The Chaplin plant was established in 1947 and started producing sodium sulphate in 1948 as a Crown Corporation of the province of Saskatchewan. The plant has changed hands a few times over the years and in 2005 was purchased as a private, family owned company. The plant is conveniently located just off the Trans-Canada highway at Chaplin, which is mid-way between Moose Jaw and Swift Current. It is also conveniently located along the Canadian Pacific Railway main line. Saskatchewan Minerals is one of the world’s largest producers of natural sodium sulphate.
How is it processed?
A constant and ample supply of water in Chaplin Lake is necessary to harvest sodium sulphate each year. Harvesting the Glauber’s salt requires controlling the amount of water that goes into the lake. This is done through a series of dikes. During the summer months, the Glauber’s salt deposits are dissolved by the water moving over the salt bed to form a brine. This brine is then pumped into large crystallization reservoirs. The brine remains in the reservoirs until the fall months when the cooler weather results in the water no longer being able to hold any salt. The salt crystallizes and drops to the bottom of the brine. Around November, the brine water is drained off the top and returned to the lake leaving only the crystals behind. These crystals (the Glauber’s salt), are then harvested and stockpiled until they are ready to be processed into sodium sulphate. The stockpile is moved into the processing plan where it is dissolved, purified, and excess water is driven off to form anhydrous sodium sulphate.
What is it used for?
The completed sodium sulphate product is transported to over 80 domestic and international customers for use in things such as detergents, pulp and paper, glass, starch, industrial enzymes, water treatment, and livestock mineral feed.
Learn more
Visit Saskatchewan Mining and Minerals website https://saskatchewanminingandminerals.com to learn more.