Potash commodity Critical Material
The commodity category of mined and manufactured salts containing potassium in water-soluble form. USGS distinguishes potassium chloride (muriate of potash), potassium sulfate (sulfate of potash), and potassium magnesium sulfate products in agricultural use, while also describing industrial uses. This is not elemental potassium, potassium oxide despite K2O-equivalent statistical reporting, a single potash-bearing mineral species, or all potassium-bearing rocks. In particular, potassium feldspar is not equated with a potash product. The named US 2025 designation applies to potash as a commodity. No microbial production or recovery mechanism is asserted.
Criticality Designations
| Jurisdiction | List Name | Edition / Document | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Department of the Interior Final List of Critical Minerals | 2025 final; 7 November 2025 | critical |
us2025-final
|
Sources & References
-
usgs-mcs2026: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Potash, printed pp. 146-147 (PDF pp. 150-151): commodity definition, salt forms and K2O-equivalent reporting
https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026.pdf (accessed 2026-10-11) -
us2025-final: US Department of the Interior / USGS, Final 2025 List of Critical Minerals, 7 November 2025, 90 FR 50494-50497: Summary and final list
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-11-07/html/2025-19813.htm (accessed 2026-10-11)
Curation History
| Timestamp | Curator | Action | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
2026-10-11T08:29:04Z |
codex (GPT-6; codex) | CREATE | Created the potash record with verified industrial scope and dated criticality; deferred microbial leads lacking the required commodity mapping or full evidence. |
Record source: data/records/potash.yaml