Bureau of Land Management approves construction of Millard County potash mine
FILLMORE, Utah () – The Bureau of Land Management near Sevier Lake in Millard County. Plans for the mine have been in the works for years.
Peak Minerals is developing the 124,223-acre Sevier Playa Project, which is billed as the largest producer of sulphate of potash outside of China.
In a news release, the Bureau of Land Management said the approval comes as part of President Donald Trump's orders to boost domestic mineral production. Potash is a key ingredient in agricultural fertilizer and Utah has vast reserves of the mineral necessary for production.
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describe wells, trenches and ponds to be built for the process of extracting and processing subterranean brine. Roads, building and electrical infrastructure would also be built. Planners say the lifespan of phase one of the project would be about 25 years.
Environmental advocates have fought the project for years. In 2023, the (SUWA) sued to stop it from moving forward. In the suit, the group insisted the project would harm groundwater, which is increasingly taxed by consumption in the drought-stricken West Desert.
In a statement to ABC4 on Tuesday, the group expressed disappointment and alarm.
'The area—currently wild and remote—would become an industrial zone filled with evaporation ponds, dikes, roads, powerlines, a processing plant, and a rail loadout facility,' said Hanna Larsen, Staff Attorney for SUWA. 'The impacts of this industrialization would be clear on both the lakebed and the surrounding public lands, significantly impairing important habitat for migratory birds, ruining incredibly dark night skies, and adversely affecting air and water quality for decades to come. We'll continue to work to protect this area.'
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Indeed, the area around Sevier Lake is unique. The lake itself is a saline lake, not unlike the Great Salt Lake. It is fed by the Sevier River, and upstream water diversions cause the lake to dry out during certain times of the year. When surface water is available, migratory birds use it as a stopover and feeding ground.
Environmental advocates point out the area is special because it is almost entirely devoid of light and noise pollution. Critics worry a large potash operation will destroy those qualities. But proponents of the project insist the economic benefit to the community will be worth it. In a advocating for the project, Peak Minerals claims the site would be an 'outstanding project with significant logistic advantages' with a 'skilled workforce ready to commute.'
Company documents show the potential for lithium extraction in the future, which they say could add more economic value to the project. However, lithium extraction is water intensive and pressure on Utah's water reserves is only increasing with overuse and drought made worse by climate change.
Bureau of Land Management approves construction of Millard County potash mine
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