What are sources of potash?

Question

As in potassium oxide- the one that's used in fertilisers

Answer 1

Sources of Potash  

Commercial sources of potash are extremely limited on the global scale. In 2000, six countries controlled 90% of the international trade of potassium chloride, with Canada and Russia as the primary suppliers to the Asian markets.

With the depletion of potash reserves in many historic and significant mining regions, new sources of potash are required over the next few years to meet the rising demand of fertilizers and industrial KCl products.

To date, potash has not been produced domestically in Thailand or elsewhere in Southeast Asia. In fact, with the exception of a relatively small plant in China, there is no potash produced in Asia. While consumption of fertilizers is rapidly increasing in the region, the essential component, potassium chloride, continues to be imported from Canada, Russia and Israel/Jordan.

The Udon South Potash Deposit will be capable of replacing the 520,000 tonnes of potash fertilizer which is imported into Thailand in 2004. This will make the country self sufficient in potassium chloride fertilizers. The country will no longer need to rely on other countries for the supply of potassium.

The Asian region currently consumes about 30% of the total world production of potash. Therefore, the development of the Udon South mine will be important in reducing both local and regional demand while earning substantial export income for Thailand.

Answer 2

Saskatchewan has by far the world's largest potash resources, and is the world's leading potash producer.

Potash is potassium carbonate (compound of K, C, and O), and the K is soluble, therefore available to plants as a nutrient in fertilizer.

EDIT - yes of course potash is mined.  "If it isn't grown, it has to be mined."  - slogan of Nevada Mining Association.

The world's largest potash deposits were discovered in the 1950's in Saskatchewan as a result of oil exploration in the "Prairie Evaporite".  Saskatchewan produces about 8 million tonnes of potash annually, almost all of it from underground mines.