Rare mineral found primarily in Saskatchewan, home to the world’s largest mines and deposits
Anyone following the on-again, off-again trade war between Canada and the U.S. will have seen potash mentioned among major Canadian exports to the U.S. subject to President Donald Trump’s new tariffs. But what is potash and why is it integral to the neighbouring nations’ trade relationship? Here’s a guide to understanding the rare earth mineral and its part in the dispute.
What is potash and what is it used for?
Potash is a group of minerals and chemicals that contain potassium – K on the periodic table. Its main form, after deep-earth mining and milling, is as potassium chloride (KCl), almost all of which is used as a fertilizer to improve crop root strength, disease resistance, water retention and yield by protecting and restoring soil fertility, making it essential to global food security.
Small amounts are sometimes used in other products like detergents, soaps, water softeners, snow and ice melters, and pharmaceutical products using it as a potassium compound — often an acetate or chloride used to treat low potassium (hypokalemia).
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