Geopolitical actions have tightened the global supply of potash, but Canadian companies are stepping up to meet the demand. Nutrien (whose Patience Lake operation is pictured left) is producing a record 15 million tonnes this year. Courtesy of Nutrien

Long considered the mining sector’s understated and reliable commodity, potash has had an unusually volatile year, with multiple supply shocks and outsized demand combining to push prices for the fertilizer component up dramatically, after a long period of low and stable prices.