Proposed Yancoal potash mine gets environmental OK in Saskatchewan

REGINA – The Saskatchewan government has given conditional environmental approval for a potash mine that has been opposed by people who live downstream from the site.

The move allows the proposed Yancoal solution potash mine near Southey, north of Regina, to advance to the next stage of the approval process.

The government says experts scrutinized Yancoal’s environmental impact statement and found the company has addressed key issues, such as potential impact to groundwater.

It also says the water security agency has confirmed that Buffalo Pound Lake can supply water to the project without significant negative impact to downstream areas.

Environment Minister Herb Cox says Yancoal must ensure that the rural municipality is involved in planning and that the company sets up a community advisory committee.

Some landowners are worried about the shifting of the ground from the mine and the amount of water it will use.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version had Yancoul.