Mosaic Product Turns 70

By CropLife Staff|May 21, 2009

K-Mag, a unique three-in-one combination fertilizer produced by The Mosaic Co. is celebrating its 70th anniversary. In honor of this milestone, K-Mag continues to look to the future with plans for an expansion to the Carlsbad Production Facility as well as the unveiling of a new logo.

“K-Mag has stood the test of time for 70 years,” says Don Purvis, Carlsbad plant manager. “Advances in equipment and technology and the steady streamlining of operating practices have enabled us to achieve continuing gains in productivity. We are excited about the future and look forward to more new growth and expansion opportunities.”

Since 1939, K-Mag has been mined and processed at the Carlsbad, NM facility — where the world’s largest and purest deposits of langbeinite ore are found. Langbeinite, a potassium magnesium sulfate mineral, was one of the last minerals formed as water evaporated from the large, ancient ocean that is now New Mexico.

“The K-Mag PREMIUM grade granulation plant had an initial capacity of 200,000 tons per year, which was increased to 400,000 tons per year through progressive improvements. The capacity will be raised even further to 600,000 tons per year,” says Purvis. About 275 people work underground in a variety of mining functions. With mine openings in excess of 4,000 miles, the Carlsbad facility is a veritable underground city that operates around the clock, seven days per week, in a constant environment of 74°F.

K-Mag produced at the Carlsbad facility is available in three different grades — Premium, Granular, and Standard — depending on the cropping situation and specific needs of the dealer or grower. Granulated, Premium grade offers many advantages including less abrasiveness, lower bulk density, more uniform particle size, and a larger SGN number, which makes it more compatible with other blended materials. About half of the finished K-Mag product is delivered to U.S. markets, with the rest destined for international markets. Visit www.kmag.com to learn more about specifications for each grade.

“We are proud of K-Mag,” says Dr. Dan Froehlich, director of Agronomy for The Mosaic Co. “It is a unique fertilizer with a three-in-one combination of potassium (K), magnesium (Mg) and sulfur (S), all present in the water-soluble sulfate form. The sulfate form allows for immediate nutrient uptake. And, in spite of the increase in crop nutrient prices over the last two years, fertilizing for optimum yields with K-Mag is an exceptional value to growers and can still produce a profitable return investment.” Other unique K-Mag traits include a neutral pH so it won’t acidify the soil, and a low chloride content — less than 3 percent — so it won’t harm sensitive crops. It also blends well with most common fertilizer materials and is balanced for efficient crop production. “Balance in soil fertility management should always be the goal and K-Mag can be an important tool in helping to reach that goal,” says Froehlich.

With changes over the past 70 years in the climate, soil conditions and the economy, K-Mag has been a crop nutrient constant that growers know they can count on. And while also known as Sul-Po-Mag and S-P-M in selected geographies, K-Mag will now be marketed as one brand throughout the world. In continuing to change with the times, and in celebration of 70 years, K-Mag is introducing a dynamic new look with an updated logo. “The new logo reflects the superior quality, high performance and reliability that people have come to expect from K-Mag,” says Barb Kula, Mosaic’s vice president of Marketing. “The new logo’s distinctive dots are a visual reminder that K-Mag is a three-in-one nutrient that delivers potassium, magnesium, and sulfur in every granule. But we realize that K-Mag is much more than a logo. It is about people who are dedicated to producing the highest-quality product, providing the best customer service and offering quality agronomic support to growers throughout the world.”