Statement - K+S Aktiengesellschaft

K+S Group
Primary and Secondary Mining
Patience Lake Seam
Belle Plaine Seam
Esterhazy Seam
Primary Mining (Freshwater mining / Vacuum cooling crystallisation)
• Primary mining uses freshwater. The connection of two boreholes to a
cavern with the corresponding creation of a surface is initially created by NaCl
solution mining below the KCl-rich Esterhazy Seam. The deposit is gradually
solution-mined in up to 3 m thick horizontal layers through the three potash
seams. This process is controlled vertically by an oil barrier (a thin layer on the
surface of the brine).
• During the primary mining process, the cavern expands to create an
ideal form for commencing secondary mining.
Secondary Mining (NaCl brine mining / Crystallisation in the crystallisation pond)
• Secondary mining exclusively uses a NaCl-saturated brine in order to
dissolve selectively KCl from the walls and roof of the existing caverns.
• Along with a lower energy intensity, secondary mining – in comparison to
primary mining – is substantially more efficient with the use of water.
November 2011
K+S Group
15