Environmental Permitting Requirements for Potash Mining in the Holbrook Basin

The Arizona Dept. of Environmental Quality has released an information sheet on Environmental Permitting Requirements for Proposed Potash Mining in the Holbrook Basin. The list includes air and water quality and waste disposal permits but cautions that "There are a variety of other ADEQ permits, approval and registrations which may come into play, depending upon site-specific needs and plans." Because no potash mining applications have been submitted, ADEQ says they are not "able to predict the precise environmental permitting requirements which may apply to such facilities."

Each permit is described as typically taking 6 months to a year to obtain, once all materials are properly submitted.

American West Potash has publicly stated its goal of having a mine in operation by January 2014. [Right, AZGS interactive map of potash corehole locations]

[Thanks to Kathy Hemenway for passing along the link to the ADEQ info sheet.]