Intrepid purchased the Moab, Utah, potash solution mining operation formerly owned by PCS. Solution mining of existing room-and-pillar workings was initiated in 1970. AAI participated in the technical evaluation of resource recovery utilizing long, horizontal solution caverns. Engineering contributions include estimation of cavern heat loss, evaluation of hydraulic fracture gradients surrounding deep caverns, assessment of cavern stability and permitting support. AAI was commissioned to assess the remaining resource available for solution mining from the flooded workings and from solution mining from a lower bed. Geologically-constrained horizontal directional drilling of deep wells was supervised on-site by AAI geological personnel.
