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Projects in progress include extending the Silver Bend Hiking Trail north of Miniota, developing additional tourist attractions in this area, implementing a marketing strategy, establishing a fitness centre in Miniota and providing ongoing support to local businesses, organizations and entrepeneurs.

 

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  • July 30, 2008 - Russell-Miniota Potash Exploration

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    Russell-Miniota Potash Exploration

    Date: July / 30 / 2008
    Russell-Miniota Potash Exploration
    Crossroads article

    PotashCorp Adding Another 2.7 Million Tonnes of Capacity with Projects at Allan, Cory and Rocanville Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. (PotashCorp) has announced plans to add 2.7 million tonnes of potash capacity at three of its Saskatchewan facilities.

     

    This capacity will be achieved through a new debottlenecking project at Allan and increases in the scope of projects announced in 2007 for Cory and Rocanville. Work on all three projects will be initiated immediately.

     

    These projects carry a combined cost of US $1.6 billion and will raise PotashCorp's

    operational capacity to 18 million tonnes by the end of 2012. The cost is approximately 60 percent less than that estimated for comparable greenfield capacity, and the projects will make the additional production available much more quickly than a new mine could be developed.

     

    At Rocanville, an additional 700,000 tonnes of capacity will be incorporated into the 2-million-tonne mine and mill project announced in 2007. With an additional investment of US $1.0 billion, the project now is expected to add a total of 2.7 million tonnes at a cost of US $2.8 billion and raise the facility's annual capacity to 5.7 million tonnes.

     

    Construction is scheduled for completion at the end of 2012 with ramp-up over the following two years.  "It is clear that global potash demand is continuing to grow more quickly than increases in supply," said PotashCorp President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Doyle. "With our unmatched potash assets, we can provide a solution that is faster and more cost-effective than greenfield production."

     

    Western Potash Corp. will commence drilling on the Russell-Miniota Potash Permits

    Western Potash Corp. has announced that it has received its initial potash well licenses from Manitoba Science, Technology, Energy and Mines (STEM) and has mobilized a drill rig supplied by Ensign Drilling Partnership to the Company’s Russell-Miniota Exploration Permits in Manitoba.

     

    These permits comprise 555 square kilometers, are adjacent to BHP Billiton’s Potash Lease and Agrium’s Exploration permits along the Manitoba border, and lie within 13 kilometrs of Saskatchewan Potash Corps’s Rocanville potash mine.

    Drilling to further define the extent, grade and type of potash mineralization present on the property will commence immediately.

     

    The Company plans to complete an initial five potash exploration wells with an option to extend the program by an additional 10 wells, as results warrant. All holes will be drilled vertically targeting the Prairie Evaporite formation, which will be conventionally cored using inverted drilling fluids so as to not dissolve the salt and potash sequences.

     

    Samples will be collected from the potash sequence for observation and analysis, and each hole will be logged using industry standard down-hole geophysical logging techniques. The potential for the property to host potash deposits has been indicated by seismic data purchased by Western Potash, and historic drilling which intersected potash with grades up to 20 precent K2O over 3.7m (gamma ray logs).

     

    The Company is also obtaining permits and licenses to complete a $1.2 Million, 175 line km 2-D seismic survey on the property to assist in its interpretation of the salt and potash sequence in the area. Prospective salt beds indicated by these seismic surveys will be further tested with additional drilling as part of the ongoing exploration programs.

     

    A $5M exploration program has been approved by Western’s board for this initial drilling and seismic program with a provision to expand the budget by an additional $5M once positive results are received.

    Western Potash Corp. is a mineral exploration company engaged in the evaluation, exploration and development of potash mineral properties in Western Canada.

     

    The other company exploring for potash in Manitoba is BHP Billiton, who announced in 2007 that it would invest $15 million to explore the potential of a large potash deposit in the Russell-Binscarth area.

    The deposit is owned by the province of Manitoba (49 percent) and Potamine Corporation of Canada (51 percent) as joint partners in the Manitoba Potash Corporation (MPC).  MPC was created in 1986 to hold the assets of the Russell-Binscarth potash project.  BHP Billiton bought out Potamine’s share in the MPC in early 2007.

     

    Potash, or potassium chloride, is a key component in inorganic fertilizers used worldwide.  Potash prices, production and worldwide demand continue to increase.  New potash deposits will have to be developed within five to 10 years to meet this growing demand.

     

    A 1987 consultant’s study indicated at that time a potash mine in the Russell-Binscarth area would probably generate more than 360 direct jobs in mining, processing and administration.  There would also be additional indirect job creation in local support and service sectors.

     

    Alix Resources Corp. and Geo Minerals Ltd. have announced that a borehole license application has been submitted with regards to the companies' recently acquired potash claims along the Manitoba-Saskatchewan border.

     

    The potash claims, which involve 1,789 hectares, are adjacent to those held by Western Potash and 12 kilometres north of the Russell-Binscarth Potash deposit owned by Manitoba Potash Corp., and currently being explored and developed by BHP Billiton. Further to the south is the Prairie Potash Mines deposit, currently being explored and developed by Western Potash.

     

    The potash area is on the border of Saskatchewan and is approximately 40 kilometres northeast of Potash Corp's Rocanville Mine in Saskatchewan. For reference the Town of Langenberg, Saskatchewan is 10 kilometres to the west.

    There are currently are no potash mines in Manitoba but the Devonian Prairie Evaporite on the Manitoba-Saskatchewan border does host at least two known potash deposits being separately explored and developed by BHP Billiton and Westen Potash.

     

    The potash in this area occurs as sylvite, and is 800 to 1000 metres below the ground.

     

    A maximum three hole drill program for hole depths of a maximum 1,500 metres is proposed to be carried out. The program will test the stratigraphy in the freehold title area and will test past the target potash (sylvite) zone of 800 to 1000 metres. It is anticipated that the program will commence sometime in late July, subject to all regulatory approvals.

     

    Alix Resources Corp. is a junior mineral exploration company focused on acquiring and developing potential world-class properties in North America.

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