Potash facts

Potash is the common name given to a group of minerals and chemicals that contain potassium (chemical symbol K), which is a basic nutrient for plants and an important ingredient in fertilizer. Most potash is produced as potassium chloride (KCl). However, we often measure and refer to it in terms of potassium oxide (K2O) equivalence for consistency because deposits can have different percentages of potassium.

Learn more about potash

Uses

Potash is used primarily in fertilizers (approximately 95%) to support plant growth, increase crop yield and disease resistance, and enhance water preservation. Small quantities are used in manufacturing potassium-bearing chemicals such as:

• detergents
• ceramics
• pharmaceuticals
• water conditioners
• alternatives to de-icing salt

Potassium is an essential element of the human diet, required for the growth and the maintenance of tissues, muscles and organs, as well as the electrical activity of the heart.

Production

Canada produced an estimated 22 million tonnes of potash in 2020, an increase of 1.0 million tonnes from 2019.

Consult a map of producing Canadian mines

Canadian production of potash (potassium chloride), 2011–2020 (p)

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This bar chart shows Canada’s annual mine production of potash from 2011 to 2020. Production was 17.7 million tonnes in 2011, then decreased to 15.1 million tonnes in 2012 before steadily increasing to 18.8 million tonnes in 2015. It then decreased slightly to 17.9 million tonnes in 2016 before increasing to 22.7 million tonnes in 2018. Production in 2019 decreased to 20.9 million tonnes but rebounded to 22.0 million tonnes in 2020 (p).

International context

Find out more about potash production on an international scale.

Global potash production was estimated at almost 69.2 million tonnes in 2020. Canada is the world’s largest potash producer, accounting for 32% of the world’s total in 2020.

Four countries (Canada, Russia, Belarus and China) accounted for approximately 80% of the world’s potash production in 2020.

World production of potash (potassium chloride), 2011–2020 (p)

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This bar chart shows the world’s production of potash from 2011 to 2020. Production was 54.9 million tonnes in 2011 and increased steadily to 69.2 million tonnes in 2020.

In 2020, the global reserves of potash were estimated at more than 3.6 billion tonnes (potassium oxide equivalent). Canada had the largest reserves with 1.1 billion tonnes. The following table shows the leading potash reserves by country.

Trade

Canada is the world’s largest exporter of potash. In 2020, Canada exported 22 million tonnes of potash, accounting for 39% of the world’s total exports.

Canadian exports of potash (potassium chloride), 2011–2020 (p)

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This bar chart shows Canadian potash exports from 2011 to 2020. Exports were 17 million tonnes in 2011 and reached a minor peak of 17.9 million tonnes in 2015. A slight decrease to 16.0 million tonnes in 2016 was followed by an increase to a 10-year peak of 21.9 million tonnes in 2018. Exports then decreased to 19.3 million tonnes in 2019. In 2020, Canada exported 22.0 million tonnes.

Three countries (Canada, Belarus and Russia) accounted for 79% of the potash traded internationally in 2019.

World exports of potash (potassium chloride), 2011–2020 (p)

Text version

This bar chart shows world potash exports from 2011 to 2020. Exports were at 44.2 million tonnes in 2011 and decreased to 36.9 million tonnes in 2012. Exports steadily increased to 49.6 million tonnes in 2014, but then decreased again to 46.4 million tonnes in 2015. Exports increased to a 10-year peak of 53.1 million tonnes in 2018 before decreasing to 49.9 million tonnes in 2019. In 2020, world potash exports were 55.9 million tonnes.

Prices

Potash prices were in decline from 2012 until the first half of 2017. In the second half of 2017, prices began to increase, eventually reaching US$275/tonne at the beginning of 2019 before decreasing steadily to about US$200/tonne by the end of 2020.

Potassium chloride prices, 2011–2020

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This line chart shows monthly potassium chloride prices in US dollars per tonne, free on board (f.o.b.) at Vancouver from 2011 to 2020. Prices averaged US$393 in 2011, increased to a peak of US$495 in early 2012, and then gradually declined to a low of $206 in late 2016. Prices have since increased and were at $266 at the end of 2019. The price decreased from $240 to $202 between January and December 2020.