Intrepid Potash

Intrepid Potash, Inc. (NYSE: IPI), based in Denver, Colorado, is the largest producer of potassium chloride, also known as muriate of potash, in the United States.^[1] It owns three mines, all in the Western U.S., near the cities of Carlsbad, New Mexico, Moab, Utah, and Wendover, Utah.^[2]

Mines

Carlsbad

There are 3 sites approximately 30 miles (48 km) East of Carlsbad, NM. The East facility, produces silvite Sylvite and langbenite Langbeinite potash, and is capable of fully processing its ore to the storage or shipment stage. The West facility produces mainly traditional potash Potash, which shipped by truck to be processed at the North facility for final storage or shipping.

Moab

The Moab or Cane Creek potash mine (38°31′20″N 109°39′32″W / 38.5222049°N 109.6590062°W / 38.5222049; -109.6590062) is located along the right (northwest) bank of the Colorado River, about 20 miles (30 km) west of Moab, Utah,^[3] at the south end of State Route 279 and the Cane Creek Subdivision of the Union Pacific Railroad. The location is known as Potash on U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) topographic maps, and is east of Dead Horse Point State Park and Canyonlands National Park.^[4] According to USGS reports, the Paradox Basin contains up to 2.0 billion tons (1.8 billion metric tonnes) of potash, with the primary mine being the one at Cane Creek.^[5]

The plant was built by the Texas Gulf Sulphur Company in the early 1960s,^[6] opening in 1963 as a conventional underground mine.^[7] Later that year, an explosion trapped 25 miners,^[8] of whom only seven were able to survive, by building a barricade to trap fresh air.^[9] In 1970, operations were changed to a system that combines solution mining and solar evaporation. River water is pumped into the mine and dissolves the potash, after which the brine solution is pumped to evaporation ponds.^[3] Intrepid bought the mine in 2000^[10] from the Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan,^[11] which had bought Texas Gulf in 1995.^[12]

Wendover

The Wendover potash mine is located about 120 miles west of Salt Lake City, Utah and has been actively used for potash production for over 65 years. Potash production from natural occurring brines at the Wendover facility dates back to World War I. During the period from 1920 to 1936, a number of unsuccessful attempts were made to commercially produce potash. By 1939, a successful commercial potash operation was achieved and continues today.

References

1. ^ RTT News, Intrepid Potash Q1 profit surges on strong potash pricing, demand, June 2, 2008
2. ^ Intrepid Potash: Mine Site Locations, accessed June 2008
3. ^ ^{a b} Intrepid Potash: Moab, Utah, accessed June 2008
4. ^ Google Maps street maps and USGS topographic maps, accessed June 2008 via ACME Mapper
5. ^ CNN Marketwire, Utah Uranium Corp. Proposes Name Change Reflecting New Opportunities (press release from Utah Uranium Corporation), June 25, 2008
6. ^ New York Times, Texas Gulf Sulphur Plans Big Utah Potash Project, September 27, 1960, p. 49
7. ^ Los Angeles Times, Potash Mine to Open in Utah, April 28, 1963, p. H7
8. ^ New York Times, Mine Blast Traps 25 at 2,700 Feet, August 28, 1963, p. 1
9. ^ Time Magazine, Start of a Legend?, September 6, 1963
10. ^ Jason P. Montoya, Carlsbad Current-Argus, Mine gets top safety award, December 2, 2003
11. ^ Salt Lake Tribune, State of the State, March 1, 2000, p. D3
12. ^ Handbook of Texas Online, Texasgulf, accessed June 2008