Nutrien’s potash mines share best practices at company-led MillTech and MineTech conferences

Video from MillTech and MineTech conferences in 2023

Late last year, over 400 people from Nutrien’s engineering, operations, and geosciences teams from Potash gathered at two multi-day events to share best practices enabling cross-cultural collaboration, breaking down site team silos and helping accelerate improvements across the Potash mine network. MillTech was held October 22-23, 2024, and then MineTech a couple weeks later November 5-6, 2024.

These annual events, hosted by a committee from Nutrien’s Potash operating unit, create an engaging agenda that includes a variety of topics ranging from technical innovations for equipment and operations, to enabling new procedures and efficiencies in safety and productivity using AI.

Philippe Lepage, Director, Mine Development, Potash, Nutrien who leads the organizing committee for MineTech, reflects on the importance of sessions like these for fostering a sense of collaboration and innovation.

“I’m always impressed by the level of knowledge and best practice sharing we have across our mine network,” says Phil. “These events provide a platform for sharing ideas, fostering collaboration, and exploring new best practices that can be integrated across our Nutrien Potash unit.”

Presenters each year apply for a coveted spot on the agenda. This year, the committee received over 50 applications, and 40 agenda spots were granted.

“Each year we have more applicants for presentations than we have room for, demonstrating the level of interest and engagement during these multi-day events,” says Mark Buchinski, Director, Mill Process & Pilot Plant, Nutrien who leads the organizing committee for MillTech. “Presenting is a wonderful professional development opportunity. However, being a member of the audience is also immensely important from a networking and knowledge building perspective. We recognized that Nutrien has so much to share, and these two-day events are great example of the collaboration our six-mine network has to offer.”