PotashCorp To Close Penobsquis Mine
PENOBSQUIS–PotashCorp New Brunswick says it will permanently stop operations at its Penobsquis mine by the end of November and shift production to the neighbouring Picadilly mine.
“This move will allow us to focus on production at the lower-cost Picadilly mine, which is the future of our operations in New Brunswick,” said Mark Fracchia, president of PCS Potash.
“While it’s never easy to close a facility and we understand the difficulty for those directly impacted by the decision, it is a necessary step in strengthening the sustainability of our company and our Picadilly operations.”
According to the company, about 140 contract workers with Vic Progressive Diamond Drilling will be affected by the closure.
The closure isn’t a shock, as the company previously announced plans to phase out operations at Penobsquis in early 2016. Today’s announcement moves up that date.
The Picadilly mine is expected to produce up to 1.8 million tonnes of potash at full operations.