Potash (KCl): Uses, Supply Chain and Market
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Potash is a group of potassium salts, mostly potassium chloride, and about 85% of US potash sales go to the fertilizer industry. In 2025 Canada produced an estimated 15,000 kt, 31% of world mine production (USGS world total: 49,000 kt), according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). US net import reliance for potash in 2025 was 92%. Potash is on the US and Canadian critical minerals lists.
$1,200/t
all products, average, free on board (f.o.b.) mine in 2025 (+4% on 2024)
Which countries produce potash?
| Country | 2024 | 2025 (estimate) | Share of 2025 world | Reserves (kt) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 14,400 | 15,000 | 31% | 4,500,000 |
| Russia | 10,000 | 10,000 | 20% | NA |
| China | 6,300 | 6,300 | 13% | NA |
| Belarus | 5,000 | 6,000 | 12% | 3,300,000 |
| Germany | 2,500 | 3,000 | 6.1% | NA |
| Laos | 2,400 | 2,400 | 4.9% | NA |
| Israel | 2,260 | 2,000 | 4.1% | NA |
| Jordan | 1,730 | 1,800 | 3.7% | NA |
| United States | 410 | 500 | 1% | 970,000 |
| All other countries | 1,734 | 1,700 | 3.5% | NA |
| World total (USGS, rounded) | 46,700 | 49,000 | 100% | >10,000,000 |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Potash. Shares are calculated from the country figures and can differ by a point or two from percentages USGS states in its text, because USGS rounds its figures. NA means not available; Withheld means USGS withheld the figure to avoid disclosing company data.
What is potash used for?
- Fertilizer: about 85% of US potash sales; potassium chloride (KCl), sulfate of potash (SOP) and potassium magnesium sulfate (SOPM or langbeinite)
- Chemical and industrial applications: the remainder of sales
- Chloride-sensitive crops: more than 60% of US production was SOPM and SOP, which these crops require; the rest was muriate of potash (MOP)
How much does potash cost?
USGS reports the average 2025 price of potash at $1,200/t (all products, average, free on board (f.o.b.) mine; +4% on 2024). Full potash price page.
Is potash a critical mineral?
Potash is on the US and Canadian critical minerals lists. Each government builds its list with its own method, so a mineral can be critical in one place and not in another.
| Jurisdiction | Status |
|---|---|
| United States | Critical mineral (final 2025 list) |
| European Union | Not listed |
| Australia | Not listed |
| Canada | Critical |
Lists last checked against the primary publications on October 12, 2026. See the comparison of all four lists.
What are the substitutes for potash?
| Application | Substitute and trade-off |
|---|---|
| Plant nutrient and animal nutrition | No substitutes exist for potassium |
| Fertilizer over short distances | Manure and glauconite (greensand), which are low in potassium and can be transported profitably only short distances |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Potash. USGS says substitutes often cost performance or money; the table gives its wording for each application.
Can potash be recycled?
USGS reports no recycling of potash.
What are the supply risks and recent events for potash?
- January 2025. A Michigan-based company received a conditional commitment from the US Department of Energy for a $1.26 billion loan to help finance a new potash and salt mine in Osceola County, Michigan, with initial capacity of 800,000 tons of MOP and 1 million tons of salt. It had to meet conditions within a year before the loan could be approved.
- 2025. World consumption of potash in fertilizer was estimated at 41.6 million tons of K2O against 40.6 million in 2024, and was projected to reach 45.3 million tons in 2029. World capacity of 66.1 million tons was projected to reach 77.4 million tons by 2029, mostly MOP from Laos and Russia.
- November 2025. Potash was added to the US Final 2025 List of Critical Minerals.
US import sources, 2021 to 2024. Canada, 79%; Russia, 12%; Israel, 3%; and other, 6%. (USGS)
Resources. Estimated US potash resources total about 7 billion tons, most of them in Montana and North Dakota and in the Paradox Basin in Utah. Estimated world resources total about 250 billion tons.
Which potash projects are on official lists?
| Project | State | Expected products | List |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan Potash | Michigan | Potash | Transparency |
Source: Permitting Council, current covered projects and current transparency projects, last updated 2 April 2026.
Which companies produce or process potash?
| Company | Country | Role | What the source says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nutrien | Canada | Potash producer in Saskatchewan (NYSE: NTR; TSX: NTR) | Its 2025 annual report gives potash production of 13.97 million tonnes of KCl from six Saskatchewan mines (14.21 million in 2024) against a nameplate capacity of 20.6 million tonnes, and sales volumes of 14.25 million tonnes. It says Canada holds about 40% of known global potash capacity. Nutrien: 2025 annual report, management discussion and analysis (Form 40-F exhibit, February 2026) |
| Mosaic | United States | Potash and phosphate producer (NYSE: MOS) | Its 10-K says its potash production totaled 8.8 million tonnes in 2025, mostly at Esterhazy (about 4.7 million tonnes) and Belle Plaine (about 3.0 million) in Saskatchewan, and that its North American potash annualized operational capacity is 11.5 million tonnes a year. Mosaic, Form 10-K for 2025 (filed 27 February 2026) |
| K+S | Germany | Potash producer in Germany and Canada | Its Q4/2025 facts and figures give Agriculture segment sales volumes of 7.31 million tonnes excluding trade goods in 2025 and expect 7.4 to 7.6 million tonnes in 2026, and name Werra 2060 and the Bethune ramp-up as the elevated capital projects. K+S: Q4/2025 facts and figures |
| BHP | Australia (Jansen project in Saskatchewan) | Developer of the Jansen potash mine (ASX: BHP; NYSE: BHP) | Its operational review for the year to 30 June 2026 says Jansen Stage 1, with capacity of 4.15 million tonnes a year, is 84% complete with first production targeted for mid-2027 and project expenditure of US$8,400 million, and lists an impairment of about US$2,300 million on the project in the second half of FY26. BHP: operational review for the year ended 30 June 2026 (Form 6-K, 16 July 2026) |
Each row links to the document that supports it. The list is not exhaustive and is not a ranking.
Frequently asked questions
What is potash used for?
Potash is used in fertilizer, chemical and industrial applications and chloride-sensitive crops. Fertilizer: about 85% of US potash sales; potassium chloride (KCl), sulfate of potash (SOP) and potassium magnesium sulfate (SOPM or langbeinite).
Which country produces the most potash?
Canada produces the most potash: an estimated 15,000 kt, or 31% of the world total, in 2025, according to the USGS mine production figures.
Is potash a critical mineral?
Yes. Potash is on the US and Canadian critical minerals lists. The United States added potash to its list in November 2025, when the final list grew from 50 to 60 minerals. US net import reliance for potash in 2025 was 92%.
How much does potash cost?
USGS reports the average 2025 price of potash at $1,200/t (all products, average, free on board (f.o.b.) mine; +4% on 2024).
Sources
Read on October 13, 2026. Figures on this page come from these documents; where a number is an estimate, the source says so.
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Potash. Production, reserves, uses, substitutes, recycling and events
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: introduction (Table 7 and Figures 10A and 10B). Net import reliance, leading producer and price changes for critical minerals
- Federal Register: Final 2025 List of Critical Minerals
- EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) 2024/1252
- Department of Industry, Science and Resources: Australia’s Critical Minerals List and Strategic Materials List
- Government of Canada: Canada’s critical minerals
- Permitting Council: current FAST-41 projects
- Nutrien: 2025 annual report, management discussion and analysis (Form 40-F exhibit, February 2026)
- Mosaic, Form 10-K for 2025 (filed 27 February 2026)
- K+S: Q4/2025 facts and figures
- BHP: operational review for the year ended 30 June 2026 (Form 6-K, 16 July 2026)
