Mississippi Chemical temporarily idles potash mines and Curtails Production at Yazoo city
The company's East and West potash mines will be shut down primarily due to excess inventories. While the mines are down, customer needs will be met from existing inventory. Current projections, subject to change due to market conditions, are for the West mine to be down for six to eight weeks, and the East mine to be down for 10 to 12 weeks.
At the company's nitrogen plant facilities in Yazoo City, continued high natural gas costs and inventory concerns due to the short-term outlook for a weak fertilizer market have had a negative impact on the plant's operations. As a result, the company will curtail production. The facility will utilize purchased ammonia to continue producing at full rate dinitrogen tetroxide for the U.S. government and ammonium nitrate synthesis, prilled ammonium nitrate and nitric acid at reduced rates. Market conditions will determine when operating rates will return to more normal levels.
Company employees affected by these production changes will be furloughed. The company's furlough policy allows employees to receive earned vacation pay while on furlough as well as continue to be eligible for company medical benefits. At Carlsbad, 378 employees will be furloughed, and 132 employees will be furloughed at Yazoo City.
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