^[1]By Daniella D'Alimonte - Exclusive to Potash Investing News

Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan (TSX: POT), which has been bouncing up and down over the past two weeks, is around $73 going into the weekend.

The Washington, D.C.-based Fertilizer Institute reported ^[2] Thursday that Potash Corp. and other producers within Canada have had a 31 per cent inventory drop. This is due to last months decline in production.

The United Steelworkers are considering ^[3] filing a charge of bad faith bargaining against Potash Corp. The company recently sent out a letter to all of its employees, explaining its original offer in detail and asking them to re-consider.

"Beyond the legality issue, the letter insinuates that our members are stupid and would have made a different decision if only they listened to the ‘wisdom' of the company. It's outrageous", said Lee Edwards, a United Steelworkers representative.

Edwards said he believes the only way to resolve the issue is by returning to the bargaining table.

On Thursday, a group of retired miners gathered ^[4] outside Potash Corp.'s company headquarters in Saskatoon. The rally, which was organized by the Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees (SOAR), a United Steelworkers group, was an attempt to bring attention to the company's current health care plan which removes employee coverage for health care benefits at retirement.

A flyer, which the group circulated during the rally, read that while average Potash Corp. pensioners will receive about $1,260 a month, president and CEO Bill Doyle will receive an aggregate total of about $14 million.

"It is (frustrating), especially when you see these (executive) packages and they don't want to give their workers anything — and these guys haven't been there for 38-39 years," said Danny Wirl, a 39-year-old employee of the company, in a Saskatoon StarPheonix report.

The retirees are also pushing for the 500 workers who are still currently on strike to make this an issue when and if they return to the bargaining table with the company.

Western Potash Corp. (TSX: WPX) has announced ^[5] an up to $4.1-million-share buyback. This is about 5 per cent of the 99,121,533 common shares outstanding at October 8, 2008.

The company's board of directors believe Western's shares are not being traded at a price that matches its actual value. They are currently at around $0.24 per share, and like many other companies, have been on a downward slope since June.

By removing shares from the market, the board hopes to boost their value for remaining shareholders. They also hope this purchasing will create increased liquidity, allowing shareholders to get rid of shares they no longer want.

In addition to following TSX-V purchase requirements, the company will not purchase more than $1.67 million worth of shares, or about 2 per cent, in the 30 days after its October 20, 2008 starting date. Western will pay market share price at any given time it buys the shares, and it will stop buying October 19, 2009, or before that time if it acquires its intended number of shares.

Vancouver-based Potash North Resource Corp. (TSX: PON) recently ^[6] completed a 2-D seismic survey on its KP 416 and KP 417 permit areas. The survey was performed by Calgary-based Boyd Petro Search.

Planning for the initial drilling, which will involve geological consultants North Rim Exploration Ltd., can begin as soon as data processing from the survey is complete. The company says it hopes to begin its drill plan this winter.

Silvinit, a Russian mining company, is once ^[7] again experiencing threats to its potash shipments due to a fissure in the ground.

The company had difficulties last year after a rival's mine collapsed, creating a 350 metre sinkhole. This sinkhole cut off one of Silvinit's main lines of transportation.

The company, which fills about 10 per cent of the global demand for soil nutrient, has had to use a replacement railway line to transport its product to market. The sinkhole is now growing in size and nearing the replacement line.

"It is clearly making the situation more precarious, but then again, we always expected the sinkhole to grow," said Anton Subbotin, spokesperson for Silvinit, in a Reuters report. Subbotin told Reuters that they aren't worried just yet. He said productions and shipments will continue on as usual. The company plans to build a new transport line at the end of 2009.