Deep hydrogeological research to support brine management for Saskatchewan's potash industry

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Resource development and waste management activities in sedimentary basins have created a need to better understand the deep groundwater systems. Site investigations and monitoring of these systems are prohibitively expensive in many cases. Working with the potash industry provides an appealing opportunity to study the deep hydrogeology of Saskatchewan. Brine management is a key activity for Saskatchewan's potash industry. Brines are produced through processing activities and are also encountered as inflows into mine workings. Research is required to characterize brines around mine workings to allow for prediction and mitigation of potential inflows. Disposal wells are the preferred method of handling these brines but the capacity of deep aquifers to accept the injected fluids is not well understood. This is an emerging concern with the ongoing expansion of the potash industry. Efforts are needed to understand the response of deep aquifers to injection of short and long terms as the potash industry continued to expand. The insights gained from this project will allow for the potash industry to understand if there are any long-term risks associated with deep injection of waste brine and to manage brine injection in a more efficient manner. The results will also be useful to other developments in sedimentary basins, such as oil and gas production, carbon sequestration and nuclear waste storage.