Potash Basins - Utah - June 26, 2017.

Potash Basins - Utah - Potash Mine Near Moab, Utah - Potash Evaporation Potash Ponds located near the city of Moab, Utah. Differences in blue and other colors indicate different levels of evaporation. Potassium chloride extraction, used as fertilizer by farmers. To the south and east, the Colorado River. The mine is visible at the top of the image. Image taken from the International Space Station (ISS) on June 26, 2017. Solar evaporation ponds outside the city of Moab, Utah. There are 23 colorful ponds spread across 400 acres. They are part of a large operation to mine potassium chloride—more commonly referred to as muriate of potash (MOP) —from ore buried underground. MOP is in high demand as fertilizer because there are no easy substitutes for potassium, an essential nutrient for plant growth. Each pond color indicates a different state of evaporation. This astronomer photograph was acquired on June 26, 2017 from the international space station (ISS).