina Gistelinck, asset president at BHP Potash, said the company designed its new Jansen mine, which is set to come online in 2026, with the intention of being able to use the latest technology to operate it.
She said the mining equipment being put in is designed to be fully integrated so the operation works in an efficient and safe manner. The equipment also means less manual labour is needed to extract potash, specifically when transferring cut ore for transport out of the mine, which is beneficial from a safety standpoint and in terms of efficiency.
“You also eliminate the chance for human error,” she said.
BHP is also working on loading potash into rail cars via automated methods. Gistelinck said this process will use sensors to ensure the product is loaded in the safest and most efficient way. The rail cars will also be sealed with the use of automated technologies.
“So, no human interaction at the equipment itself,” she said.
While the company is bullish on the potential for future growth in the potash market, Gistelinck said there could be challenges in the future due to more supply coming online from Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia.
She said BHP can’t control what its competitors are going to do, but it can make sure it is running its mines in the most cost-effective way possible, which makes the use of new technologies all the more vital.
“What we can control is our cost position,” she said.
The Saskatoon Star Phoenix has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox so you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe.
With some online platforms blocking access to the journalism upon which you depend, our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark thestarphoenix.com and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed. Click here to subscribe.