Sustainable source provides food security for Asia

China's growing population has a rising food demand that requires an increase in crop yields of corn, soybeans, grains and rice: all Chinese staple foods. Fertilizers containing potash are combined with nitrogen and phosphates to boost crop yields and improve plant quality.

Fully 95 percent of the world's potash production is used as fertilizer, and is a crucial resource in terms of food security for China's 1.3 billion population. Western Potash, an advanced-stage potash project, is preparing to build a solution mine on the Milestone Property in southern Saskatchewan in Canada - and has developed a strong partnership with China.

"China has a growing potash market which relies heavily on imports", says John Costigan, Western Potash's VP for Corporate Development. "Its emphasis on food security and its recognition of potash as a strategic material make China an ideal partner for us."

In June last year, Western Potash secured a strategic investment from China Blue Chemical, a subsidiary of state-owned China National Offshore Oil Corp and one of the world's largest independent oil and gas exploration and production companies. 

"CBC's construction experience in industrial fertilizer facilities and CNOOC's leadership in the fertilizer space were key factors in establishing our partnership," says Costigan. "Our combined experience in the mining, construction and fertilizer sectors will allow us to present a strong consolidated team to the financial community in order to implement this important project."

In addition to having the Saskatchewan government's environmental approval and offering low operational costs, Milestone will be the first potash producer to utilize urban wastewater as process water making it a truly sustainable operation. The project also sits on a geological heat anomaly which enables the mine to reduce its energy costs and potentially become a source of geothermal power.

"We see a maturing relationship between Canada and China," says Costigan. "Milestone represents economic cooperation between our two countries, and marks the entry of this cooperative venture into the leading ranks of global potash producers. As CBC's partner, we are proud to be contributing to a stronger economic relationship between Canada and China."

www.westernpotash.com

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World Eye Reports provided the story