Agrium to launch new phosphate mine

Agrium has been authorized by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to begin mining operations at their Rasmussen Valley Mine, according to a news release from the company. The phosphate mine is located predominantly on federal land managed by BLM and the U.S. Forest Service. “This approval represents a significant benefit to our community, to Agrium and to Idaho,” says Agrium’s VP of Potash and Phosphate, Mike Dirham. “Thorough environmental assessments have gone into this, as well as community engagement and years of research. The result is an innovative and collaborative mine plan that we are proud of, and that will provide the ore we need to supply local agriculture. By the end of the project, the area will look much the same as it did before we began.” Agrium claims the mine will have a $260 million impact on the Idaho economy, including state and local taxes.