Mosaic Company
Profile
Mosaic, a mining and fertilizer company headquartered in Tampa, Florida, was created by a 2004 merger between IMC Global, and Cargill’s crop nutrition division. Historically IMC Global was the largest producer of phosphate in the U.S. that it mines in the Peace river basin of southwestern Florida leaving behind a highly acidic wastewater and phosphogypsum, a low level radioactive solid waste that it dumps in mountainous piles called ‘gypstacks' that can reach 500 feet tall (152 meters) or more. The phosphate rock is shipped to Louisiana where it is turned into fertilizer at the Faustina and Uncle Sam fertilizer plants in St. James Parish, which lies in an industrial zone that activists have named Cancer Alley. The fertilizer plants yield yet more phosphogypsum waste that is also piled into gypstacks. In 2004, Mosaic’s Riverview gypstack discharged 65 million gallons of radioactive wastewater into Hillsborough Bay, Florida; and in 2016 Mosaic’s New Wales gypstack released 215 million gallons of radioactive wastewater into the Floridian aquifer, a drinking water source for 10 million people. In 2018, the 200 foot (60 meter) high gypstack at the Uncle Sam plant was found to be gradually collapsing, threatening the Blind River watershed and the Maurepas Swamp.
Aspire, Feed, K-Mag, MicroEssentials, Pegasus, Phosphate, Potash.
Violations
| Top 5 Offense Groups (Groups Defined) | Penalty Total | Number of Records |
|---|---|---|
| environment-related offenses | $853,254,342 | 42 |
| employment-related offenses | $646,861 | 4 |
| safety-related offenses | $396,331 | 38 |
(September 30, 2022)
Stories
Activism
Communities Push Back Against Mosaic’s ‘Stranglehold’ on US Farmers
Jasper Hamann | Morocco World News | January 15, 2022
US phosphate and fertilizer giant Mosaic is facing strong pushback from farmers and local communities as rising US fertilizer prices impact both food producers and consumers. After a difficult 2021 where the company faced several scandals, the new year holds new challenges as the corporate giant faces intense scrutiny.
Piney Point crisis prompts protest of Polk phosphate operation
Sarah-Megan Walsh | The Ledger | April 6, 2021
A group of Florida citizens appealed to Polk County officials to reconsider granting a two-year permit for phosphate mine operations in South Fort Meade on Tuesday as the environmental crisis at Piney Point continues to unfold less than 60 miles away.
‘March Against Mosaic’ held against company strip-mining in Florida
NBC2 | February 16, 2019
After red tide plagued Southwest Florida for much of last summer, conditions have improved, but the protests for clean water continue.
Residents protest proposed Mosaic expansion in Manatee County
Bays News 9 | Spectrum News | January 14, 2017
Dozens of residents showed up in Bradenton Saturday to protest Mosaic’s proposal to the county to expand phosphate mining operations at its Wingate East property on Saturday.
Contaminated well concerns prompt protests after Mosaic sinkhole incident
Chip Osowski | WFLA | September 17, 2016
Concerns over contaminated wells prompted a handful of protesters to gather in front of Mulberry City Hall. They held signs, hoping to hold the Mosaic Corporation accountable.
- A Community Voice
- Alliance for Affordable Energy
- Climate Reality New Orleans
- Coalition Against Death Alley
- Healthy Gulf
- Justice and Beyond
- Louisiana Bucket Brigade
- Louisiana League of Conscious Voters
- New Orleans Office Sierra Club
- Poor Peoples Campaign
- SouthWings
- Sunrise Movement, New Orleans
- RISE St. James
- 350 New Orleans
& Lawsuits
Central Florida Homeowners Sue The Mosaic Company over Radiation Health Risks from Phosphate Mining
Lanier Law Firm | PR Newswire | May 7, 2020
Homeowners in two central Florida neighborhoods built atop abandoned phosphate mines have filed a federal lawsuit against The Mosaic Company, charging that the Minnesota-based company, as well as two real estate developers who are also defendants, failed to warn residents about widespread contamination in ....
Locals file lawsuit as Mosaic's Florida sinkhole reaches aquifer
Luis Nonito Pasuelo | S&P Global Market Intelligence | September 28, 2016
Mosaic Co. believes that the 45-feet sinkhole, which opened at its New Wales phosphate fertilizer facility in Florida in late August, has reached the Floridian aquifer, a source of drinking water for the locals, Bloomberg News reported.
Mosaic Fertilizer, LLC Reaches Regulatory Settlement In Florida And Louisiana
PR Newswire | October 1, 2015
Mosaic Fertilizer, LLC, a subsidiary of The Mosaic Company (NYSE: MOS), today announced that it has reached settlements with federal and state environmental agencies to resolve claims about how the company has managed certain onsite waste materials at its fertilizer manufacturing facilities in Florida and Louisiana.
Mosaic Co settles U.S. environment claims for over $800 mln
Reuters | October 1, 2015
Fertilizer maker Mosaic Co has reached a settlement worth more than $800 million with U.S. regulators over its waste management practices at plants in Florida and Louisiana.
The Mosaic Company Announces Settlement of South Fort Meade Phosphate Mine Litigation
PR Newswire | February 21, 2012
Mosaic Company announced today a settlement agreement with the Sierra Club, Manasota-88, and People for Protecting the Peace River in litigation challenging the company's federal wetlands permit at the South Fort Meade mine. This permit allows mining of the Hardee County Extension near Bowling Green, Florida.
Environmental Impact
Piney Point cleanup, closure might take three years or longer
Zachary T. Sampson | Tampa Bay Times | March 4, 2022
It could take until the end of 2024 or longer to shut down Piney Point, the troubled old fertilizer plant property that set off an environmental crisis last spring in Tampa Bay.
Tampa Bay saw its worst red tide in 50 years. How much blame does the Piney Point spill get?
Daniel Figueroa IV | Florida Politics | January 28, 2022
Tampa Bay in July saw its worst red tide event in 50 years just months after failure at Manatee County’s Piney Point Phosphate Plant led to more than 200 million gallons of contaminated water being dumped into the bay.
Piney Point crisis: Environmental concerns grow as millions of gallons of contaminated water enter bay
Allyson Herring | WFLA | April 5, 2021
Crews are doing whatever it takes to avoid a complete collapse of the gypsum stack at Piney Point. A big part of those around-the-clock efforts involve emptying out the leaking reservoir.
Eaters of the earth: How the fertilizer industry leaves a trail of destruction across the American South
Boyce Upholt | The Counter | April 22, 2020
Phosphate rock allowed farmers to stop using manure fertilizer, kicking us into the modern era of agriculture. But those who live near the mining industry’s epicenter fear its huge towers of radioactive sludge will pour into their backyards.
'If there's a spill, it's a disaster': living next to a giant lake of radioactive waste
Lauren Zanolli | The Guardian | November 16, 2019
Louisiana activists are fighting to stop industrial development in a polluted, economically struggling area, and a major concern is a fertilizer plant
Feds, state consult with Mosaic on potential reservoir breach as residents worry
John Wright | The Lens | January 31, 2019
Federal and state environmental officials met in St. James Parish with representatives of Mosaic Fertilizer, LLC Wednesday to discuss efforts to prevent a potential environmental catastrophe in the heart of Cancer Alley: a collapse of a nearly 200-foot-tall wall of mineral waste and the subsequent release of acidic wastewater ....
Florida sinkhole at Mosaic fertilizer site leaks radioactive water
Rod Nickel | Reuters | September 27, 2016
A sinkhole spanning 45 feet (13.7 meters) in diameter opened at a Mosaic Co phosphate fertilizer facility in Florida, leaking 215 million gallons of “slightly radioactive water,” a company spokesman said on Friday.
Phosphate giant Mosaic agrees to pay nearly $2 billion over mishandling of hazardous waste
Craig Pittman | Tamba Bay Times | October 1, 2015
Mosaic Fertilizer, the world's largest phosphate mining company, has agreed to pay nearly $2 billion to settle a federal lawsuit over hazardous waste and to clean up operations at six Florida sites and two in Louisiana, the Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday.
& Relations
Eighty salaried employees lose jobs as Mosaic keeps Colonsay mine idled
Alex MacPherson | The Star Phoenix | January 28, 2020
Around 80 salaried employees at Mosaic Co.’s Colonsay mine east of Saskatoon are out of a job after the potash mining company signalled its intention to keep the facility off-line “for the foreseeable future.”
Sask. potash mine layoffs will have 'devastating' impact, says union president
Alicia Bridges | CBC | July 14, 2016
Mosaic laid off about 330 workers at Colonsay, Sask., mine on Wednesday
Mosaic laying off 51 workers across Saskatchewan
CTV Regina | CTV News | March 24, 2014
Potash giant Mosaic Co. says it is laying off 51 workers across Saskatchewan, citing market conditions.
Financials
Note: Most recent list is not always the most complete list.
- Mosaic Company Subsidiaries (via U.S. SEC 2018)
- Mosaic Company Subsidiaries (via U.S. SEC)
- Mosaic Company Subsidiaries (via U.S. SEC)
- Mosaic Company Subsidiaries (via Fintel 2020)
Croctail Subsidiary Tool using the CorpWatch API - This API extracts the subsidiary relationship information from Exhibit 21 of companies' 10-K filings with the US SEC.
- CIK numbers link to SEC database (EDGAR)
- Section 21 links to SEC list of companies.
- Mosaic Company Croctail Profile
Click here for the latest data.
Political Influence
Open Secrets - Tracks corporate lobbying of US politicians.
OpenSecrets.org Profile of Mosaic Company
Import & Export Data
ImportYeti - Shipping Tracking Tool - Bill of ladings are public information that are too cost prohibitive, challenging to obtain and difficult to use for the average joe. ImportYeti's goal is to solve that problem.
- ImportYeti Profile of Mosaic Comopany
& Evasion
Protectionism rising, as US company accuses OCP of unfair competition
Estelle Maussion | The Africa Report | February 11, 2021
The Biden administration has confirmed that it wants to tax Moroccan fertiliser imports, but the pan-African giant OCP is still hoping to avoid the worst
Mosaic Co. Enters Joint Venture in Saudi Arabia
Davis Michaelsen | AgWeb | March 19, 2013
The Mosaic Company today announced a $7 billion greenfield project, to be known as Wa'ad Al Shammal Phosphate Project as part of a Heads of Agreement with Ma'aden and the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation.
Technip to design Mosaic Louisiana ammonia plant
Hydrocarbon Processing | January 3, 2013
Mosaic on Thursday awarded Technip with the front-end engineering and design (FEED) contract, as well as preparation of the corresponding engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) proposal, for a new ammonia plant under consideration in Louisiana.
The Mosaic Company Announces Potential $700 Million Ammonia Plant in St. James Parish
Greater New Orleans Inc | December 21, 2012
Today, Greater New Orleans, Inc., Gov. Bobby Jindal, St. James Parish President Timmy Roussel, and The Mosaic Company’s Richard Krakowski announced Mosaic is beginning front-end engineering and design work on a potential $700 million ammonia production plant at the company’s existing Faustina site in St. James Parish.
Procurement
Mosaic Corporation contracts with the U.S. Federal Government (via USA Spending)