Posted on May 11, 2026
RUSSELL, MANITOBA CANADA – Ellicott Dredge Enterprises (EDE) delivered and commissioned an innovative electric manned Mud Cat 30E potash brine mining system for PADCOM (Potash and Agri Development Corporation of Manitoba) in March. The site uses a selective solution mining process called polythermic selective solution mining. A brine solution is injected into the ground to dissolve the potash, leaving the salt as is. What comes out of the well is a solution saturated with potash. The Mud Cat 30E manned electric dredge is cutting and pumping the settled white crystalized potash from a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) lined catchment basin fed by the well to the process plant over 1,400 ft. (427m) with 22 ft. (6.7 m) of static head. The mine is expected to produce up to 250,000 tons of potash per year and has an expected life of over 100 years.
The Mud Cat 30E custom manned electric powered dredge operating in PADCOM’s potash brine basin.
The custom electric Mud Cat 30E was developed by the EDE Engineering Team in conjunction with the customer to deliver the required potash flow and density for a specific processing plant where a standard system would not be compatible with the application. EDE produces a highly versatile standard product line of Mud Cat diesel powered (D-Series) and electric powered (E-Series) dredges but is also well known for providing highly custom systems when the application calls for it. The dredge’s electrical system was designed and certified to CSA standards. The cutterhead was specially designed with high torque motors and staggered heavy-duty carbide steel teeth to effectively grind the potash crystals to produce the desired larger crystals instead of pulverizing the material into a powder. The heavy-duty dredge ladder is raised and lowered using dual hydraulic cylinders to push the cutter into the crystalized deposits. The cutterhead is equipped with liner protection wheels to prevent damage to the HDPE liner and a removable cutterhead cage which can be used in softer areas but is removed when the potash gets harder.
“We are known globally for supplying standard dredges quickly from stock, but we are also becoming a leading supplier of custom dredge systems for unique mining and wastewater applications. The custom Electric Mud Cat 30E is just one of dozens of recent custom dredge systems we have produced for our global customers. We recently supplied a 50 ft. (15.2m) deep digging dredge for biosolids and are working on a stainless-steel dredge for a mining customer. When customers want to methodically remove solids and fully restore a wastewater or mining lagoon they contact us because they know we will get it done right the first time. While we take great pride in offering highly versatile standard build stock dredges, we also excel in custom dredge work,” said Ryan Horton, Vice President Auger Dredges, Ellicott Dredge Enterprises.
LEFT: The Mud Cat 30E manned electric powered custom mining dredge. RIGHT: The Mud Cat 30E potash mining cutterhead.
The dredge comes with Mud Cat’s premium climate-controlled operators’ cabin with HMI touch screen for dredge set-points and monitoring. The dredge based NEMA 4X stainless steel enclosure includes a PLC system and climate control system for the electrical enclosure for continuous year-round operation in extreme temperatures that can get down to -49°F (-45°C).
LEFT: The Mud Cat 30E modern cab with joystick and fingertip controls. RIGHT: The 30E’s NEMA 4X stainless steel enclosure with PLC.
The dredge is equipped with Mud Cat’s Auto Sense™ automation technology allowing the dredge to travel automatically across the lagoon to the end of the cut and return to the start point to wait for the operator’s next command. Additionally, PADCOM opted for Mud Cat’s Solids Sense™ technology which utilizes a density meter to monitor the slurry percent solids composition and adjusts the travel speed automatically without input from the operator providing a more consistent product downstream at the process plant.
The Mud Cat 30E is one-truck transportable with detachable port and starboard gangways following over 55 years of tradition designing and building powerful dredges in an easy to transport system.
For more information on custom and standard Mud Cat dredging systems, please contact Mud Cat Sales at sales@mudcatdredge.com or call 913-642-5100 to speak with a solutions providers with more than 20 years of dredging experience. Additional information is available at mudcatdredge.com.
