‘A fantastic life’: Reflections from a second-generation Allan Potash miner

ALLAN, SK — Brent Dauvin can’t remember a time when his life didn’t involve the salty smell of potash.

“It’s the only thing I’ve been exposed to,” said Dauvin.

Listen to Dauvin on Behind the Headlines:

His dad started working at the Allan potash mine when Dauvin was still a baby. Now a dad and grandfather himself, Dauvin proudly works at the same operation — a second-generation miner.

Nutrien’s six potash mines are celebrating 65 years in Saskatchewan. The province’s largest private sector employer has sites in Allan, Cory, Lanigan, Patience Lake, Rocanville, and Vanscoy and employs 4300 people.

At the start of every shift, Dauvin is greeted by the same rotating orange door that his father used for 43 years as a heavy-duty mechanic.

The orange revolving door is used by miners to enter the site where they will take a ride one kilometre deep. (Céline Grimard/650 CKOM)

The shaft takes Dauvin and his crew a kilometre underground. As the doors open, a dusty pink world emerges. Bright lights illuminate the tunnels, stretching as far as a 60-minute drive from the elevator.

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The substance they are mining, potash, is a group of minerals containing potassium, nitrogen and phosphate.

A boring machine cuts the soft pink, red and white rock in the shape of circles — similar to crop circles, but less extraterrestrial.

And while “The Bore” is at the head of mining operations underground, Dauvin said it doesn’t do the work.

“It’s the team at the face that does the work. It takes a couple good back-up operators working together with the bore operator to really make a successful shift.”

During any given 12-hour shift, the team will cut a foot of rock per minute, resulting in up to 6,000 tonnes of potash. The raw material is conveyed to a second shaft, where it goes for processing at the nearby mill.

“That’s a pretty amazing accomplishment,” exclaimed Dauvin.

The raw material is conveyed to a second shaft, where it goes for processing at the nearby mill. (Céline Grimard/650 CKOM)

Once processed, it’s shipped via train as a crop fertilizer, feed and other industrial products to 40 countries.

Three miles from home

Dauvin, like many kids in Allan, had parents who worked at the Nutrien Potash mine.

“We just know our dads go to work three miles away. They come back, they smell a little bit like potash. We get used to that smell. It’s like, ‘Oh, Dad’s home.’”

Dauvin now greets his family with that familiar smell at the end of the day.

He says his work is about more than just the paycheck.

“It’s a fantastic life. I’ve got to enjoy it as not only a worker but also as a kid growing up with the local community.”

He fondly remembers company picnics and Christmas parties that he now gets to bring his kids to.

Mine Operations GF Brent Dauvin and Mill Maintenance Superintendent Justin Boehm grew up not only as friends, but with fathers who work and worked at the Nutrien Allan Potash Mine. (Céline Grimard/650 CKOM)

Dauvin’s potash family tree extends further than his household. His brother-in-law and wife have family members working at the mine — a common theme in the small towns surrounding mine sites.

Kiel Peterson and his twin brother jokingly asked on a high-school tour of the Cory potash mine if they would have openings for them in a few years. Well, a few years went by and Kiel’s brother was hired, a few more years passed and both brothers are now working at the Allan site.

Exiting the shaft, workers are greeted by the dusty pink salty air and have to walk up a little hill to arrive at their vehicles which will take them to their designated work sites. Kiel Peterson, left. (Céline Grimard/650 CKOM)

“I always knew I wanted to stay in Saskatchewan and to be able to be at an industrial plant and still be home every night in a big city, not needing to move to a remote location was the biggest plus,” said Peterson.

Those high-school tours still exist today, although they look a little different than in Peterson’s time. Now, Grade 9 students of workers are strapped into seat-belted ATVs that go a maximum of 40 kilometres per hour.

Nutrien Allan Potash Mine uses ATVs to get workers where they need to be. They have a max speed of 40km/hr and have seat belts. (Céline Grimard/650 CKOM)

Two out of Dauvin’s three children have taken the tour.

“The middle one hasn’t yet, and she’s a little angry, but she’s expecting it sometime,” he said with a grin.

Now, 20 years in, Dauvin is hoping his children or their children will one day open that same orange revolving door and smell the salt.