ICP IC Potash Corp.

TORONTO, April 11 /CNW/ -- TORONTO, April 11 /CNW/ - IC Potash Corp. ("ICP" or the "Company") (TSXV:ICP, OTCQX: ICPTF) announced today the commencement of the environmental permitting work necessary to open and operate the Ochoa Sulphate of Potash mining project located in Lea County, southeast New Mexico. Sidney Himmel, President and Chief Executive Office of the Company stated: "We are very pleased to announce the start of the environmental analysis to ensure that the needs of all stakeholders are met as we move towards the completion of bulk sampling, metallurgical testing, and the commencement of engineering planning, including process optimization, mine location selection, equipment and process selection, and all related logistics.  The commencement of detailed environmental work is a significant milestone for the Company as we progress towards the building of a world class Sulphate of Potash production facility." Under the National Environmental Policy Act ("NEPA"), the United States' Department of Interior Bureau of Land Management ("BLM") requires an Environmental Impact Statement ("EIS") as part of approving mine plan operations.  The EIS is a detailed report compiled by the BLM that outlines environmental and social aspects of the proposed mine plan and analyzes possible alternatives. In support of the EIS, the Company has initiated the collection of baseline environmental data that will be used to characterize the existing environment in the project area. Baseline environmental work will include the collection of data related to water resources, wildlife, vegetation, cultural resources, air quality, socioeconomic resources, and other resources identified by the BLM and project stakeholders. The data will be used to evaluate the potential impacts to the natural, physical, and human environment associated with the proposed mining operations.  ICP has begun data collection efforts for biological and water resources.  The company has also begun an assessment of air quality. ICP has contracted with INTERA Geosciences and Engineering of Albuquerque, New Mexico to manage the environmental permitting process and lead the team of specialized scientists and engineers that will complete the work.  INTERA is an international geoscience and engineering consulting firm with over 110 employees and offices in the United States, France and  Switzerland. Established in 1974, INTERA has a thirty-seven year history of providing environmental and water resources services. The Project Manager for INTERA, Mr. Peter Castiglia, is a Senior Hydrogeologist with experience in managing EIS, water-supply development projects and baseline studies for permitting mining operations. The Company is also working with Walsh Environmental Scientists and Engineers, LLC ("Walsh").  Walsh's services include mine permitting, NEPA compliance, renewable energy, and oil and gas, as well as a variety of services to government and industry including engineering, remediation, ecological investigations, permitting and compliance, and site assessment.  Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company, including, but not limited to, risks associated with mineral exploration and mining activities, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, dependence upon regulatory approvals, and the uncertainty of obtaining additional financing. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. About the Ochoa Project As previously reported in the recent Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA"), the Ochoa project contains a Measured mineral resource of 239,000,000 tons at a grade of  82.7% polyhalite, equivalent to 23.4% Sulphate of Potash, and an Indicated resource of 461,000,000 tons at a grade of 82.4% polyhalite, equivalent to  23.4 % Sulphate of Potash, each of which with a cut-off thickness of 5 feet. The PEA projects a base case production level of 660,000 tons per year of SOP, a mine life of 40 years and a capital cost of $662 million.  Operating cost is projected to be $164 per ton.  All dollars are in United States currency. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. About IC Potash Corp IC Potash intends to become a primary producer of Sulphate of Potash ("SOP") by mining its 100%-owned potash Ochoa property in New Mexico. SOP is a non-chloride based potash fertilizer that sells at a substantial premium over the price of Muriate of Potash ("MOP"), the most widely used fertilizer in the world. Typically SOP sells at a premium of 50% to MOP. ICP is focused on being the lowest cost producer of SOP in the world. The SOP market is six million tonnes per year.  SOP is a significant fertilizer in the fruit, vegetable, tobacco, potato, and horticultural industries, and for agriculture in saline and dry soils and soils in which there is much agriculture with varieties of crops.  Much of the agricultural soil in China, India, and the United States is salty. ICP's Ochoa property consists of over 100,000 acres of federal subsurface potassium prospecting permits and State of New Mexico Potassium mining leases. NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. To view this news release in HTML formatting, please use the following URL: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2011/11/c2935.html p please visit a href="http://www.icpotash.com"www.icpotash.com/a or contact Sidney Himmel at 416-624-3781 or 575-993-2758 /p

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