| Basis for focus area |
Area underlain by potash-bearing salt of the Permian Salado Formation. |
| Identified resources |
Identified resources and historical production of magnesium and potash. |
| Production |
>113 million short tons of potash produced between 1951 and 2018. The potash industry of New Mexico produces sylvite (KCl), langbeinite (K2SO42Mg(SO4)2) and artificial K2S04 (Barker and Austin, 1993). |
| Status |
Past mining and current production. |
| Estimated resources |
Carlsbad potash district has estimated 551 million tons reserves of potash. |
| Geologic maps |
New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources (2003), scale 1:500,000; Barnes and others (1992a), scale 1:500,000. |
| Geophysical data |
Rank 3 and 4 aeromagnetic coverage; Rank 5 aeroradiometric coverage. |
| Favorable rocks and structures |
Salado Formation stratabound potash-bearing salt. |
| Deposits |
Active potash mines (2020): Intrepid East, Intrepid West, Mosiac, Mosaic Nash Draw. |
| Evidence from mineral occurrences |
Historical production from >10 mines 1950s-2010s (see Orris and others, 2014; McLemore, 2017; McLemore and Austin, 2017); district is currently producing. |
| Geochemical evidence |
The average sylvite ore grade in New Mexico decreased from 25-30% K20 in the 1950s to about 14% today; langbeinite ore now averages 8-10% K20 (Barker and Austin, 1993). |
| Geophysical evidence |
None. |
| Evidence from other sources |
None. |
| Comments |
Salt (NaCl) is produced from evaporation of water from the potash operations. |
| Cover thickness and description |
Depths of 800-1500 ft. |
| Authors |
Jane M. Hammarstrom, Virginia T. McLemore. |
| New data needs |
Examine petroleum and water well records for depths to top and base of Salado Formation. |
| Geologic mapping and modeling needs |
None requested at this time. |
| Geophysical survey and modeling needs |
None requested at this time. |
| Digital elevation data needs |
Buried resources; not needed. |
