# Intrepid Potash

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{{Short description|Fertilizer manufacturing company based in Denver, Colorado, United States}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Intrepid Potash
| traded_as = {{NYSE|IPI}}<br>[Russell 2000 Component](/source/Russell_2000_Index)
| logo = IntrepidPotash.png
| type = [Public company](/source/Public_company)
| location_city = [Denver, Colorado](/source/Denver%2C_Colorado)
| key_people = Robert P. Jornayvaz III, CEO
| founded = {{Start date and age|2000}}
| website = {{URL|intrepidpotash.com}}
}}
[[File:Potash evaporation ponds near Moab, Utah.jpg|thumb|400px|Potash evaporation ponds at the Intrepid mine near [Moab, Utah](/source/Moab%2C_Utah), 2012. [Colorado River](/source/Colorado_River) is at the right of the frame.]]
'''Intrepid Potash, Inc.''' ({{NYSE|IPI}}), based in [Denver, Colorado](/source/Denver%2C_Colorado), is a fertilizer manufacturer. The company is the largest producer of [potassium chloride](/source/potassium_chloride), also known as muriate of potash, in the [United States](/source/United_States).<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=620231 |access-date=2024-08-20 |title=Intrepid Potash Q1 profit surges on strong potash pricing, demand; issues FY08 production outlook |date=2008-06-02 |publisher=RTT News}}</ref> It owns three mines, all in the [Western U.S.](/source/Western_U.S.), near the cities of [Carlsbad, New Mexico](/source/Carlsbad%2C_New_Mexico), [Moab, Utah](/source/Moab%2C_Utah), and [Wendover, Utah](/source/Wendover%2C_Utah).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.intrepidpotash.com/locations/ |title=Intrepid Potash: Mine Site Locations |access-date=2024-08-20}}</ref>

==Mines==

===Carlsbad===
There are three sites approximately {{convert|30|mi|km}} East of Carlsbad, New Mexico. The East facility produces [sylvite](/source/sylvite) and [langbeinite](/source/langbeinite) potash, and is capable of fully processing its ore to the storage or shipment stage. The West facility (currently shut down) produced mainly traditional [potash](/source/potash), which is shipped by truck to be processed at the North facility for final storage or shipping.
{{Expand section|date=June 2008}}

===Moab===
thumb|Intrepid Potash evaporation pond, Moab, 2014. The ponds appear blue due to the presence of copper sulfate, added to the water to speed up evaporation and prevent bacterial and algal growth.
The Moab or '''Kane Creek''' potash mine ({{coord|38|31|25|N|109|39|15|W|}}) is located along the right (northwest) bank of the [Colorado River](/source/Colorado_River), about 20 miles (30&nbsp;km) west of [Moab, Utah](/source/Moab%2C_Utah),<ref name="moab">[https://www.google.com/maps?q=Intrepid+Potash,+Utah+279,+Moab,+UT Intrepid Potash: Moab, Utah], accessed June 2008</ref> at the south end of [State Route 279](/source/State_Route_279_(Utah)) and the [Union Pacific Railroad](/source/Union_Pacific_Railroad). The location is known as '''Potash''' on [U.S. Geological Survey](/source/U.S._Geological_Survey) (USGS) [topographic map](/source/topographic_map)s, and is east of [Dead Horse Point State Park](/source/Dead_Horse_Point_State_Park) and [Canyonlands National Park](/source/Canyonlands_National_Park).<ref name="maps">[Google Maps](/source/Google_Maps) street maps and [USGS](/source/USGS) [topographic map](/source/topographic_map)s, accessed June 2008 via [http://mapper.acme.com/ ACME Mapper]</ref> According to USGS reports, the [Paradox Basin](/source/Paradox_Basin) contains up to 2.0 billion tons (1.8 billion metric tonnes) of potash, with the primary mine being the one at Kane Creek.<ref>{{cite news |publisher=[CNN](/source/CNN) Marketwire |url=https://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/marketwire/0410496.htm |date=2008-06-25 |title=Utah Uranium Corp. Proposes Name Change Reflecting New Opportunities}}{{dead link|date=May 2026|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} (press release from [Utah Uranium Corporation](/source/Utah_Uranium_Corporation))</ref><!--yes, I know it's a press release, but it's from a different company-->

The plant was built by the [Texas Gulf Sulphur](/source/Texas_Gulf_Sulphur) Company in the early 1960s,<ref>{{cite news |publisher=[New York Times](/source/New_York_Times) |title=Texas Gulf Sulphur Plans Big Utah Potash Project |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1960/09/27/archives/texas-gulf-sulphur-plans-big-utah-potash-project.html |date=1960-09-27 |page=49 |access-date=2024-08-20}}</ref> opening in 1963<!--IPI site says 1964, but that's obviously not true--> as a conventional [underground mine](/source/underground_mine).<ref>{{cite news |publisher=[Los Angeles Times](/source/Los_Angeles_Times) |title=Potash Mine to Open in Utah |date=1963-04-28 |page=H7}}</ref> Later that year, an explosion trapped 25 miners,<ref>{{cite news |publisher=[New York Times](/source/New_York_Times) |title=Mine Blast Traps 25 at 2,700 Feet |date=1963-08-28 |page=1}}</ref> of whom only seven were able to survive, by building a barricade to trap fresh air.<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=[Time Magazine](/source/Time_Magazine) |title=Start of a Legend? |date=1963-09-06 |url=https://time.com/archive/6808067/pennsylvania-start-of-a-legend/ |access-date=2024-08-20}}</ref><ref name="CCZ-June/July 2018">{{cite web |last=Stiles |first=Jim |title=The Disaster at Cane Creek: An Excerpt…by Kymberly Mele |url=https://www.canyoncountryzephyr.com/2018/06/04/the-disaster-at-cane-creek-an-excerpt-by-kymberly-mele/ |website=Canyon Country Zephyr |access-date=2024-08-20 |date=2018-06-04}}</ref> In 1970, operations were changed to a system that combines [solution mining](/source/solution_mining) and solar [evaporation](/source/evaporation). River water is pumped into the mine and [dissolve](/source/Solvation)s the potash, after which the [brine](/source/brine) solution is pumped to [evaporation pond](/source/evaporation_pond)s.<ref name=moab/> Intrepid bought the mine in 2000<ref>{{cite news |first=Jason P. |last=Montoya |publisher=[Carlsbad Current-Argus](/source/Carlsbad_Current-Argus) |url=https://www.intrepidpotash.com/press/articles/article_07.html |title=Mine gets top safety award |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828171109/http://www.intrepidpotash.com/press/articles/article_07.html |date=2003-12-02 |archive-date=2008-08-28}}</ref> from the [Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan](/source/Potash_Corporation_of_Saskatchewan),<ref>{{cite news |publisher=[Salt Lake Tribune](/source/Salt_Lake_Tribune) |title=State of the State |date=2000-03-01 |page=D3}}</ref> which had bought Texas Gulf in 1995.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/dktgq |website=[Handbook of Texas Online](/source/Handbook_of_Texas_Online) |title=Texasgulf |first=Merle R. |last=Hudgins |date=1996-02-01 |access-date=2024-08-20}}</ref>

===Wendover===

The Wendover potash mine is located about 120 miles west of Salt Lake City, Utah, and has been actively used for potash production since 1917. Potash production from naturally 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 is still in production.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://clui.org/ludb/site/intrepid-potash-wendover |title=
Intrepid Potash Wendover, Utah |access-date=2024-08-20}}</ref>

==Lobbying==
In 2015, a law firm associated with former U.S. Senator [Norm Coleman](/source/Norm_Coleman) started lobbying the U.S. State Department on behalf of Intrepid Potash to increase [sanctions](/source/List_of_people_and_organizations_sanctioned_in_relation_to_human_rights_violations_in_Belarus) against [Belarus](/source/Belarus).<ref name="WaPo">{{cite web|url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/interactive/2024/us-sanctions-lobbying-money-washington-lebanon-venezuela/ |title=A New Washington Influence Industry is Making Millions From Sanctions |date=October 24, 2024 |last1=Stein |first1=Jeff |last2=Cocco |first2=Federica |last3=Whoriskey |first3=Peter |website=The Washington Post |access-date=November 2, 2024 }}</ref> In 2021, the United States sanctioned Belarusian potash firms, raising potash prices worldwide.<ref name="WaPo"/><ref> https://sanctionssearch.ofac.treas.gov/Details.aspx?id=32746 </ref><ref>{{cite web |title= Treasury Holds the Belarusian Regime to Account on Anniversary of Fraudulent Election |url=https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0315 |date=August 9, 2021 |publisher=[United States Department of the Treasury](/source/United_States_Department_of_the_Treasury) |access-date=November 2, 2024}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|22em}}

==External links==
{{commons category-inline|Intrepid Potash}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange
Category:Companies based in Denver
Category:Fertilizer companies of the United States
Category:Mining companies of the United States

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Intrepid Potash](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intrepid_Potash) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intrepid_Potash?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.