Potash

Potash is one of the three most essential nutrients to plants and these include nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Even though the main demand for potash is due to the fact that it is used as a fertilizer, it does have additional uses. Around four percent of the entire production is used in the manufacturing of soaps and detergents, glass and ceramic products, as well as in de-icing.

Most potash mining is done in a conventional way. This means that the ore is taken out through the process of sinking a shaft and digging the material out. Some potash deposits take place in uninterrupted, almost horizontal layers that are around two meters to three meters in thickness.

Around ninety five percent of the potash that is produced in Saskatchewan for example is exported and around fifty five percent of the production in this place is shipped to the United States, in most cases to the north part of the United STates Midwest. Another forty percent or so is shipped to other countries around the world, for the most part through a port located in Vancouver, Canada.

Potash is also mined in New Brunswick. The potash mine, in addition to the potential it has for helping the fertilizer market and this area is perfectly situated around sixty kilometers from the port of Saint John to provide to the northeastern part of the United States.

Canada has one of the leading potash deposits in the world and is in fact the greatest producer in the world. Some of the other major producing countries of potash are Belarus, Russia, Germany, Jordan, Israel and the United States.