Water Used
In 2007, PotashCorp used a total of 1048.7 million cubic meters of water for all its operations. More than 85 percent of this was recycled water. The plants withdrew only 151 million cubic meters of new water. Total water use has been declining since 2004 due to more efficient use in phosphate production.
Water Used in Operations By Source |
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| (Million Cubic Meters) | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 |
| Well Water | 54.4 | 55.6 | 49.9 | 38.9 | 33.4 |
| River Water | 148.2 | 160.0 | 98.8 | 101.8 | 107.1 |
| Municipal, Desalinated, and Industrial Water | 17.9 | 16.9 | 12.5 | 11.1 | 10.3 |
| Total Water Withdrawn | 220.5 | 232.5 | 161.2 | 151.8 | 150.8 |
| Recycled Water | 914.4 | 944.1 | 953.6 | 921.1 | 897.9 |
| Total Water Used in Operations | 1134.9 | 1176.6 | 1114.8 | 1072.9 | 1048.7 |
| Source: PotashCorp | |||||
Almost 79 percent of water withdrawn by the operating divisions and 98 percent of recycled water was used in the phosphate division, where ore is mixed with water to create a slurry. This is pumped to the processing plant, where the slurry is screened to remove coarse materials, washed to remove clay and floated to remove sand.
New Water Use By Division |
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| (% of Total) | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 |
| Potash | 4.2 | 3.8 | 5.3 | 4.9 | 5.4 |
| Nitrogen | 17.7 | 17.9 | 19.1 | 16.9 | 16.0 |
| Phosphate | 78.1 | 78.3 | 75.6 | 78.2 | 78.6 |
| Total Water Used | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Source: PotashCorp | |||||
Water Recycling
Recycled water accounted for more than 85 percent of PotashCorp's total water use in 2007. Almost all the water recycling occurs in the company's phosphate operations, with a small amount occurring in the nitrogen division.
Recycled Water Use By Division |
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| (% of Total) | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 |
| Potash | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nitrogen | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 2.4 |
| Phosphate | 98.5 | 98.5 | 98.5 | 98.9 | 97.6 |
| Total Water Recycled | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 |
Impact on Water Sources
Wetlands contain significant portions of PotashCorp's phosphate reserves at Aurora, NC and the permit to mine these areas requires mitigation of wetland impacts. For these purposes, off-site land has been acquired.
PotashCorp's permits and related agreements with federal, state and local regulatory authorities require mitigation of wetlands through preservation of certain sensitive lands from mining, assistance with wetland enhancement or restoration on public lands, granting of conservation easements, off-site mitigation and defined contributions for public acquisition of environmentally sensitive lands in the region. At least an acre of wetlands is reclaimed for each acre disturbed at the White Springs, FL facility and an acre and a half is reclaimed for every acre disturbed at Aurora.
Gypsum resulting from phosphoric acid production is normally stored in above-ground stacks that must be closed once they reach the end of their useful lives. Closure includes capping, resloping, water management and long-term care, specified by regulation. The inactive portions of the gypsum stacks at Geismar are capped, with water management systems in place.
Wastes to Water
The most significant waste that PotashCorp discharges to water is salt as brine, discharged by the New Brunswick potash operation into the Bay of Fundy. The total discharges to water for PotashCorp since 2003 are as follows.
Discharges to Water |
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| (000s Tonnes) | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 |
| Salt as Brine to Sea | 364.30 | 417.48 | 484.51 | 574.03 | 912.80 |
Nitrogen as N |
0.69 | 0.65 | 0.53 | 0.75 | 0.55 |
| Fluoride | 8.99 | 9.03 | 9.04 | 12.57 | 18.52 |
| Phosphorus | 3.64 | 3.73 | 3.95 | 5.89 | 7.24 |
| Methanol | 0.06 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 |
| Source: PotashCorp | |||||
Salt as brine to the sea increased at the Cassidy Lake facility in New Brunswick as the inflow of water to the mine increased. The fluoride and phosphorus discharges to the water increased at the Geismar facility as more water was discharged into the public waterways.
