The eight-week shutdowns are expected to affect between 600 and 700 miners.
The world’s largest fertilizer company says it will temporarily shutter three of its Saskatchewan potash mines to address what it calls a “short-term slowdown” in global potash markets.
Nutrien Ltd. said late Wednesday afternoon that its Allan, Lanigan and Vanscoy mines will be “proactively” shut down for eight weeks in the fourth quarter of the year.
The shutdowns are expected to affect between 600 and 700 miners across the three sites beginning in November, Nutrien spokesman Will Tigley said in a telephone interview.
Tigley attributed the decision to weak palm oil prices reducing fertilizer demand in Indonesia and Malaysia, and a suspension of potash imports into China that began Sept. 1.
United Steelworkers staff representative Darrin Kruger said while some workers at the three sites found out about the company’s plans late Wednesday, others still were not aware of the upcoming shutdowns.
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