Verde Potash: ThermoPotash Provides Stronger Results than KCl in Efficacy Tests

TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire - May 16, 2011) - Verde Potash (TSX VENTURE: NPK) ("Verde" or the "Company") is pleased to report the results of product efficacy tests performed by University of Uberlandia, Brazil. ThermoPotash results were up to 17% better than KCl, confirming its efficiency as a potash fertilizer and demonstrating the superiority of a slow release product.

This is the first crop test comparing ThermoPotash and KCl under controlled conditions. Professor Gaspar Korndörfer and his team performed the experiment in a greenhouse at University of Uberlandia. The experiment evaluated two successive harvests of millet, reaped 34 days after sowing. The millet was fertilized with three different sources of potash: KCl, coarse ThermoPotash, and unprocessed verdete powder. These were applied at doses of 200 and 400 kg/ha, whereas a millet control group did not receive any potash. For each different source of potash, at both dosages, the experiment was replicated in 4 different pots with soil containing 40% clay. After the harvest, the weight of dried matter yield was averaged among the duplicates to reduce statistical error.


The results are as follows:

K2O source 1st crop 2nd crop Total Yield
Dose of K2O (kg/ha)
200 400 200 400 200 400
Dry Matter – g/plot
KCl 18.01 21.80 14.78 15.40 32.79 (100 %) 37.20 (100 %)
ThermoPotash 18.06 19.01 17.17 24.57 35.23 (107 %) 43.58 (117 %)
Verdete 12.17 12.43 7.58 7.72 19.75 (60 %) 20.15 (54 %)
Control 12.20 7.57 19.77 (60 %) 19.77 (53 %)
Parenthesis : index KCl =100 %


ThermoPotash in 200 and 400kg/ha coarse form outperformed KCl by 7% and 17% respectively in the cumulative results of two successive crops of millet. One of the results shows a very slight, though statistically equivalent, outperformance by KCl in the first 34 days owing to its highly water soluble nature. In the second 34 day period, however, the yield of ThermoPotash fertilized millet significantly surpassed that of KCl because it stayed in the soil, continuously providing nutrient to the millet.

The unprocessed verdete showed no statistical difference to the potash-free control group, demonstrating that the effectiveness of ThermoPotash is wholly determined by how Verde Potash processes the verdete rock.
Commenting, Dr. Gaspar Korndörfer said: "These results show that the productivity of the treatment that received ThermoPotash as a source of potash tends to increase over time. Thus the areas cultivated with successive annual crops (ex: soybean, corn, cotton), perennial crops (ex: coffee, oranges, eucalyptus, etc.) and semi-perennial crops (ex: sugarcane, pasture) can all be much improved with the use of slow release fertilizers that offer a residual effect such as ThermoPotash."

Greenhouse experiments, such as the one performed by University of Uberlandia, offer a higher level of accuracy than field trials because of its controlled nature, i.e.: conducted under carefully managed conditions to ensure soil uniformity and its low potassium content; in an environment regulated for temperature, soil moisture and air; uniformly supplying all nutrients to the plants. Consequently, by varying doses and sources of potassium, it is possible to isolate the exact effect of different nutrient sources on a particular plant. In Brazil, greenhouse trials are used to support a new fertilizer registration with the Ministry of Agriculture.


About Verde Potash

Verde Potash is a fertilizer exploration and development company; it was founded and is led by Brazilians. Verde is developing the Cerrado Verde project in Brazil, a source of potash-rich rock from which the company plans to produce a slow-release, non-chloride, multi-nutrient, fertilizer product named ThermoPotash. Founded as Amazon Mining in 2005, the Company changed its name to Verde Potash in April 2011 to better reflect its core business. Verde is also exploring for phosphate and limestone.


About Cerrado Verde

Cerrado Verde is a unique project: 1) its high grade potash rock is found at surface, allowing faster construction of a scalable and low Capex operation; 2) it is located in the midst of the world's third largest fertilizer market and its fastest growing one; 3) it connects to Brazil's largest fertilizer distribution districts via existing and high quality infra-structure.


On behalf of the Board of Directors of Verde Potash

Cristiano Veloso
President and CEO.



To view the Figure 1: Cumulative result of successive millet crops graph, please visit the following link:
http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/516npk_fig1.pdf



Cautionary Language and Forward Looking Statements

THIS PRESS RELEASE CONTAINS CERTAIN "FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS", WHICH INCLUDE BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, STATEMENTS WITH RESPECT TO THE FUTURE FINANCIAL OR OPERATING PERFORMANCE OF THE COMPANY, ITS SUBSIDIARIES AND ITS PROJECTS, STATEMENTS REGARDING USE OF PROCEEDS, EXPLORATION PROSPECTS, IDENTIFICATION OF MINERAL RESERVES, COSTS OF AND CAPITAL FOR EXPLORATION PROJECTS, EXPLORATION EXPENDITURES, TIMING OF FUTURE EXPLORATION AND PERMITTING, REQUIREMENTS FOR ADDITIONAL CAPITAL, GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS OF MINING OPERATIONS, ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS, RECLAMATION EXPENSES, TITLE DISPUTES OR CLAIMS, AND LIMITATIONS OF INSURANCE COVERAGE. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS CAN GENERALLY BE IDENTIFIED BY THE USE OF WORDS SUCH AS "PLANS", "EXPECTS", OR "DOES NOT EXPECT" OR "IS EXPECTED", "ANTICIPATES" OR "DOES NOT ANTICIPATE", OR "BELIEVES", "INTENDS", "FORECASTS", "BUDGET", "SCHEDULED", "ESTIMATES" OR VARIATIONS OF SUCH WORDS OR PHRASES OR STATE THAT CERTAIN ACTIONS, EVENT, OR RESULTS "MAY", "COULD", "WOULD", "MIGHT", OR "WILL BE TAKEN", "OCCUR" OR "BE ACHIEVED". FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS INVOLVE KNOWN AND UNKNOWN RISKS, UNCERTAINTIES AND OTHER FACTORS WHICH MAY CAUSE THE ACTUAL RESULTS, PERFORMANCE OR ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE COMPANY TO BE MATERIALLY DIFFERENT FROM ANY FUTURE RESULTS, PERFORMANCE OR ACHIEVEMENTS EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED BY SAID STATEMENTS. THERE CAN BE NO ASSURANCES THAT FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS WILL PROVE TO BE ACCURATE, AS ACTUAL RESULTS AND FUTURE EVENTS COULD DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THOSE ANTICIPATED IN SAID STATEMENTS. ACCORDINGLY, READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE RELIANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS.

Readers are cautioned not to rely solely on the summary of such information contained in this release and are directed to the complete set of drill results posted on Verde's website (www.verdepotash.com) and filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) and any future amendments to such. Readers are also directed to the cautionary notices and disclaimers contained herein.

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Contact Information

Verde Potash
Cristiano Veloso
President & Chief Executive Officer
+44 (0) 20 8133 7607
+44(0)20 7405 7773 (FAX)
cv@verdepotash.com

Verde Potash
Jed Richardson
VP Corporate Development
+1(416)866-2966
+1(416)866-8829 (FAX)
jed@verdepotash.com
www.verdepotash.com