Global Potassium Reserves and Potassium Fertilizer Use.

The world has about 100 large buried deposits of potash of commercial quality and an equal number of potash brine deposits.  Resources of proven, probable, and inferred reserves of potash total 250 billion metric tons.  The reserve base, estimated at 18 billion tons of K₂O, is located in 13 countries. This includes 8.3 billion tons of reserves that are considered commercially exploitable, plus deposits that are marginally economic or sub-economic.  Canada and Russia have 75% of world reserves and 73% of its reserve base.  Mine production in 2007 was 33 million tons compared to 29.1 million tons in 2006. Global demand for potash is strong.  The world consumed 27.6 million tons of K₂O in 2006/07. Consumption is expected to increase 6% in 2007/08 and continue to grow at 3% per annum over the next 5 years.  At present levels of production, mineable reserves plus the known reserve base are sufficient to supply potash for at least 600 years.