Of course, we shouldn’t find this amusing. For it’s an example of why we shouldn’t have that government planning of the economy that we so obviously do have. But still. From the British Geological Survey, when talking about critical minerals:

Potassium (K) salts; although not listed as critical in this study, the UK is a growing producer of K salts, especially of polyhalite, and therefore could meet the needs of its trading partners for these materials.

This is the polyhalite mine that was refused, at first, planning permission because there was no market for the output. From useless to a remarkable part of our trade stance in just the one leap. The leap being that someone actually tried to do it rather than listened to the planners.

Ho Hum.

Tim Worstall