Mineral company committed to environment

0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Nov 18, 2007 | by Corey Milne

I am writing to participate in the conversation about Great Salt Lake Minerals Corp.'s proposal to expand our production of potassium sulfate -- a certified-organic fertilizer also known as sulfate of potash, or SOP -- by building additional solar evaporation ponds adjacent to the 45,000 acres of solar evaporation ponds we currently operate on the Great Salt Lake.

Great Salt Lake Minerals has operated at the Great Salt Lake in an environmentally responsible manner since 1968, and we currently have about 300 employees at our Ogden location. Throughout our nearly 40 years of operation we have demonstrated our commitment to our community and our environment, and we, too, want to be responsible stewards of the lake and its ecosystems.

Great Salt Lake Minerals produces SOP by drawing lake water into solar evaporation ponds where the lake's naturally occurring potassium becomes increasingly concentrated as the lake water evaporates. Once the ponds are in place, the only ongoing human activity would be individuals making periodic inspections of the ponds and pumps. From initial evaporation to final product, a three- year process, our production method does not consume or produce any hazardous materials and uses far fewer fossil fuels than other SOP production methods.

The proposed expansion cannot begin until we secure a permit from the Army Corps of Engineers. The Corps recently began its thorough and lengthy environmental impact study of the expansion by soliciting input from the public. The Corps is very early in its process, so scientific data regarding potential effects of the proposed expansion are still being collected and analyzed. Great Salt Lake Minerals looks forward to working with all interested parties to thoughtfully discuss and address the facts and conclusions of the environmental impact study and the other elements of the permitting process.

It's important to understand why we are pursuing this expansion.

The need for additional sulfate of potash is driven by a number of socioeconomic factors that are increasing demand for all food- crop fertilizers. In North America, the increasing demand for biofuel crops has strained the supply of the fertilizers all growers need to replenish soil nutrients. In developing countries, the need for fertilizers is escalating as standards of living improve and populations can afford better nutrition. And our certified-organic SOP is also increasingly demanded by growers of organic vegetables, fruits and tree-nuts.

Industry sources estimate the demand for potassium used for food crops is increasing at a rate of 1.3 million tons per year, which exceeds the industry's current capacity. Great Salt Lake Minerals is currently investing $25 million to improve and expand our production of SOP within our existing footprint at the lake. However, meeting the long-term need for additional SOP requires additional solar evaporation ponds.

The Wasatch Front is home to me and to my 300 co-workers here at Great Salt Lake Minerals. We, too, enjoy its beauty, its wildlife and the recreation it makes available to us. We are committed to sustaining its viability for our families, our communities and future generations. Great Salt Lake Minerals has demonstrated that commitment throughout our nearly 40 years of environmentally responsible operations, and we will continue to demonstrate that commitment as we move through the permitting process.

Corey Milne is a site manager with Great Salt Lake Minerals Inc.