About Smoky Canyon

The Smoky Canyon Phosphate Resources is located in the rugged highlands of the Caribou National Forest, approximately 20 miles from Afton, Wyoming in Idaho [see Maps]. Operations at Smoky Canyon consist primarily of open-pit mining for phosphate ore, milling the ore into a fine powder, then mixing the powdered ore with water to create a slurry. The ore slurry is transported via an 87-mile underground pipeline to Pocatello, Idaho, where it is manufactured into fertilizer at Simplot’s Don Plant. The Smoky Canyon Mine produces over 2 million tons of phosphate ore annually. More on Phosphate Mining

The Smoky Canyon facility was developed in 1983, following completion of 40 years of mining operations at the Company’s Gay Mine on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation north of Pocatello. Mining, milling, and shipping began at Smoky Canyon in 1984. Smoky Canyon is now the sole supplier of phosphate ore to the Don Plant fertilizer manufacturing facility. During regular operations Smoky Canyon employs 200 people in a range of operations, maintenance and management positions. More on Smoky Canyon History

The plant is operated as part of the Mining & Manufacturing Group of the J.R. Simplot Company, a privately held agribusiness company. The M&M Group is focused on meeting the needs of its customers through the safe, affordable extraction of natural resources, the manufacture of fertilizers for modern agriculture, and the distribution of the highest-quality agricultural products. Along with the rest of the J.R. Simplot Company, the employees of Smoky Canyon recognize and embrace the duties of a company dedicated to Bringing Earth’s Resources to Life. More on Management Philosophy