COMPANY BACKGROUND |
3 Months Ended |
|---|---|
Mar. 31, 2017 | |
| Text Block [Abstract] | |
| COMPANY BACKGROUND | COMPANY BACKGROUND We are the only producer of muriate of potash ("potassium chloride" or "potash") in the United States and are one of two producers of langbeinite ("sulfate of potash magnesia"), which we market and sell as Trio®. We sell potash and Trio® primarily into the agricultural market as a fertilizer. We also sell these products into the animal feed market as a nutritional supplement and sell potash into the industrial market as a component in drilling and fracturing fluids for oil and gas wells and other industrial inputs. In addition, we sell by-products including salt, magnesium chloride, and brine. These by-product credits represented approximately 6% of total cost of goods sold for the three months ended March 31, 2017. We also sell water, which is recorded in other income. We produce potash from three solution mining facilities: our HB solar solution mine in Carlsbad, New Mexico, our solution mine in Moab, Utah, and our solar brine recovery mine in Wendover, Utah. We also operate the North compaction facility in Carlsbad, New Mexico, which compacts and granulates product from the HB mine. We produce Trio® from our conventional underground East mine in Carlsbad, New Mexico. |