SAGE POTASH CORP. (TSX-V: SAGE) (“Sage Potash” or the “Company“) is pleased to announce its ongoing partnership with RESPEC LLC. (“RESPEC”), a best-in-class global engineering firm specializing in integrated technology solutions for mining, energy, infrastructure, water and natural resources. As leaders in potash solution mining consulting and engineering, RESPEC has successfully executed numerous projects worldwide and consulted for some of the largest potash producers including Rio Tinto, North Atlantic Potash, Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan (PCS) (now Nutrien), CanPacific, Sennen Resources and others.
Beginning in January 2022, RESPEC was engaged by Sage Potash to reinitiate engineering preparations to include the planning, design and execution of a Phase 1 Drill Hole Program and the preparation of a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) toward the development of a pilot potash production facility. RESPEC will also be completing the corresponding permit applications for the Sage Plains project.
RESPEC Phase One Program consists of a step-out geological hole, the Sage 1 Well, located 700m from the Johnson 1 Well, that could double as a cavern development test well. A water brine supply well and a disposal well will be completed as part of the program. With these results, RESPEC will continue with the preparation of a PEA technical report for the Sage Plain Potash project (the “project”) located near the town of Monticello, Utah in the Paradox Basin – potentially the largest undeveloped potash deposit in the United States.
Figure 1. Proposed Water and Disposal Well Locations (with caverns) (CNW Group/Sage Potash Corp.)
Sage Plain’s Optimal Formation for Solution Mining:
Potash is extracted using either traditional underground mining or solution mining methods. Solution mining utilizes water or brine (solvent) to dissolve soluble minerals such as potash, magnesium or other salts. Wells are drilled down to the salt deposits, and the solvent is injected into the ore body to dissolve it. The solution is then pumped to the surface, and the minerals are recovered through evaporation and recrystallization of the potash salts (KCL). When viable, solution mining is an attractive extraction method as it offers many advantages, including lower CAPEX, less surface and environmental impacts, scalability and more rapid development of the deposit.
The Sage Plain deposit is well-suited for solution mining due to its optimal formation temperature of 68°C (154°F) and high purity. At this temperature, KCL is readily soluble, boosting energy efficiency and lowering operating costs.
“We continue to foster a great working relationship with the RESPEC team as a trusted partner in the planning of our pilot-scaled potash production test,” commented Sage’s CEO Peter Hogendoorn. “RESPEC has done a terrific job for Sage and have demonstrated valuable expertise in project management and development, engineering design work, geoscience and integrated technology solutions for our industry.”
The Sage Plain Potash project comprises over 83,000 acres of State and Private Mineral Leases and BLM Prospecting Permits in San Juan County, Utah, USA.
About RESPEC Consulting Inc.
RESPEC was founded in Rapid City, South Dakota in 1969 and operates in 14 states and two Canadian provinces. RESPEC’s projects and products have been completed for clients in seven continents and 50 countries. Underground. Aboveground. Natural. Technical. Digital. Inside. Outside. On-Site. No matter the market, RESPEC integrates solutions tailored to clients’ and communities’ needs. RESPEC unites engineering and applied sciences with technology, professional, and creative services so that everyone receives cutting-edge outcomes. RESPEC finds answers that work for the needs at hand. RESPEC’s diversified team can handle projects ranging from early-stage exploration to multi-disciplinary feasibility studies.
About Sage Potash Corp.
Sage Potash is a Canadian company vested solely in the Sage Plain Property and intends through sustainable solution mining techniques to become a prominent domestic potash producer within the Paradox Basin situated in Utah.
