Astronaut Photo Shows 23 Bright-Blue Potash Ponds Covering 400 Acres Near Utah's Colorado River
Updated
Updated · Livescience.com · May 19
Astronaut Photo Shows 23 Bright-Blue Potash Ponds Covering 400 Acres Near Utah's Colorado River
3 articles · Updated · Livescience.com · May 19
A 2017 astronaut photo from the International Space Station captured 23 vivid blue solar evaporation ponds about 8 miles southwest of Moab, Utah, beside a bend in the Colorado River.
The roughly 400-acre ponds refine potash from mineral-rich brine pumped from a nearby mine; workers add dark-blue dye to absorb more sunlight and accelerate evaporation.
As water levels fall, the dye fades and the ponds shift from deep blue to white and then tan, marking successive stages until dried potash remains.
Potash—potassium chloride—is used mainly as fertilizer but also in products including medicines, cement, fire extinguishers, textiles and beer.
The image also highlights environmental concerns around potash mining: waste salt and clay can wash into waterways, though any effect on the Colorado River remains unclear.
Can green technology stop Utah's beautiful blue ponds from harming the Colorado River?
With Belarusian potash back on the market, are global fertilizer prices about to plummet?
How is a simple farm fertilizer now crucial for America's energy security?