A proposed $15 million kaolin mine near Wood Mountain, Sask., could be the first step toward revitalizing the community of 20 people.
If the mine goes ahead, it could employ everyone in the village.
An environmental assessment is under way as Calgary’s Whitemud Resources Inc. works toward establishing the mine on agricultural land long known to have deposits of clay containing kaolin.
Kaolin is a soft, white mineral used in the paper, plastic and brick industries. It is also known as china clay for its use in porcelain.
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In paper, it is a coating agent that produces a smooth surface that results in better printing and ink retention. In bricks, it reduces shrinkage caused by the drying process.
Wood Mountain mayor Michael Klein said Whitemud wants to produce metakaolin for use in the concrete industry. The product improves the quality of cement and concrete.
Concrete makers have been importing up to 20 percent of their needs from offshore, Klein explained, because reserves in the state of Georgia are used up. Saskatchewan is estimated to have several hundred million tonnes of kaolin under ground.
“We are sitting on North America’s largest deposit,” he said.
Whitemud has leased three different parcels for possible mine locations.
Klein said the company has addressed agricultural concerns in the area at open houses. The land affected by the construction of the mine and subsequent operations is used mainly for grazing.
“The parcels Whitemud currently has leased the mineral rights to are mostly pasture,” Klein said. “The site at the time it’s being mined wouldn’t be available.”
There is also some native prairie on the identified site, and a creek.
Klein said environmental regulations stipulate the company must return the land to its original state. Seed from the native grasses would have to be stored for later replanting.
“It will be difficult to even see where they’ve been” when the land is reclaimed, Klein said.
If the project goes ahead, the mine could be operating by the first quarter of 2007.
