TFI Celebrates Recognition of Phosphate and Potash as Critical Minerals
The Fertilizer Institute (TFI)
Phosphorus was evaluated in the US DOE Critical Materials Assessment in 2023 but excluded from the list because of “the ability of the US to expand its phosphorus imports” (DOE, 2023). Imports can theoretically be supplied by friendly producers based in India, Saudi Arabia, or Morocco. However, a substantial fraction of US imports of purified phosphoric acid originate from the same country that dominates the supply of other minerals deemed critical: China. This decision had national security and food security implications, because exclusion from the list limits the availability of Federal funding to develop phosphate projects. In November, the Department of the Interior added phosphates to its Critical Minerals Assessment List for 2025 based on new data, interagency recommendations, and public feedback. This emphasizes the critical need the US has for domestic sources of phosphates to meet the growing demands of many key industries.