Michigan Potash and Salt Co. (MPSC) in Evart, Michigan will harvest Borgen Bed (rock) 1.5 miles below the surface for the purest potash born in the USA.
What’s the big deal? Potash is a crucial fertilizer rich in potassium. The U.S. Department of the Interior added it to the critical mineral list in 2018 because it’s an essential commodity for our nation’s economy and food security.
Oh, and this… Today, 96% of potash for American farms is imported primarily from a combination of Canada, Russia, and Belarus.
Less dependence on foreign potash is key. “One of the world’s largest Canadian producers has materially reduced its supply while the pending sanctions on Belarus may further threaten the global food supply chain,” said Theodore Pagano, Founder and CEO of MPSC.
He continued, “Potash prices have doubled in the past year, putting pressure on American farmers and a spotlight on national food security.”
The MPSC site will be the first new potash plant in the U.S. in 30 years, and the largest in the country, providing 10% of our nation’s supply. Currently, the largest plants are in New Mexico and Utah.
Timeline: Construction on the MPSC plant is slated to begin this fall and will take three years, employing 300 union workers. Mineral rights have already been leased from 450 families.
When MPSC opens in 2024 it will employ 150 full-time employees, while producing 650,000 tons of potash and more than one million tons of food-grade salt. That’s a lot of salt shakers.