Hersey — Michigan Potash Co. LLC (mipotash.com) is seeking to develop some 14,500 acres of potash reserves surrounding the current Mosaic Co. solution mine at Hersey. The company said that for the past three years it has been quietly assembling the leasehold and working to make sure that the mine could be established. “This is the U.S.’s only shovel ready potash project,” said Ted Pagano, Michigan Potash general manager. “Michigan is New Mexico untapped.” Back when the Hersey mine was developed, he said plans were for some 1 million st/y production in the area. Mosaic currently produces about 100,000 st/y at the Hersey mine, as well as salt. The mine was formerly owned by Vigoro Corp., then IMC Global Inc., and then eventually Mosaic. Earlier owners had big expansion plans for the Hersey mine, but the property eventually became a small part of a very large Mosaic portfolio. Pagano touts the location in the Cornbelt and said his venture has been approaching local cooperatives and buyers about its potential. He said the reserves are the purest and highest grade, nearing 60 percent KCI, which would be 600 percent greater than New Mexico and 200 percent greater than Canada and Russia. While the reserves are some 7,500 feet underground, Pagano said that technology has advanced to the point that that is no problem. Pagano said the company has no association with Michigan Potash Co. Inc., a Toronto-based junior exploration firm operating in Michigan as Purus Potash Inc.
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