Drilling Begins to Support Mine Design Near Millstream

A proposed $1.8-billion potash mine in southern New Brunswick is moving into its next technical phase as site preparations wrap up for deep core drilling. Atlantic Potash Millstream Corporation plans to sink two large-diameter holes to a depth of roughly 1,100 metres near Millstream, seeking to extract two million tons of potash annually and employ 280 to 340 workers directly.

Nova Scotia-based Logan Drilling is scheduled to launch the three-month drilling program in October or November. The core samples collected will undergo rock mechanics analysis to help engineers map out a massive underground operation aimed at avoiding historical flooding problems that forced the permanent closure of nearby operations at Cassidy Lake in 1997 and Penobsquis in 2015.

Targeting International Markets From Saint John

Potash extraction in the province has been stalled since 2016 when previous commercial operations near Sussex were shut down. Chief Executive Officer Keith Attoe, a Saint John native, estimates that if technical studies and approvals proceed smoothly, the facility could open within five years. The site holds over 50 million tons of saleable resource and benefits from proximity to the Port of Saint John, located just 70 kilometres away.

“We’re ready to drill for rock mechanics,” Attoe said in an interview. “We’ve drilled for potash, and as far as coring is concerned we found the potash, we know that it’s there, and we know there’s over 50 million tons of saleable product. Now what we’re doing is rock mechanics for the mine design.”

Navigating Geological Challenges and Securing Capital

To address southern New Brunswick’s complex geology—where two tectonic plates meet—Millstream has hired engineering talent from Germany rather than relying solely on Saskatchewan-based expertise. German experts are accustomed to similar geological conditions and will assist with the mine design to inform an upcoming pre-feasibility study.

“The design of the mine is as important as what’s in there, because you don’t want a big water inflow problem, like what was had at Cassidy Lake or even Penobsquis,” Attoe explained.

More than $17 million has been poured into the Millstream deposit since efforts to acquire and digitize historical British Petroleum exploration data began in 2010. Initial exploratory drilling took place in 2014. Project financing is backed by Chinese investors, including Guocai Liu of Migao International. While the U.S. remains an option, Atlantic Potash is targeting major agricultural export destinations like Brazil, as well as markets across Europe and Africa.