Potassium in the Environment

Potassium has a 2.6% abundance by mass in the earth's crust and is found mostly in mineral form as part of feldspars (groups of minerals) and clays. Potassium easily leaches out of these minerals over time and thus has a relatively high concentration in sea water as well (0.75g/L). Today, most of the world's potassium is mined in Canada, the U.S., and Chile but was originally monopolized by Germany.