SASKATOON — A fertilizer company says it hopes to soon get 34 maintenance workers out of a Saskatchewan potash mine, where they have been trapped since Tuesday afternoon.
Will Tigley, a spokesman with Nutrien Ltd., said a service shaft stopped working at its Cory mine near Saskatoon.
"We're hoping that we can find a solution relatively soon here. But again, it's all determined on the safety and practicability of the options," Tigley said Wednesday.
The Cory mine is on summer maintenance and not currently producing potash.
It's looking at another shaft used to haul potash to the surface to lift up the workers, but a final plan hasn't been determined, he said.
The workers are safe and have plenty of food, water, power and contact with the surface, Tigley added.
"They are in frequent contact with ourselves, and they have access to internet down there so they are in contact with their families as well."
Darrin Kruger, a staff representative with the United Steelworkers union, said no one is hurt. He expected the workers would be out later Wednesday.
"People are safe and just awaiting evacuation from the mine."
Because there is no emergency, such as a collapse or a fire, Kruger said he believes the trapped workers don't have to be isolated in the mine's underground safe rooms.
But he said there are still dangers with being underground for so long. Workers could have a medical emergency or run out of required medication.
"There's no information to suggest anybody is in any sort of danger. As far as I know, everybody's healthy and doing fine," Kruger said.
"Underground is a confined space — one way in, one way out. And when that is compromised in some fashion, there are inherent risks."
In May, dozens of Nutrien workers were trapped for several hours at its Allan potash mine after a fire broke out before they were safely brought to the surface.
— The Canadian Press
