REGINA — This week marks Saskatchewan Mining Week in the province, with a number of events happening in different cities to mark the achievements of the mining sector.
There have been events scheduled from June 1-7 in Saskatoon, Regina, Moose Jaw and Yorkton throughout this week, all of them acknowledging the important role mining plays in the province.
Pam Schwann, president of the Saskatchewan Mining Association, spoke with SaskToday on Wednesday about the purpose of the week.
“It's an opportunity really to raise awareness of the diversity of Saskatchewan's exploration and mining sector and the opportunities and contributions across the province. And it really is, you know, from north to south, east to west.”
But it is also a week that has coincided with major wildfires in northern Saskatchewan, home to several important mining operations in the province. One such operation that is under development, Foran Mining’s McIlvenna Bay project site, was evacuated with 600 people leaving.
“Because we do have so many operations in the north and they are being impacted by the wildfire situation, I want to send all of our thoughts and prayers to the people that have been evacuated from the communities, that will be evacuated from communities, and especially to the first responders and the leadership that is really doing their best to make the best of a very bad situation,” said Schwann.
The theme of 2025 Saskatchewan Mining Week is Talent, Technology and Trade - Opportunities for Saskatchewan's Mining Sector. The events followed along that common theme.
In Moose Jaw, their presentation focused on the K + S Potash operation ramp-up. In Yorkton, Mosaic was presenting on their Esterhazy operations.
Thursday in Saskatoon, Orano Canada had a noon hour presentation focused on a new mining technology they are looking at that has a very low environmental footprint.
Friday in Saskatoon, Cameco’s
Executive Vice President, Grant Isaac, was scheduled to speak at TCU Place on connecting Saskatchewan to global uranium markets.
The week caps off June 7 with their Emergency Response Mine Rescue competition at Prairieland Park.
“We have 16 teams from operations across the province that will be displaying their skills in various different aspects, whether it be firefighting, first aid, mine problems, a whole bunch of different areas,” said Schwann. “And so that happens pretty much all day on Saturday.”
The mine rescue competition is about “putting mine rescue teams in simulated emergency response simulations so they are training under pressure.”
“This is something that teams train all year around for so that if there is an emergency, that they have people on site that are able to manage it because a lot of our mine sites are remote or rural. And it'll take time for other people to come and support them. So they are pretty self-reliant in terms of an emergency situation, whether it be in an underground mine in ground control or an underground fire or a surface fire, or a need to use rope rescue and the related first aid that comes with that. Those are all different components that our teams are all trained for.
So it's something that the teams look forward to to test their ability and feel under pressure. And it really is the crowning event for Saskatchewan Mining Week.”
Schwann pointed to some numbers on the importance of mining to the Saskatchewan economy.
She notes that 13.5 per cent of Saskatchewan's GDP is related to Saskatchewan mining operations.
“We employ a lot of people pretty much directly and indirectly. Pretty much every community in Saskatchewan has somebody that is employed, or they know somebody that's directly employed, or that is employed in a business that supplies to Saskatchewan mining companies. Over 25,000 people directly and indirectly.”
In terms of the supply chain, last year over $3 billion was spent with Saskatchewan suppliers. Of that, $914 million was purchased from Indigenous- owned businesses, just frommine operations in the province.
As for direct wages employees make who work directly at a mine site make, it's over $1.7 billion a year in salaries and wages.
“If you work for the mining sector, you make on average one and a half to two times the average salary of other Saskatchewan businesses. So it's a lucrative wage opportunity.
A lot of variety in what you do.”
She said there are 120 different occupations, and a very high safety record.
“So we were talking this morning, actually, at the breakfast, and one of the fellow's sons was going to work at a mine site,” Schwann said. “He said, ‘you know, I felt really good because I knew they were going to be safe. They're safe operations.’ A lot of attention is paid to safety.”
As for the types of mining in the province, Schwann notes the provinces produces a third of the world's potash with 10 different operations in Saskatchewan. She also notes they produce 24 per cent of the world's uranium just from two mine sites and two mill sites as well, plus a number of different projects that are in development.
Schwann also points to a gold mine that has been in production for over 20 years that last year cumulatively produced over 2 million ounces of gold.
There are also coal deposits in southern Saskatchewan that provide about 30 per cent of Saskatchewan's power.
“So we consume, it's one of the only minerals that we actually consume in Saskatchewan that we produce.
Everything else we export.”
And a copper zinc mine is currently being developed by Foran Mining, “That was the one that they actually had to have evacuations out of,” Schwann said.
“The team is still there fighting fires and just making sure everything is safe. And they're looking at production, I believe, either in the fourth quarter 2025 or first quarter of 2026. That's really exciting because we haven't had a copper zinc production in Saskatchewan for well over a decade. And copper is one of those critical minerals that we are going to need a lot more of looking forward.”
The importance of mining to the Saskatchewan economy
Mining is important to Saskatchewan trade. Schwann said 80 per cent of the potash that's used by American farmers comes from Saskatchewan.
Other important potash markets include Brazil, China, Indonesia, and India.
“And potash really helps grow crops. So they are more healthy. They are more resilient. They use water better. So it really helps provide global food production.”
For uranium, their top consumers are the United States, and also a lot of European countries, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Germany, and France.
As for current demand, Schwann notes that right now gold is over “$3,000 an ounce, so a lot of interest in that.”
As for potash, those prices peaked temporarily with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“But over the last few years, they've really languished under $200 U.S. a ton. We're starting to see that price strengthen now to over $230 U.S. a ton, which I think is very positive for both the companies but also the government in Saskatchewan that relies on a lot of royalties. So we're seeing stronger markets for potash right now that's helping drive that price.”
There is also more demand for uranium deposits in that there are “a lot more countries that are looking to fuel their power and energy with nuclear. And so that nuclear is going to—or a lot of that is going to come from Saskatchewan.”
As for how the mining sector is handling the current economic environment, with the tariff situation from the United States, Schwann noted the situation is volatile.
“But right now, both potash and uranium are considered CUSMA-compliant. And there are no U.S. tariffs on CUSMA-compliant goods right now, other than steel and aluminum, which went up another 25 per cent today. So right now, we are not having any tariffs imposed on our mineral products going across the border.”
But Schwann notes they could see increases in the cost of some of their input, such as increased steel prices. That is causing inflation on some of their capital projects..
“We might see some projects not proceed if they just get too costly. So that would be the main impact for us right now in terms of tariffs with the U.S. And it also means that we'relooking to other international suppliers and more internally, rather than relying on the United States if we aren't sure what the prices are going to be.”
