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                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.8

                                  $179,600,000

                            SALT HOLDINGS CORPORATION

                 12% SENIOR SUBORDINATED DISCOUNT NOTES DUE 2013

                          REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

                                                                    May 22, 2003

Credit Suisse First Boston LLC
J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
Credit Lyonnais Securities (USA) Inc.
c/o Credit Suisse First Boston LLC
    Eleven Madison Avenue
    New York, New York 10010-3629

Ladies and Gentlemen:

          Salt Holdings Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "ISSUER" or the
"COMPANY"), proposes to issue to Credit Suisse First Boston LLC, J.P. Morgan
Securities Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and Credit Lyonnais Securities
(USA) Inc. (collectively, the "INITIAL PURCHASERS"), upon the terms set forth in
a purchase agreement dated May 19, 2003 (the "PURCHASE AGREEMENT"), $179,600,000
aggregate principal amount at maturity of its 12% Senior Subordinated Discount
Notes Due 2013 (the "INITIAL SECURITIES"). The Initial Securities will be issued
pursuant to an Indenture, dated as of May 22, 2003 (the "INDENTURE"), between
the Issuer and The Bank of New York, as trustee (the "TRUSTEE"). As an
inducement to the Initial Purchasers to enter into the Purchase Agreement, the
Company agrees with the Initial Purchasers, for the benefit of the Initial
Purchasers and the holders of the Securities (as defined below) (collectively
the "HOLDERS"), as follows:

          1.     REGISTERED EXCHANGE OFFER. Unless not permitted by applicable
law (after the Company has complied with the ultimate paragraph of this Section
1), the Company shall prepare and, not later than 120 days (such 120th day being
an "Exchange Filing Deadline") after the date on which the Initial Purchasers
receive the Initial Securities pursuant to the Purchase Agreement (the "Closing
Date"), file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") a
registration statement (the "Exchange Offer Registration Statement") on an
appropriate form under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities

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Act"),with respect to a proposed offer (the "Registered Exchange Offer") to the
Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities (as defined in Section 6 hereof), who
are not prohibited by any law or policy of the Commission from participating in
the Registered Exchange Offer, to issue and deliver to such Holders, in exchange
for the Initial Securities, a like aggregate accreted value and aggregate
principal amount at maturity of debt securities of the Company issued under the
Indenture, identical in all material respects to the Initial Securities and
registered under the Securities Act (the "Exchange Securities"). The Company
shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to (i) cause such Exchange Offer
Registration Statement to become effective under the Securities Act within 180
days after the Closing Date (such 180th day being an "Exchange Effectiveness
Deadline") and (ii) keep the Exchange Offer Registration Statement effective for
not less than 20 business days (or longer, if required by applicable law) after
the date notice of the Registered Exchange Offer is mailed to the Holders (such
period being called the "Exchange Offer Registration Period").

          If the Company commences the Registered Exchange Offer, the Company
will be required to consummate the Registered Exchange Offer no later than 210
days after the Closing Date (such 210th day being the "CONSUMMATION DEADLINE").

          Following the declaration of the effectiveness of the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement, the Company shall promptly commence the Registered
Exchange Offer, it being the objective of such Registered Exchange Offer to
enable each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities electing to exchange the
Initial Securities for Exchange Securities (assuming that such Holder is not an
affiliate of the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act, acquires the
Exchange Securities in the ordinary course of such Holder's business and has no
arrangements with any person to participate in the distribution of the Exchange
Securities and is not prohibited by any law or policy of the Commission from
participating in the Registered Exchange Offer) to trade such Exchange
Securities from and after their receipt without any limitations or restrictions
under the Securities Act and without material restrictions under the securities
laws of the several states of the United States.

          The Company acknowledges that, pursuant to current interpretations by
the Commission's staff of Section 5 of the Securities Act, in the absence of an
applicable exemption therefrom, (i) each Holder which is a broker-dealer
electing to exchange Initial Securities, acquired for its own account as a
result of market making activities or other trading activities, for Exchange
Securities (an "EXCHANGING DEALER"), is required to deliver a prospectus
containing the information set forth in (a) Annex A hereto on the cover, (b)
Annex B hereto in the "Exchange Offer Procedures" section and the "Purpose of
the Exchange Offer" section, and (c) Annex C hereto in the "Plan of
Distribution" section of such prospectus in connection with a sale of any such
Exchange Securities received by such Exchanging Dealer pursuant to the
Registered Exchange Offer and (ii) an Initial Purchaser that elects to sell
Securities (as defined below) acquired in exchange for Initial Securities
constituting any portion of an unsold allotment, is required to deliver a
prospectus containing the information required by Items 507

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or 508 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, as applicable, in connection
with such sale.

          The Company shall use its best efforts to keep the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement effective and to amend and supplement the prospectus
contained therein, in order to permit such prospectus to be lawfully delivered
by all persons subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities
Act for such period of time as such persons must comply with such requirements
in order to resell the Exchange Securities; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that (i) in the
case where such prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto must be
delivered by an Exchanging Dealer or an Initial Purchaser, such period shall be
the lesser of 180 days and the date on which all Exchanging Dealers and the
Initial Purchasers have sold all Exchange Securities held by them (unless such
period is extended pursuant to Section 3(j) below) and (ii) the Company shall
make such prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto available to any
broker-dealer for use in connection with any resale of any Exchange Securities
for a period of not less than 180 days after the consummation of the Registered
Exchange Offer.

          If, upon consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer, any Initial
Purchaser holds Initial Securities acquired by it as part of its initial
distribution, the Company, simultaneously with the delivery of the Exchange
Securities pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer, shall issue and deliver to
such Initial Purchaser upon the written request of such Initial Purchaser, in
exchange (the "PRIVATE EXCHANGE") for the Initial Securities held by such
Initial Purchaser, a like accreted value and principal amount at maturity of
debt securities of the Company issued under the Indenture and identical in all
material respects to the Initial Securities (the "PRIVATE EXCHANGE SECURITIES").
The Initial Securities, the Exchange Securities and the Private Exchange
Securities are herein collectively called the "SECURITIES".

          In connection with the Registered Exchange Offer, the Company shall:

          (a)    mail to each Holder a copy of the prospectus forming part of
the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, together with an appropriate letter
of transmittal and related documents;

          (b)    keep the Registered Exchange Offer open for not less than 20
business days (or longer, if required by applicable law) after the date notice
thereof is mailed to the Holders;

          (c)    utilize the services of a depositary for the Registered
Exchange Offer with an address in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New
York, which may be the Trustee or an affiliate of the Trustee;

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          (d)    permit Holders to withdraw tendered Securities at any time
prior to the close of business, New York time, on the last business day on which
the Registered Exchange Offer shall remain open; and

          (e)    otherwise comply with all applicable laws.

          As soon as practicable after the close of the Registered Exchange
Offer or the Private Exchange, as the case may be, the Company shall:

          (x)  accept for exchange all the Securities validly tendered and not
     withdrawn pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and the Private
     Exchange;

          (y)  deliver to the Trustee for cancellation all the Initial
          Securities so accepted for exchange; and

          (z)  cause the Trustee to authenticate and deliver promptly to each
     Holder of the Initial Securities, Exchange Securities or Private Exchange
     Securities, as the case may be, equal in accreted value and principal
     amount at maturity to the Initial Securities of such Holder so accepted for
     exchange.

          The Indenture provides that the Exchange Securities will not be
subject to the transfer restrictions set forth in the Indenture and that all the
Securities will vote and consent together on all matters as one class and that
none of the Securities will have the right to vote or consent as a class
separate from one another on any matter.

          To the extent applicable, interest on each Exchange Security and
Private Exchange Security issued pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and
in the Private Exchange will accrue from the last interest payment date on which
interest was paid on the Initial Securities surrendered in exchange therefor or,
if no interest has been paid on the Initial Securities, from June 1, 2008.

          Each Holder participating in the Registered Exchange Offer shall be
required to represent to the Company that at the time of the consummation of the
Registered Exchange Offer (i) any Exchange Securities received by such Holder
will be acquired in the ordinary course of business, (ii) such Holder will have
no arrangements or understanding with any person to participate in the
distribution of the Securities or the Exchange Securities within the meaning of
the Securities Act, (iii) such Holder is not an "affiliate," as defined in Rule
405 of the Securities Act, of the Company or if it is an affiliate, such Holder
will comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the
Securities Act to the extent applicable, (iv) if such Holder is not a
broker-dealer, that it is not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, the
distribution of the Exchange Securities and (v) if such Holder is a
broker-dealer, that it will receive Exchange Securities for its own account in
exchange for Initial

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Securities that were acquired as a result of market-making activities or other
trading activities and that it will be required to acknowledge that it will
deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities.

          Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, the Company will ensure
that (i) any Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any amendment thereto and
any prospectus forming part thereof and any supplement thereto complies in all
material respects with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations
thereunder, (ii) any Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any amendment
thereto does not, when it becomes effective, contain an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and (iii) any prospectus
forming part of any Exchange Offer Registration Statement, and any supplement to
such prospectus, does not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit
to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading.

          If following the date hereof there has been announced a change in
Commission policy with respect to exchange offers that in the reasonable opinion
of counsel to the Company raises a substantial question as to whether the
Registered Exchange Offer is permitted by applicable federal law, the Company
will seek a no-action letter or other favorable decision from the Commission
allowing the Company to consummate the Registered Exchange Offer. The Company
will pursue the issuance of such a decision to the Commission staff level. In
connection with the foregoing, the Company will take all such other actions as
may be requested by the Commission or otherwise required in connection with the
issuance of such decision, including without limitation (i) participating in
telephonic conferences with the Commission, (ii) delivering to the Commission
staff an analysis prepared by counsel to the Company setting forth the legal
bases, if any, upon which such counsel has concluded that the Registered
Exchange Offer should be permitted and (iii) diligently pursuing a resolution
(which need not be favorable) by the Commission staff.

          2.     SHELF REGISTRATION. If, (i) because of any change in law or in
applicable interpretations thereof by the staff of the Commission, the Company
is not permitted to effect a Registered Exchange Offer, as contemplated by
Section 1 hereof, (ii) the Registered Exchange Offer is not consummated by the
210th day after the Closing Date, (iii) any Initial Purchaser so requests with
respect to the Initial Securities (or the Private Exchange Securities) not
eligible to be exchanged for Exchange Securities in the Registered Exchange
Offer and held by it following consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer or
(iv) any Holder (other than an Exchanging Dealer) is not eligible to participate
in the Registered Exchange Offer or, in the case of any Holder (other than an
Exchanging Dealer) that participates in the Registered Exchange Offer, such
Holder does not receive freely tradeable Exchange Securities on the date of the
exchange and any such Holder so requests, the Company shall take the following
actions (the date on which any of the conditions described in the foregoing

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clauses (i) through (iv) occur, including in the case of clauses (iii) or (iv)
the receipt of the required notice, being a "TRIGGER DATE"):

          (a)    The Company shall promptly (but in no event more than 120 days
after the Trigger Date (such 120th day being a "SHELF FILING DEADLINE," each of
the Exchange Filing Deadline and the Shelf Filing Deadline, a "FILING DEADLINE")
file with the Commission and thereafter use commercially reasonable efforts to
cause to be declared effective no later than 180 days after the Trigger Date
(such 180th day being a "SHELF EFFECTIVENESS DEADLINE," each of the Exchange
Effectiveness Deadline and the Shelf Effectiveness Deadline, an "EFFECTIVENESS
DEADLINE") a registration statement (the "SHELF REGISTRATION STATEMENT" and,
together with the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, a "REGISTRATION
STATEMENT") on an appropriate form under the Securities Act relating to the
offer and sale of the Transfer Restricted Securities by the Holders thereof from
time to time in accordance with the methods of distribution set forth in the
Shelf Registration Statement and Rule 415 under the Securities Act (hereinafter,
the "SHELF REGISTRATION"); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that no Holder (other than an
Initial Purchaser) shall be entitled to have the Securities held by it covered
by such Shelf Registration Statement unless such Holder agrees in writing to be
bound by all the provisions of this Agreement applicable to such Holder.

          (b)    The Company shall use its best efforts to keep the Shelf
Registration Statement continuously effective in order to permit the prospectus
included therein to be lawfully delivered by the Holders of the relevant
Securities, for a period of two years (or for such longer period if extended
pursuant to Section 3(j) below) from the date of its effectiveness or such
shorter period that will terminate when all the Securities covered by the Shelf
Registration Statement (i) have been sold pursuant thereto or (ii) are no longer
restricted securities (as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act, or any
successor rule thereof). The Company shall be deemed not to have used its best
efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement effective during the requisite
period if it voluntarily takes any action that would result in Holders of
Securities covered thereby not being able to offer and sell such Securities
during that period, unless such action is required by applicable law.

          (c)    Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement to the
contrary, the Company shall cause the Shelf Registration Statement and the
related prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, as of the effective
date of the Shelf Registration Statement, amendment or supplement, (i) to comply
in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act
and the rules and regulations of the Commission and (ii) not to contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light
of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

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          3.     REGISTRATION PROCEDURES.  In connection with any Shelf
Registration contemplated by Section 2 hereof and, to the extent applicable, any
Registered Exchange Offer contemplated by Section 1 hereof, the following
provisions shall apply:

          (a)    The Company shall (i) furnish to each Initial Purchaser, prior
to the filing thereof with the Commission, a copy of the Registration Statement
and each amendment thereof and each supplement, if any, to the prospectus
included therein and, in the event that an Initial Purchaser (with respect to
any portion of an unsold allotment from the original offering) is participating
in the Registered Exchange Offer or the Shelf Registration Statement, the
Company shall use its best efforts to reflect in each such document, when so
filed with the Commission, such comments as such Initial Purchaser reasonably
may propose; (ii) include the information set forth in Annex A hereto on the
cover, in Annex B hereto in the "Exchange Offer Procedures" section and the
"Purpose of the Exchange Offer" section and in Annex C hereto in the "Plan of
Distribution" section of the prospectus forming a part of the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement and include the information set forth in Annex D hereto
in the Letter of Transmittal delivered pursuant to the Registered Exchange
Offer; (iii) if requested by an Initial Purchaser, include the information
required by Items 507 or 508 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, as
applicable, in the prospectus forming a part of the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement; (iv) include within the prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement a section entitled "Plan of Distribution," reasonably
acceptable to the Initial Purchasers, which shall contain a summary statement of
the positions taken or policies made by the staff of the Commission with respect
to the potential "underwriter" status of any broker-dealer that is the
beneficial owner (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended (the "EXCHANGE ACT")) of Exchange Securities received by such
broker-dealer in the Registered Exchange Offer (a "PARTICIPATING
BROKER-DEALER"), whether such positions or policies have been publicly
disseminated by the staff of the Commission or such positions or policies, in
the reasonable judgment of the Initial Purchasers based upon advice of counsel
(which may be in-house counsel), represent the prevailing views of the staff of
the Commission; and (v) in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, include
the names of the Holders who propose to sell Securities pursuant to the Shelf
Registration Statement as selling securityholders.

          (b)    The Company shall give written notice to the Initial
Purchasers, the Holders of the Securities and any Participating Broker-Dealer
from whom the Company has received prior written notice that it will be a
Participating Broker-Dealer in the Registered Exchange Offer (which notice
pursuant to clauses (ii)-(v) hereof shall be accompanied by an instruction to
suspend the use of the prospectus until the requisite changes have been made):

            (i)  when the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto has
been filed with the Commission and when the Registration Statement or any
post-effective amendment thereto has become effective;

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           (ii)  of any request by the Commission for amendments or supplements
to the Registration Statement or the prospectus included therein or for
additional information;

          (iii)  of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending
the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the initiation of any
proceedings for that purpose;

           (iv)  of the receipt by the Company or its legal counsel of any
notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the
Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any
proceeding for such purpose; and

            (v)  of the happening of any event that requires the Company to make
changes in the Registration Statement or the prospectus in order that the
Registration Statement or the prospectus do not contain an untrue statement of a
material fact nor omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of the prospectus, in
light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading.

          (c)    The Company shall make every reasonable effort to obtain the
withdrawal at the earliest possible time, of any order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement.

          (d)    The Company shall furnish to each Holder of Securities included
within the coverage of the Shelf Registration, without charge, at least one copy
of the Shelf Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto,
including financial statements and schedules, and, if the Holder so requests in
writing, all exhibits thereto (including those, if any, incorporated by
reference).

          (e)    The Company shall deliver to each Exchanging Dealer and each
Initial Purchaser, and to any other Holder who so requests, without charge, at
least one copy of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any
post-effective amendment thereto, including financial statements and schedules,
and, if any Initial Purchaser or any such Holder requests, all exhibits thereto
(including those incorporated by reference).

          (f)    The Company shall, during the Shelf Registration Period,
deliver to each Holder of Securities included within the coverage of the Shelf
Registration, without charge, as many copies of the prospectus (including each
preliminary prospectus) included in the Shelf Registration Statement and any
amendment or supplement thereto as such person may reasonably request. The
Company consents, subject to the provisions of this Agreement, to the use of the
prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders
of the Securities in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities
covered by the prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, included in
the Shelf Registration Statement.

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          (g)    The Company shall deliver to each Initial Purchaser, any
Exchanging Dealer, any Participating Broker-Dealer and such other persons
required to deliver a prospectus following the Registered Exchange Offer,
without charge, as many copies of the final prospectus included in the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto as such
persons may reasonably request. The Company consents, subject to the provisions
of this Agreement, to the use of the prospectus or any amendment or supplement
thereto by any Initial Purchaser, if necessary, any Participating Broker-Dealer
and such other persons required to deliver a prospectus following the Registered
Exchange Offer in connection with the offering and sale of the Exchange
Securities covered by the prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto,
included in such Exchange Offer Registration Statement.

          (h)    Prior to any public offering of the Securities pursuant to any
Registration Statement the Company shall register or qualify or cooperate with
the Holders of the Securities included therein and their respective counsel in
connection with the registration or qualification of the Securities for offer
and sale under the securities or "blue sky" laws of such states of the United
States as any Holder of the Securities reasonably requests in writing and do any
and all other acts or things necessary or advisable to enable the offer and sale
in such jurisdictions of the Securities covered by such Registration Statement;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify
generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified
or (ii) take any action which would subject it to general service of process or
to taxation in any jurisdiction where it is not then so subject.

          (i)    The Company shall cooperate with the Holders of the Securities
to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing
the Securities to be sold pursuant to any Registration Statement free of any
restrictive legends and in such denominations and registered in such names as
the Holders may request a reasonable period of time prior to sales of the
Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement.

          (j)    Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by paragraphs
(ii) through (v) of Section 3(b) above during the period for which the Company
is required to maintain an effective Registration Statement, the Company shall
promptly prepare and file a post-effective amendment to the Registration
Statement or a supplement to the related prospectus and any other required
document so that, as thereafter delivered to Holders of the Securities or
purchasers of Securities, the prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of
a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading. If the Company notifies the Initial
Purchasers, the Holders of the Securities and any known Participating
Broker-Dealer in accordance with paragraphs (ii) through (v) of Section 3(b)
above to suspend the use of the prospectus until the requisite changes to the
prospectus have been made, then the Initial Purchasers, the Holders of the
Securities and any such Participating Broker-Dealers shall suspend use of such
prospectus, and the period of effectiveness

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of the Shelf Registration Statement provided for in Section 2(b) above and the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement provided for in Section 1 above shall each
be extended by the number of days from and including the date of the giving of
such notice to and including the date when the Initial Purchasers, the Holders
of the Securities and any known Participating Broker-Dealer shall have received
such amended or supplemented prospectus pursuant to this Section 3(j).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may suspend the offering and sales
under the Exchange Offer Registration Statement subsequent to the consummation
of the Registered Exchange Offer or the Shelf Registration Statement for up to
90 days in each year during which such Exchange Offer Registration Statement is
required to be effective and usable hereunder subsequent to the consummation of
the Registered Exchange Offer or such Shelf Registration Statement is required
to be effective and usable hereunder (measured from the date of effectiveness of
such Shelf Registration Statement to successive anniversaries thereof) if (A)
either (x)(I) the Company shall be engaged in a material acquisition or
disposition and (II)(aa) such acquisition or disposition is required to be
disclosed in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement or the Shelf Registration
Statement, the related prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or the
failure by the Company to disclose such transaction in the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement or the Shelf Registration Statement or related
prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, as then amended or
supplemented, would cause such Exchange Offer Registration Statement or Shelf
Registration Statement, prospectus or amendment or supplement thereto, to
contain an untrue statement of material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, in light of
the circumstances under which they were made, (bb) information regarding the
existence of such acquisition or disposition has not then been publicly
disclosed by or on behalf of the Company and (cc) a majority of the Board of
Directors of the Company determines in the exercise of its good faith judgment
that disclosure of such acquisition or disposition would not be in the best
interest of the Company or would have a material adverse effect on the
consummation of such acquisition or disposition or (y) a majority of the Board
of Directors of the Company determines in the exercise of its good faith
judgment that compliance with the disclosure obligations set forth in this
Section 3(j) would otherwise have a material adverse effect on the Company and
its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and (B) the Company notifies the Holders
within two business days after such Board of Directors makes the relevant
determination set forth in clause (A); provided, however, that in each such case
the applicable period of effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement
provided for in Section 2(b) above and the Exchange Offer Registration Statement
provided for in Section 1 above shall each be extended by the number of days
during which such effectiveness was suspended pursuant to the foregoing and
Additional Interest shall not apply during any period the Company is permitted
to suspend offerings and sales under this sentence.

          (k)    Not later than the effective date of the applicable
Registration Statement, the Company will provide a CUSIP number for the Initial
Securities, the Exchange Securities or the Private Exchange Securities, as the
case may be, and provide the applicable

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trustee with printed certificates for the Initial Securities, the Exchange
Securities or the Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be, in a form
eligible for deposit with The Depository Trust Company.

          (l)    The Company will comply with all rules and regulations of the
Commission to the extent and so long as they are applicable to the Registered
Exchange Offer or the Shelf Registration and will make generally available to
its security holders (or otherwise provide in accordance with Section 11(a) of
the Securities Act) an earnings statement satisfying the provisions of Section
11(a) of the Securities Act, no later than 45 days after the end of a 12-month
period (or 90 days, if such period is a fiscal year) beginning with the first
month of the Company's first fiscal quarter commencing after the effective date
of the Registration Statement, which statement shall cover such 12-month period.

          (m)    The Company shall cause the Indenture to be qualified under the
Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, in a timely manner and containing such
changes, if any, as shall be necessary for such qualification. In the event that
such qualification would require the appointment of a new trustee under the
Indenture, the Company shall appoint a new trustee thereunder pursuant to the
applicable provisions of the Indenture.

          (n)    The Company may require each Holder of Securities to be sold
pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement to furnish to the Company such
information regarding the Holder and the distribution of the Securities as the
Company may from time to time reasonably require for inclusion in the Shelf
Registration Statement, and the Company may exclude from such registration the
Securities of any Holder that unreasonably fails to furnish such information
within a reasonable time after receiving such request.

          (o)    The Company shall enter into such customary agreements and take
all such other action, if any, as any Holder of the Securities shall reasonably
request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Securities pursuant to any
Shelf Registration.

          (p)    In the case of any Shelf Registration, the Company shall (i)
make reasonably available for inspection by the Holders of the Securities, any
attorney, accountant or other advisor retained by the Holders of the Securities
all relevant financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and
properties of the Company and (ii) cause the Company's officers, directors,
employees, accountants and auditors to supply all relevant information
reasonably requested by the Holders of the Securities, attorney, accountant or
advisor in connection with the Shelf Registration Statement, in each case, as
shall be reasonably necessary to enable such persons, to conduct a reasonable
investigation within the meaning of Section 11 of the Securities Act; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that the foregoing inspection and information gathering shall be
coordinated on behalf of the Initial Purchasers by you and on behalf of the
other parties, by one counsel designated by and on behalf of such other parties
as described in Section 4 hereof.

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          (q)    In the case of any Shelf Registration, the Company, if
requested by any Holder of Securities covered thereby, shall cause (i) its
counsel to deliver an opinion relating to the Securities in customary form
addressed to such Holders and dated the effective date of such Shelf
Registration Statement (it being agreed that the matters to be covered by such
opinion shall include, without limitation, the due incorporation and good
standing of the Company and its subsidiaries; the qualification of the Company
and its subsidiaries to transact business as foreign corporations; the due
authorization, execution and delivery of the relevant agreement of the type
referred to in Section 3(o) hereof; the due authorization, execution,
authentication and issuance, and the validity and enforceability, of the
applicable Securities; the absence of material legal or governmental proceedings
involving the Company and its subsidiaries; the absence of governmental
approvals required to be obtained in connection with the Shelf Registration
Statement, the offering and sale of the applicable Securities, or any agreement
of the type referred to in Section 3(o) hereof; the compliance as to form of
such Shelf Registration Statement and any documents incorporated by reference
therein and of the Indenture with the requirements of the Securities Act and the
Trust Indenture Act, respectively; and, as of the date of the opinion and as of
the effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement or most recent
post-effective amendment thereto, as the case may be, the absence from such
Shelf Registration Statement and the prospectus included therein, as then
amended or supplemented, and from any documents incorporated by reference
therein of an untrue statement of a material fact or the omission to state
therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading (in the case of any such documents, in the
light of the circumstances existing at the time that such documents were filed
with the Commission under the Exchange Act), all in the manner covered by the
opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP delivered to the Purchasers on the date hereof
and (ii) its independent public accountants to provide to the selling Holders of
the applicable Securities a comfort letter in customary form and covering
matters of the type customarily covered in comfort letters to selling security
holders in a shelf registration, subject to receipt of appropriate documentation
as contemplated, and only if permitted, by Statement of Auditing Standards No.
72.

          (r)    If a Registered Exchange Offer or a Private Exchange is to be
consummated, upon delivery of the Initial Securities by Holders to the Company
(or to such other Person as directed by the Company) in exchange for the
Exchange Securities or the Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be, the
Company shall mark, or caused to be marked, on the Initial Securities so
exchanged that such Initial Securities are being canceled in exchange for the
Exchange Securities or the Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be; in
no event shall the Initial Securities be marked as paid or otherwise satisfied.

          (s)    The Company shall use its reasonable efforts to take all other
steps necessary to effect the registration of the Securities covered by a
Registration Statement contemplated hereby.

                                       12
<Page>

          4.     REGISTRATION EXPENSES.  (a) All expenses incident to the
Company's performance of and compliance with this Agreement will be borne by the
Company, regardless of whether a Registration Statement is ever filed or becomes
effective, including without limitation;

            (i)  all registration and filing fees and expenses;

           (ii)  all fees and expenses of compliance with federal securities and
state "blue sky" or securities laws;

          (iii)  all expenses of printing (including printing certificates for
the Securities to be issued in the Registered Exchange Offer and the Private
Exchange and printing of Prospectuses), messenger and delivery services and
telephone;

           (iv)  all fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company;

            (v)  all application and filing fees in connection with listing the
Exchange Securities on a national securities exchange or automated quotation
system pursuant to the requirements hereof; and

           (vi)  all fees and disbursements of independent certified public
accountants of the Company (including the expenses of any special audit and
comfort letters required by or incident to such performance).

The Company will bear its internal expenses (including, without limitation, all
salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or
accounting duties), the expenses of any annual audit and the fees and expenses
of any person, including special experts, retained by the Company.

          (b)    In connection with any Registration Statement required by this
Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Initial Purchasers and the Holders of
Transfer Restricted Securities who are tendering Initial Securities in the
Registered Exchange Offer and/or selling or reselling Securities pursuant to the
"Plan of Distribution" contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement or
the Shelf Registration Statement, as applicable, for the reasonable fees and
disbursements of not more than one counsel, who shall be Cahill Gordon & Reindel
LLP.

          5.     INDEMNIFICATION. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold
harmless each Holder of the Securities, any Participating Broker-Dealer and each
person, if any, who controls such Holder or such Participating Broker-Dealer
within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act (each Holder, any
Participating Broker-Dealer and such controlling persons are each referred to as
an "INDEMNIFIED PARTY" and, collectively as the

                                       13
<Page>

"INDEMNIFIED PARTIES") from and against any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities, joint or several, or any actions in respect thereof (including, but
not limited to, any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or actions relating to
purchases and sales of the Securities) to which each Indemnified Party may
become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar
as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or actions arise out of or are
based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in a Registration Statement or prospectus or in any amendment or
supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus relating to a Shelf
Registration, or arise out of, or are based upon, the omission or alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and shall reimburse, as
incurred, the Indemnified Parties for any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss,
claim, damage, liability or action in respect thereof; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that
(i) the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that such
loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in a
Registration Statement or prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto
or in any preliminary prospectus relating to a Shelf Registration in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information pertaining to such Holder and
furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Holder specifically for
inclusion therein and (ii) with respect to any untrue statement or omission or
alleged untrue statement or omission made in any preliminary prospectus relating
to a Shelf Registration Statement, the indemnity agreement contained in this
subsection (a) shall not inure to the benefit of any Holder or Participating
Broker-Dealer from whom the person asserting any such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities purchased the Securities concerned, to the extent that a prospectus
relating to such Securities was required to be delivered by such Holder or
Participating Broker-Dealer under the Securities Act in connection with such
purchase and any such loss, claim, damage or liability of such Holder or
Participating Broker-Dealer results from the fact that there was not sent or
given to such person, at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of
such Securities to such person, a copy of the final prospectus if the Company
had previously furnished copies thereof to such Holder or Participating
Broker-Dealer which final prospectus corrected such untrue statement or omission
or alleged untrue statement or omission made in any preliminary prospectus;
PROVIDED FURTHER, HOWEVER, that this indemnity agreement will be in addition to
any liability which the Company may otherwise have to such Indemnified Party.
The Company shall also indemnify underwriters, their officers and directors and
each person who controls such underwriters within the meaning of the Securities
Act or the Exchange Act to the same extent as provided above with respect to the
indemnification of the Holders of the Securities if requested by such Holders.
Any amounts advanced by the Company to an Indemnified Party pursuant to this
Section 5 as a result of any losses described herein shall be returned to the
Company if it shall be finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction
in a judgment not subject to appeal or further review that such Indemnified
Party was not entitled to such indemnification by the Company.

                                       14
<Page>

          (b)    Each Holder of the Securities, severally and not jointly, will
indemnify and hold harmless the Company and each person, if any, who controls
the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act from
and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities or any actions in respect
thereof, to which the Company or any such controlling person may become subject
under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses,
claims, damages, liabilities or actions arise out of or are based upon any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in a
Registration Statement or prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto
or in any preliminary prospectus relating to a Shelf Registration, or arise out
of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but in
each case only to the extent that the untrue statement or omission or alleged
untrue statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with
written information pertaining to such Holder and furnished to the Company by or
on behalf of such Holder specifically for inclusion therein; and, subject to the
limitation set forth immediately preceding this clause, shall reimburse, as
incurred, the Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the
Company or any such controlling person in connection with investigating or
defending any loss, claim, damage, liability or action in respect thereof. This
indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which such Holder may
otherwise have to the Company or any of its controlling persons.

          (c)    Promptly after receipt by an Indemnified Party under this
Section 5 of notice of the commencement of any action or proceeding (including a
governmental investigation), such Indemnified Party will, if a claim in respect
thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 5,
notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; PROVIDED that the
omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any
liability which it may have to any Indemnified Party under subsection (a) or (b)
above unless the indemnifying party is materially prejudiced thereby; and
PROVIDED, FURTHER, that the omission so to notify the indemnifying party will
not, in any event, relieve the indemnifying party from any obligations to any
Indemnified Party other than the indemnification obligation provided in
paragraph (a) or (b) above. In case any such action is brought against any
Indemnified Party, and it notifies the indemnifying party of the commencement
thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, to
the extent that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly
notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to
such Indemnified Party (who shall not, except with the consent of the
Indemnified Party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and after notice from
the indemnifying party to such Indemnified Party of its election so to assume
the defense thereof the indemnifying party will not be liable to such
Indemnified Party under this Section 5 for any legal or other expenses, other
than reasonable costs of investigation, subsequently incurred by such
Indemnified Party in connection with the defense thereof. In no event shall the
indemnifying party be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in
addition to any local counsel) separate from its own counsel for the Indemnified
Party in connection with

                                       15
<Page>

any one action or separate but related actions in the same jurisdiction arising
out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party
shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, effect any
settlement of any pending or threatened action in respect of which any
Indemnified Party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been
sought hereunder by such Indemnified Party unless such settlement includes an
unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability on any claims
that are the subject matter of such action, and does not include a statement as
to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of
any Indemnified Party.

          (d)    If the indemnification provided for in this Section 5 is
unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an Indemnified Party under
subsections (a) or (b) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to
the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of the losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to in
subsection (a) or (b) above (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect
the relative benefits received by the indemnifying party or parties on the one
hand and the Indemnified Party on the other from the exchange of the Securities,
pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer, or (ii) if the allocation provided by
the foregoing clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion
as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in
clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the indemnifying party or
parties on the one hand and the Indemnified Party on the other in connection
with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages
or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. The relative fault of the parties shall be determined
by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a
material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or
such Holder or such other Indemnified Party, as the case may be, on the other,
and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and
opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The amount paid by
an Indemnified Party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities
referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (d) shall be deemed to
include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified
Party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim which is
the subject of this subsection (d). Notwithstanding any other provision of this
Section 5(d), the Holders of the Securities shall not be required to contribute
any amount in excess of the amount by which the net proceeds received by such
Holders from the sale of the Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement
exceeds the amount of damages which such Holders have otherwise been required to
pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning
of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from
any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes
of this paragraph (d), each person, if any, who controls such Indemnified Party
within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act shall have the same
rights to contribution as such Indemnified Party and each person, if any, who
controls the

                                       16
<Page>

Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act shall have
the same rights to contribution as the Company.

          (e)    The agreements contained in this Section 5 shall survive the
sale of the Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement and shall remain in
full force and effect, regardless of any termination or cancellation of this
Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of any Indemnified Party.

          6.     ADDITIONAL INTEREST UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. (a) Additional
interest (the "ADDITIONAL INTEREST") with respect to the Securities shall be
assessed as follows if any of the following events occur (each such event in
clauses (i) through (iv) below being herein called a "REGISTRATION DEFAULT"):

            (i)  any Registration Statement required by this Agreement is not
filed with the Commission on or prior to the applicable Filing Deadline;

           (ii)  any Registration Statement required by this Agreement is not
declared effective by the Commission on or prior to the applicable Effectiveness
Deadline;

          (iii)  the Registered Exchange Offer has not been consummated on or
prior to the Consummation Deadline; or

           (iv)  any Registration Statement required by this Agreement has been
declared effective by the Commission but (A) such Registration Statement
thereafter ceases to be effective or (B) such Registration Statement or the
related prospectus ceases to be usable in connection with resales of Transfer
Restricted Securities during the periods specified herein because either (1) any
event occurs as a result of which the related prospectus forming part of such
Registration Statement would include any untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading, or (2) it
shall be necessary to amend such Registration Statement or supplement the
related prospectus, to comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or the
respective rules thereunder; provided, however, the Registration Default
referred to in this Section 6(a)(iv) shall be deemed not to have occurred and to
be continuing, and Additional Interest shall not accrue, during any period the
Company is permitted to suspend offerings and sales pursuant to Section 3(j).

Each of the foregoing will constitute a Registration Default whatever the reason
for any such event and whether it is voluntary or involuntary or is beyond the
control of the Company or pursuant to operation of law or as a result of any
action or inaction by the Commission .

          Additional Interest shall accrue on the Securities over and above the
interest set forth in the title of the Securities from and including the date on
which any such Registration

                                       17
<Page>

Default shall occur to but excluding the date on which all such Registration
Defaults have been cured, at a rate of 0.25% per annum (the "ADDITIONAL INTEREST
RATE") for the first 90-day period immediately following the occurrence of such
Registration Default. The Additional Interest Rate shall increase by an
additional 0.25% per annum with respect to each subsequent 90-day period until
all Registration Defaults have been cured, up to a maximum Additional Interest
Rate of 1.0% per annum.

          (b)    A Registration Default referred to in Section 6(a)(iv) hereof
shall be deemed not to have occurred and be continuing in relation to a Shelf
Registration Statement or the related prospectus if (i) such Registration
Default has occurred solely as a result of (x) the filing of a post-effective
amendment to such Shelf Registration Statement to incorporate annual audited
financial information with respect to the Company where such post-effective
amendment is not yet effective and needs to be declared effective to permit
Holders to use the related prospectus or (y) other material events, with respect
to the Company that would need to be described in such Shelf Registration
Statement or the related prospectus and (ii) in the case of clause (y), the
Company is proceeding promptly and in good faith to amend or supplement such
Shelf Registration Statement and related prospectus to describe such events;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in any case if such Registration Default occurs for a
continuous period in excess of 30 days, Additional Interest shall be payable in
accordance with the above paragraph from the day such Registration Default
occurs until such Registration Default is cured.

          (c)    Any amounts of Additional Interest due pursuant to Section 6(a)
that accrue prior to June 1, 2008 shall be added to the accreted value of each
Security and any amounts of Additional Interest that accrue thereafter shall be
payable in cash on the regular interest payment dates with respect to the
Securities. The amount of Additional Interest will be determined by multiplying
the applicable Additional Interest Rate by the accreted value of the Securities
and further multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of
days such Additional Interest Rate was applicable during such period (determined
on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months), and the
denominator of which is 360.

          (d)    "TRANSFER RESTRICTED SECURITIES" means each Security until (i)
the date on which such Security has been exchanged by a person other than a
broker-dealer for a freely transferable Exchange Security in the Registered
Exchange Offer, (ii) following the exchange by a broker-dealer in the Registered
Exchange Offer of an Initial Security for an Exchange Note, the date on which
such Exchange Note is sold to a purchaser who receives from such broker-dealer
on or prior to the date of such sale a copy of the prospectus contained in the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement, (iii) the date on which such Security has
been effectively registered under the Securities Act and disposed of in
accordance with the Shelf Registration Statement or (iv) the date on which such
Security is distributed to the public pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities
Act or is saleable pursuant to Rule 144(k) under the Securities Act.

                                       18
<Page>

          7.     RULES 144 AND 144A. The Company shall use its best efforts to
file the reports required to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the
Exchange Act in a timely manner and, if at any time the Company is not required
to file such reports, it will, upon the request of any Holder of Securities,
make available other information to the extent necessary to permit sales of
their securities pursuant to Rules 144 and 144A. The Company will provide a copy
of this Agreement to prospective purchasers of Initial Securities identified to
the Company by the Initial Purchasers upon request. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, nothing in this Section 7 shall be deemed to require the Company to
register any of its securities pursuant to the Exchange Act.

          8.     MISCELLANEOUS.

          (a)    REMEDIES. The Company acknowledges and agrees that any failure
by the Company to comply with its obligations under Section 1 and 2 hereof may
result in material irreparable injury to the Initial Purchasers or the Holders
for which there is no adequate remedy at law, that it will not be possible to
measure damages for such injuries precisely and that, in the event of any such
failure, the Initial Purchasers or any Holder may obtain such relief as may be
required to specifically enforce the Company's obligations under Sections 1 and
2 hereof. THE COMPANY FURTHER AGREES TO WAIVE THE DEFENSE IN ANY ACTION FOR
SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE THAT A REMEDY AT LAW WOULD BE ADEQUATE.

          (b)    NO INCONSISTENT AGREEMENTS. The Company will not on or after
the date of this Agreement enter into any agreement with respect to its
securities that could impair the rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement
or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof. The rights granted to the
Holders hereunder do not in any way conflict with the rights granted to the
holders of the Company's securities under any agreement in effect on the date
hereof.

          (c)    AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS. The provisions of this Agreement may
not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures
from the provisions hereof may not be given, except by the Company and the
written consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount at maturity of
the Securities affected by such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or
consents.

          (d)    NOTICES. All notices and other communications provided for or
permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand delivery, first-class mail,
facsimile transmission, or air courier which guarantees overnight delivery:

          (1)    if to a Holder of the Securities, at the most current address
given by such Holder to the Company.

          (2)    if to the Initial Purchasers;

                                       19
<Page>

                 Credit Suisse First Boston LLC
                 Eleven Madison Avenue
                 New York, NY 10010-3629
                 Fax No.: (212) 325-8278
                 Attention: Transactions Advisory Group

          with a copy to:

                 Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP
                 80 Pine Street
                 New York, NY 10005
                 Fax No.: (212) 269-5420
                 Attention: John A. Tripodoro, Esq.

          (3)    if to the Company, at its address as follows:

                 Compass Minerals Group, Inc.
                 8300 College Boulevard
                 Overland Park, KS 66210
                 Fax No.: (913) 338-7932
                 Attention: Chief Financial Officer

                                       20
<Page>

          with a copy to:

                 Latham & Watkins LLP
                 885 Third Avenue
                 New York, NY 10022
                 Fax No.: (212) 751-4864
                 Attention: Gregory Ezring, Esq.

          All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly
     given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; three
     business days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if
     mailed; when receipt is acknowledged by recipient's facsimile machine
     operator, if sent by facsimile transmission; and on the day delivered, if
     sent by overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery.

          (e)    THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES. The Holders shall be third party
beneficiaries to the agreements made hereunder between the Company, on the one
hand, and the Initial Purchasers, on the other hand, and shall have the right to
enforce such agreements directly to the extent they may deem such enforcement
necessary or advisable to protect their rights or the rights of Holders
hereunder.

          (f)    SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS.  This Agreement shall be binding upon
the Company and its successors and assigns. A Holder of Securities takes such
Securities subject to the terms of this Agreement.

          (g)    COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which
when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken
together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

          (h)    HEADINGS.  The headings in this Agreement are for convenience
of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.

          (i)    GOVERNING LAW.  THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND
CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

          (j)    SEVERABILITY. If any one or more of the provisions contained
herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal
or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of any such
provision in every other respect and of the remaining provisions contained
herein shall not be affected or impaired thereby.

                                       21
<Page>

          (k)    SECURITIES HELD BY THE COMPANY. Whenever the consent or
approval of Holders of a specified percentage of principal amount at maturity of
Securities is required hereunder, Securities held by the Company or its
affiliates (other than subsequent Holders of Securities if such subsequent
Holders are deemed to be affiliates solely by reason of their holdings of such
Securities) shall not be counted in determining whether such consent or approval
was given by the Holders of such required percentage.

          By the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Issuer submits to
the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal and state courts in the Borough of
Manhattan in The City of New York in any suit or proceeding arising out of or
relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

                                       22
<Page>

          If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our
agreement, please sign and return to the Issuer a counterpart hereof, whereupon
this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement
among the several Initial Purchasers and the Issuer in accordance with its
terms.

                                             Very truly yours,

                                             SALT HOLDINGS CORPORATION

                                        By:
                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Name:
                                            Title:

The foregoing Registration
Rights Agreement is hereby confirmed
and accepted as of the date first
above written.

CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON LLC
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.
DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES INC.
CREDIT LYONNAIS SECURITIES (USA) INC.

By:  CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON LLC

By
   -------------------------------------
   Name:
   Title:

                                       23
<Page>

                                                                         ANNEX A

          Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own
account pursuant to the Exchange Offer must acknowledge that it will deliver a
prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities. The Letter
of Transmittal states that by so acknowledging and by delivering a prospectus, a
broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an "underwriter" within the
meaning of the Securities Act. This Prospectus, as it may be amended or
supplemented from time to time, may be used by a broker-dealer in connection
with resales of Exchange Securities received in exchange for Initial Securities
where such Initial Securities were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of
market-making activities or other trading activities. The Company has agreed
that, for a period of 180 days after the Expiration Date (as defined herein), it
will make this Prospectus available to any broker-dealer for use in connection
with any such resale. See "Plan of Distribution."

<Page>

                                                                         ANNEX B

          Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own
account in exchange for Initial Securities, where such Initial Securities were
acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making activities or other
trading activities, must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in
connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities. See "Plan of
Distribution."

<Page>

                                                                         ANNEX C

                              PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

          Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own
account pursuant to the Exchange Offer must acknowledge that it will deliver a
prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities. This
Prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, may be used
by a broker-dealer in connection with resales of Exchange Securities received in
exchange for Initial Securities where such Initial Securities were acquired as a
result of market-making activities or other trading activities. The Company has
agreed that, for a period of 180 days after the Expiration Date, it will make
this prospectus, as amended or supplemented, available to any broker-dealer for
use in connection with any such resale. In addition, until,          200[ ], all
dealers effecting transactions in the Exchange Securities may be required to
deliver a prospectus.(1)

          The Company will not receive any proceeds from any sale of Exchange
Securities by broker-dealers. Exchange Securities received by broker-dealers for
their own account pursuant to the Exchange Offer may be sold from time to time
in one or more transactions in the over-the-counter market, in negotiated
transactions, through the writing of options on the Exchange Securities or a
combination of such methods of resale, at market prices prevailing at the time
of resale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices or negotiated
prices. Any such resale may be made directly to purchasers or to or through
brokers or dealers who may receive compensation in the form of commissions or
concessions from any such broker-dealer or the purchasers of any such Exchange
Securities. Any broker-dealer that resells Exchange Securities that were
received by it for its own account pursuant to the Exchange Offer and any broker
or dealer that participates in a distribution of such Exchange Securities may be
deemed to be an "underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act and any
profit on any such resale of Exchange Securities and any commission or
concessions received by any such persons may be deemed to be underwriting
compensation under the Securities Act. The Letter of Transmittal states that, by
acknowledging that it will deliver and by delivering a prospectus, a
broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an "underwriter" within the
meaning of the Securities Act.

----------
(1)  In addition, the legend required by Item 502(b) of Regulation S-K will
     appear on the back cover page of the Exchange Offer prospectus.

<Page>

          For a period of 180 days after the Expiration Date the Company will
promptly send additional copies of this Prospectus and any amendment or
supplement to this Prospectus to any broker-dealer that requests such documents
in the Letter of Transmittal. The Company has agreed to pay all expenses
incident to the Exchange Offer (including the expenses of one counsel for the
Holders of the Securities) other than commissions or concessions of any brokers
or dealers and will indemnify the Holders of the Securities (including any
broker-dealers) against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the
Securities Act.

                                        2
<Page>

                                                                         ANNEX D

/ /  CHECK HERE IF YOU ARE A BROKER-DEALER AND WISH TO RECEIVE 10 ADDITIONAL
     COPIES OF THE PROSPECTUS AND 10 COPIES OF ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS
     THERETO.

          Name:
                   -------------------------------------------------
          Address:
                   -------------------------------------------------

If the undersigned is not a broker-dealer, the undersigned represents that it is
not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, a distribution of Exchange
Securities. If the undersigned is a broker-dealer that will receive Exchange
Securities for its own account in exchange for Initial Securities that were
acquired as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, it
acknowledges that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of
such Exchange Securities; however, by so acknowledging and by delivering a
prospectus, the undersigned will not be deemed to admit that it is an
"underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act.<Page>

                                                                    Exhibit 10.6

                                                                  EXECUTION COPY

          AMENDMENT No. 2 (this "AMENDMENT") dated as of May 5, 2003, to the
     CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of November 28, 2001, as amended and restated as
     of April 10, 2002, and as further amended as of December 19, 2002 (the
     "CREDIT AGREEMENT"), among SALT HOLDINGS CORPORATION, COMPASS MINERALS
     GROUP, INC., SIFTO CANADA INC., SALT UNION LIMITED, the LENDERS from time
     to time party thereto, JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, as Administrative Agent, J.P.
     MORGAN BANK CANADA, as Canadian Agent, and J.P. MORGAN EUROPE LIMITED
     (formerly known as CHASE MANHATTAN INTERNATIONAL LIMITED), as UK Agent.

     A.  Pursuant to the Credit Agreement, the Lenders have extended credit
to the Borrowers, and have agreed to extend credit to the Borrowers, in each
case pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein.

     B.  Holdings has requested that the Lenders agree to amend certain
provisions of the Credit Agreement pursuant to the terms and subject to the
conditions set forth herein to permit the US Borrower to use the proceeds of
a US Revolving Borrowing in an aggregate principal amount of up to
$60,000,000 to pay Permitted Dividends (as defined below).  Holdings has
further requested that the Lenders agree to amend certain provisions of the
Credit Agreement pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions set
forth herein to permit the US Borrower to incur Indebtedness, in an aggregate
principal amount of not more than $60,000,000, in the form of either (a)
additional terms loans under the Credit Agreement (as amended hereby) or (b)
additional unsecured subordinated Indebtedness (all Indebtedness that may be
incurred by the US Borrower pursuant to this Recital B, "PERMITTED DIVIDEND
INDEBTEDNESS"), to pay Permitted Dividends.

     C.  Holdings has requested that the Lenders agree to amend certain
provisions of the Credit Agreement pursuant to the terms and subject to the
conditions set forth herein to permit (a) the payment by the US Borrower of
Dividends to Holdings in an aggregate amount of not more than $120,000,000
paid out of (x) the proceeds of Permitted Dividend Indebtedness and (y) cash
on hand of the US Borrower (such Dividends, the "PERMITTED US BORROWER
DIVIDENDS"), and (b) the payment by Holdings of Dividends and the repurchase
or repayment by Holdings of Indebtedness of Holdings owing to Persons other
than the Apollo Group or Management Participants (collectively such other
Persons, "PERMITTED RECIPIENTS") with the proceeds of the Permitted US
Borrower Dividends, provided that not more than $60,000,000 of such proceeds
may be used to pay a pro rata dividend or distribution in respect of
Holdings's common stock and the remaining amount shall be used to pay
Dividends in respect of equity interests in Holdings held by Permitted
Recipients and to repurchase or repay Indebtedness of Holdings to Permitted
Recipients (such Dividends and repurchase or repayment of Indebtedness
payable by Holdings together with the Permitted US Borrower Dividends,
"PERMITTED DIVIDENDS").

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     D.  The undersigned Lenders are willing, pursuant to the terms and
subject to the conditions set forth herein, so to amend the Credit Agreement.

     E.  J.P. Morgan Bank Canada has requested to resign from the performance
of all its functions and duties as Canadian Agent under the Credit Agreement
and under the other Credit Documents and Holdings and the Required Lenders
are willing to appoint JPMorgan Chase Bank, Toronto Branch, as successor
Canadian Agent thereunder.

     F.  Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the
respective meanings assigned to them in the Credit Agreement (as amended
hereby).

     Accordingly, in consideration of the mutual agreements herein contained
and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of
which are hereby acknowledged, and subject to the conditions set forth
herein, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

     SECTION 1.  AMENDMENTS TO SECTION 1.01.  Section 1.01 of the Credit
Agreement is hereby amended by inserting the following definitions in the
appropriate alphabetical order to read as follows:

          "ADDITIONAL LENDER" shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.23.

          "INCREMENTAL TERM LOAN AMENDMENT" shall have the meaning provided
     in Section 2.23.

          "INCREMENTAL TERM LOAN COMMITMENTS" shall have the meaning provided
     in Section 2.23.

          "INCREMENTAL TERM LOANS" shall have the meaning provided in Section
     2.23.

          "PERMITTED DIVIDENDS" shall mean (a) the Permitted US Borrower
     Dividends and (b) the Permitted Holdings Dividends.

          "PERMITTED DIVIDEND INDEBTEDNESS" shall mean (a) a US Revolving
     Borrowing in an aggregate principal amount of not more than $60,000,000,
     (b) Incremental Term Loans in an aggregate principal amount of not more
     than (x) $60,000,000 less (y) the aggregate principal amount of
     Subordinated Repurchase Indebtedness (whether previously issued or to be
     issued concurrently with the incurrence of the Incremental Term Loans) and
     (c) Subordinated Repurchase Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount
     of not more than (x) $60,000,000 less (y) the aggregate principal amount
     of all Incremental Term Loans (whether previously incurred or to be
     incurred concurrently with the incurrence of such Subordinated Repurchase
     Indebtedness); PROVIDED that the aggregate amount of Permitted Dividend
     Indebtedness shall in no event exceed (x) $120,000,000 less (y) the cash
     on hand of the US Borrower to be used to pay the Permitted US Borrower
     Dividends (except to the extent such cash is used to pay the Permitted US
     Borrower Dividends as a result of the payment of transaction costs
     incurred in connection

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<Page>

     with the Permitted Dividend Indebtedness from the proceeds of such
     Permitted Dividend Indebtedness).

          "PERMITTED HOLDINGS DIVIDENDS" shall mean the payment by Holdings
     of Dividends and the repurchase or repayment by Holdings of Indebtedness
     of Holdings owing to Permitted Recipients with the proceeds of the
     Permitted US Borrower Dividends; PROVIDED that not more than $60,000,000
     of such proceeds may be used to pay a pro rata dividend or distribution in
     respect of Holdings's common stock and the remaining amount shall be used
     to pay Dividends in respect of equity interests in Holdings held by
     Permitted Recipients and to repurchase or repay Indebtedness of Holdings
     to Permitted Recipients.

          "PERMITTED RECIPIENTS" shall mean Persons other than the Apollo
     Group or Management Participants.

          "PERMITTED US BORROWER DIVIDENDS" shall mean the payment by the US
     Borrower of Dividends to Holdings in an aggregate amount of not more than
     $120,000,000 paid out of (x) the proceeds of Permitted Dividend
     Indebtedness and (y) cash on hand of the US Borrower.

          "SUBORDINATED REPURCHASE INDEBTEDNESS" shall mean unsecured
     subordinated Indebtedness of the US Borrower reasonably satisfactory to
     the Administrative Agent (i) that is subordinated to the Obligations at
     least to the same extent as the Senior Subordinated Notes are subordinated
     to the Obligations, (ii) that contains payment blockage provisions that
     are no less favorable to the Lenders than the payment  blockage provisions
     of the Senior Subordinated Notes, (iii) that otherwise contains terms and
     conditions (including, without limitation, the maturity thereof, the
     interest rate applicable thereto (PROVIDED that Subordinated Repurchase
     Indebtedness may bear interest at a rate or be issued at a discount that
     together result in a yield that is a market yield at the time of issuance
     thereof), amortization, defaults, voting rights, covenants and events of
     default) that are no less favorable to the Lenders than the terms and
     conditions of the Senior Subordinated Notes and (iv) that shall not be
     guaranteed by any Subsidiary of Holdings unless such guaranty is
     subordinated to the Guaranty pursuant to the US Collateral and Guaranty
     Agreement on terms no less favorable to the Lenders than the subordination
     provisions of the Senior Subordinated Notes.

          SECTION 2.  AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE II.  Article II of the Credit
Agreement is hereby amended as follows:

          (a) Section 2.12(d) of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by
inserting the following text at the end of the parenthetical beginning on line
3 thereof after the words "as in effect on the Amendment and Restatement
Effective Date" and prior to the ")":

          "and Indebtedness constituting Permitted Dividend Indebtedness".

          (b) Article II of the Credit Agreement is further amended hereby by
adding the following as Section 2.23:

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<Page>

          SECTION 2.23.  INCREMENTAL TERM LOANS.  (a)  The US Borrower may at
     any time, by notice to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly
     deliver a copy to each of the Lenders), request an additional tranche of
     term loans (the "INCREMENTAL TERM LOANS"); PROVIDED, that (x) at the time
     that any such Incremental Term Loan is made (and after giving effect
     thereto), (i) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be
     continuing, (ii) the Adjusted Senior Leverage Ratio, on a pro forma basis
     (including, to the extent any Permitted Acquisition or Subsidiary
     Redesignation has occurred during the applicable Test Period, giving
     effect to such Permitted Acquisition and/or Subsidiary Redesignation on a
     Pro Forma Basis) after giving effect to the incurrence of the Incremental
     Term Loans (and any additional incurrence of Subordinated Repurchase
     Indebtedness in connection with a Permitted Dividend to the extent not
     otherwise reflected on the balance sheet of the US Borrower as of the last
     day of the most recently ended four fiscal quarters) and the application
     of the proceeds therefrom, as of the last day of the most recently ended
     four fiscal quarters of the US Borrower, shall not exceed 2.00 to 1.00,
     (iii) the US Borrower shall be in compliance, on a pro forma basis
     (including, to the extent any Permitted Acquisition or Subsidiary
     Redesignation has occurred during the applicable Test Period, giving
     effect to such Permitted Acquisition and/or Subsidiary Redesignation on a
     Pro Forma Basis) after giving effect to the incurrence of the Incremental
     Term Loans (and any additional incurrence of Subordinated Repurchase
     Indebtedness in connection with a Permitted Dividend to the extent not
     otherwise reflected on the balance sheet of the US Borrower as of the last
     day of the most recently ended four fiscal quarters) and the application
     of the proceeds therefrom, with Section 7.09 and Section 7.10 of the
     Credit Agreement computed as if such Indebtedness had been outstanding
     during the most recently ended period of four consecutive fiscal quarters
     of the US Borrower, (iv) the incurrence of any such Incremental Term Loans
     has been duly authorized by the US Borrower, and (v) the US Borrower has
     delivered to the Administrative Agent a certificate to the effect set
     forth in clauses (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) above, together with all
     relevant calculations related thereto; and (y) the US Borrower shall,
     within five Business Days of the date on which the US Borrower receives
     the proceeds from the incurrence of any Incremental Term Loans, pay
     Permitted US Borrower Dividends (and, at the option of the US Borrower,
     related transaction costs) with such proceeds and Holdings shall promptly
     thereafter utilize the proceeds of such Permitted Dividend to pay
     Permitted Holdings Dividends.  The Incremental Term Loans (A) shall,
     subject to the proviso to the definition of Permitted Dividend
     Indebtedness, be in an aggregate principal amount not in excess of (x)
     $60,000,000 less (y) the aggregate principal amount of Subordinated
     Repurchase Indebtedness (whether previously issued or to be issued
     concurrently with the incurrence of the Incremental Term Loans), (B) shall
     rank pari passu in right of payment, security and guarantees with the
     Revolving Loans and the Term Loans, (C) shall not mature earlier than the
     Term Loan Maturity Date (but may, subject to clause (D) below, have
     amortization prior to such date), (D) shall not have a weighted average
     life that is shorter than that of the Term Loans, (E) shall accrue
     interest at a rate determined at the time the commitments to provide such
     Incremental Term Loans

                                         4
<Page>

     are obtained (it being understood that the Incremental Term Loans may be
     priced differently from the Term Loans), and (F) shall, except as set
     forth above, have terms identical to and be treated the same as the Term
     Loans for all purposes of the Credit Documents (including with respect to
     mandatory and voluntary prepayments).  In lieu of requesting an additional
     tranche of term loans, the US Borrower may, in such notice, request that
     the Incremental Term Loans constitute additional Term Loans which shall
     have terms identical to the existing Term Loans.  Such notice shall set
     forth (a) the requested amount of Incremental Term Loans, together with
     all relevant calculations confirming compliance with clause (A) of the
     second preceding sentence, and (b) the proposed terms of the Incremental
     Term Loans (or, if applicable, that the US Borrower wishes that the
     Incremental Term Loans constitute additional Term Loans which shall have
     terms identical to the existing Term Loans).

          (b)  In the event that existing Lenders provide commitments in an
     aggregate amount less than the total amount of the Incremental Term Loans
     requested by the US Borrower, the US Borrower may arrange for one or more
     banks or other financial institutions (any such bank or other financial
     institution being called an "ADDITIONAL LENDER") to extend commitments to
     provide Incremental Term Loans in an aggregate amount equal to the
     unsubscribed amount.  All commitments in respect of Incremental Term Loans
     (the "INCREMENTAL TERM LOAN COMMITMENTS") shall become Commitments under
     this Agreement pursuant to an amendment (the "INCREMENTAL TERM LOAN
     AMENDMENT") to this Agreement and, as appropriate, the other Credit
     Documents, executed by Holdings, the Borrowers and, as appropriate, each
     other Credit Party, each Lender agreeing to provide such Incremental Term
     Loan Commitments, if any, each Additional Lender, if any, and the
     Administrative Agent.  The Incremental Term Loan Amendment may, without
     the consent of any other Lender, effect such amendments to this Agreement
     and the other Credit Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the
     reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent, to effect the provisions
     of this Section.  The effectiveness of the Incremental Term Loan Amendment
     shall be subject to the satisfaction on the date thereof of each of the
     conditions set forth in Section 4.01 (it being understood that all
     references to "the time of each such Credit Event" and "the date of such
     Credit Event" in such Section 4.01 shall be deemed to refer to the
     effective date of such Incremental Term Loan Amendment) and such other
     conditions as the parties thereto shall agree (provided that such other
     conditions shall not contain any financial conditions that are more
     restrictive on Holdings and the Borrower than those set forth in Section
     2.23(a)(x)(ii) and (iii)).  No Lender shall be obligated to provide any
     Incremental Term Loans, unless it so agrees.

          SECTION 3.     AMENDMENT TO SECTION 5.05.  Section 5.05 of the
Credit Agreement is hereby amended by adding the following as Section
5.05(g):

          (g) The proceeds of Permitted Dividend Indebtedness shall be
     utilized by the US Borrower, within five Business Days of the date on
     which the US Borrower receives such proceeds, and by Holdings, promptly
     thereafter, to pay Permitted Dividends.  A portion of the proceeds of
     Permitted Dividend Indebtedness may be

                                        5
<Page>

     used to pay transaction costs, including, as applicable, any underwriting,
     brokerage or other customary commissions and legal, advisory and other
     fees and expenses associated therewith, related thereto.

          SECTION 4.     AMENDMENT TO SECTION 6.17.  Section 6.17(a) of the
     Credit Agreement is hereby amended by deleting clause (i) thereof in its
     entirety and inserting in lieu thereof the following:

               (i) from any asset sale by Holdings, any incurrence of
          Indebtedness by Holdings, any Recovery Event affecting Holdings or
          its property or assets, any sale or issuance of its equity, any cash
          capital contributions to it or any tax refunds received by it and

          SECTION 5.     AMENDMENT TO SECTION 7.02.  Section 7.02 of the
Credit Agreement is hereby amended by (a) deleting the word "and" at the end
of clause (o) thereof, (b) replacing the period at the end of clause (p)
thereof with "; and" and (c) inserting at the end of such Section:

          (q) Holdings and the US Borrower may pay the Dividends permitted to
     be paid by Holdings and the US Borrower, respectively, pursuant to Section
     7.06.

          SECTION 6.     AMENDMENT TO SECTION 7.04.  Section 7.04 of the
Credit Agreement is hereby amended by (a) deleting the word "and" at the end
of clause (q) thereof, (b) replacing the period at the end of clause (r)
thereof with "; and" and (c) inserting at the end of such Section:

          (s) Subordinated Repurchase Indebtedness in an aggregate principal
     amount, subject to the proviso to the definition of Permitted Dividend
     Indebtedness, of not more than (x) $60,000,000 less (y) the aggregate
     principal amount of all Incremental Term Loans (whether previously
     incurred or to be incurred concurrently with the incurrence of such
     Subordinated Repurchase Indebtedness); PROVIDED that (x) upon the
     incurrence of such Subordinated Repurchase Indebtedness (and after giving
     effect thereto), (i) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred
     and be continuing, (ii) the Adjusted Senior Leverage Ratio, on a pro forma
     basis (including, to the extent any Permitted Acquisition or Subsidiary
     Redesignation has occurred during the applicable Test Period, giving
     effect to such Permitted Acquisition and/or Subsidiary Redesignation on a
     Pro Forma Basis) after giving

                                        6
<Page>

     effect to the incurrence of such Subordinated Repurchase Indebtedness (and
     any additional incurrence of Incremental Term Loans in connection with a
     Permitted Dividend to the extent not otherwise reflected on the balance
     sheet of the US Borrower as of the last day of the most recently ended
     four fiscal quarters) and the application of the proceeds therefrom, as of
     the last day of the most recently ended four fiscal quarters of the US
     Borrower, shall not exceed 2.00 to 1.00, (iii) the US Borrower shall be in
     compliance, on a pro forma basis (including, to the extent any Permitted
     Acquisition or Subsidiary Redesignation has occurred during the applicable
     Test Period, giving effect to such Permitted Acquisition and/or Subsidiary
     Redesignation on a Pro Forma Basis) after giving effect to the incurrence
     of such Subordinated Repurchase Indebtedness (and any additional
     incurrence of Incremental Term Loans in connection with a Permitted
     Dividend to the extent not otherwise reflected on the balance sheet of the
     US Borrower as of the last day of the most recently ended four fiscal
     quarters) and the application of the proceeds therefrom, with Section 7.09
     and Section 7.10 of the Credit Agreement computed as if such Indebtedness
     had been outstanding during the most recently ended period of four
     consecutive fiscal quarters of the US Borrower, (iv) the incurrence
     of any such Subordinated Repurchase Indebtedness has been duly authorized
     by the US Borrower, and (v) the US Borrower has delivered to the
     Administrative Agent a certificate to the effect set forth in clauses (i),
     (ii), (iii) and (iv) above, together with all relevant calculations
     related thereto; and (y) the US Borrower shall, within five Business Days
     of the date on which the US Borrower receives the proceeds from the
     incurrence of any Subordinated Repurchase Indebtedness, pay Permitted US
     Borrower Dividends (and, at the option of the US Borrower, related
     transaction costs) with such proceeds and Holdings shall promptly
     thereafter utilize the proceeds of such Permitted Dividend to pay
     Permitted Holdings Dividends.

     SECTION 7.  AMENDMENT TO SECTION 7.06.  Section 7.06 of the Credit
Agreement is hereby amended by (a) deleting the word "and" at the end of
clause (k) thereof, (b) replacing the period at the end of clause (l) thereof
with "; and" and (c) inserting at the end of such Section:

          (m) the US Borrower may pay Permitted US Borrower Dividends and
     Holdings may pay Permitted Holdings Dividends with the proceeds thereof;
     PROVIDED that (a) Holdings shall use the proceeds of Permitted US Borrower
     Dividends solely to pay Permitted Holdings Dividends and not for any other
     purpose, (b) immediately after the declaration and payment of any
     Permitted Dividend (after giving effect to any Permitted Dividend
     Indebtedness incurred in connection therewith), (x) the US Borrower will
     be in compliance with Section 7.09 and Section 7.10 of the Credit
     Agreement on a pro forma basis (including, to the extent any Permitted
     Acquisition or Subsidiary Redesignation has occurred during the applicable
     Test Period, giving effect to such Permitted Acquisition and/or Subsidiary
     Redesignation on a Pro Forma Basis) as if such Permitted Dividend
     Indebtedness (and any Permitted Dividend Indebtedness previously incurred
     in connection with any prior Permitted Dividends to the extent not
     otherwise reflected on the balance sheet of the US Borrower as of the last
     day of the most recently ended four fiscal quarters) had been outstanding
     during the most recently ended period of four consecutive fiscal quarters
     of the US Borrower and (y) no Default or Event of Default shall have
     occurred and be continuing, (c) prior to the payment of any Permitted
     Dividend, the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate,
     dated the date of payment of such Permitted Dividend and signed by the
     chief financial officer of the US Borrower, (x) confirming compliance,
     after giving effect to all Permitted Dividend Indebtedness incurred on or
     prior to the date of such Permitted Dividend and the declaration and
     payment of any Permitted Dividends on or prior to such date, with the
     Senior Subordinated Note Indenture and setting forth in reasonable detail
     the calculations upon which

                                        7
<Page>

     such confirmation is based and (y) certifying that the declaration and
     payment of Permitted US Borrower Dividends has been duly authorized by the
     US Borrower and (d) prior to the payment of any Permitted Holdings
     Dividends, the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate
     signed by an appropriate officer of Holdings certifying that the
     declaration and payment of Permitted Holdings Dividends has been duly
     authorized by Holdings.

          SECTION 8.  AMENDMENT TO SECTION 7.12.  Section 7.12 of the Credit
Agreement is hereby amended by (a) deleting the word "or" at the end of
clause (e) thereof, (b) replacing the "." at the end of clause (f) thereof
with a ";" and (c) inserting the following at the end of such Section:

     PROVIDED that nothing in this Section 7.12 shall prohibit (x) the payment
     of Permitted Holdings Dividends or (y) the amendment or modification of
     any of the agreements or organizational documents referred to in this
     Section 7.12 necessary to permit such payment to the extent that such
     amendment or modification is reasonably satisfactory in form and substance
     to the Administrative Agent.

          SECTION 9.  CANADIAN AGENT.  Effective 5:00 p.m., New York City
time, on the date hereof, the undersigned Lenders hereby appoint JPMorgan
Chase Bank, Toronto Branch, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, Toronto Branch, hereby
agrees to act upon the express conditions contained in Article IX of the
Credit Agreement, as successor Canadian Agent to act as specified in the
Credit Agreement and in the other Credit Documents, at which time the
resignation of J.P. Morgan Bank Canada from the performance of all its
functions and duties as Canadian Agent under the Credit Agreement and under
the other Credit Documents shall take effect.  Following such appointment,
any reference in the Credit Agreement or any other Credit Document to the
"Canadian Agent" shall be to JPMorgan Chase Bank, Toronto Branch, acting in
its capacity as Canadian Agent, and not to J.P. Morgan Bank Canada, acting in
its capacity as Canadian Agent.  The fees payable by the Credit Parties to
the successor Canadian Agent shall be the same as those payable to its
predecessor Canadian Agent unless otherwise agreed in writing between the
applicable Credit Parties and JPMorgan Chase Bank, Toronto Branch.  After
J.P. Morgan Bank Canada's resignation as Canadian Agent under the Credit
Agreement and the other Credit Documents, the provisions of Article IX and
Section 10.01 of the Credit Agreement shall continue in effect for the
benefit of such retiring Canadian Agent, its sub-agents and their respective
officers, directors, employees, representatives, trustees, affiliates and
agents in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them
while J.P. Morgan Bank Canada was acting as Canadian Agent.

          SECTION 10.  REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.  Each of Holdings and
the Borrowers represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders that:

          (a)  This Amendment has been duly authorized, executed and delivered
     by each of Holdings and the Borrowers and constitutes a legal, valid and
     binding obligation of each of Holdings and the Borrowers, enforceable in
     accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
     reorganization, moratorium

                                        8
<Page>

     or other laws affecting creditors' rights generally and subject to general
     principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in
     equity or at law.

          (b)  None of the execution, delivery or performance by any of
     Holdings or the Borrowers of this Amendment, the compliance by any of
     Holdings or the Borrowers with the terms and provisions hereof, the
     declaration and payment of any Permitted Dividend, or the incurrence of
     any Permitted Dividend Indebtedness (i) will contravene any material
     provision of any applicable law, statute, rule or regulation, or any
     order, writ, injunction or decree of any Governmental Authority, (ii)
     will conflict or be inconsistent with, or result in any breach of, any of
     the terms, covenants, conditions or provisions of, or constitute a default
     under, or result in the creation or imposition of (or the obligation to
     create or impose) any Lien upon any of the property or assets of Holdings
     or any Borrower or any of their respective Subsidiaries pursuant to the
     terms of any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, credit
     agreement or any other material agreement or instrument to which Holdings
     or any Borrower or any of their respective Subsidiaries is a party or by
     which Holdings or any Borrower or any of their respective Subsidiaries or
     any of the property or assets of Holdings or any Borrower or any of their
     respective Subsidiaries are bound or to which Holdings or any Borrower or
     any of their respective Subsidiaries may be subject or (iii) will violate
     any provision of the certificate or articles of incorporation, by-laws,
     certificate of partnership, partnership agreement, certificate of limited
     liability company, limited liability company agreement or equivalent
     organizational document, as the case may be, of Holdings or any Borrower
     or any of their respective Subsidiaries.

          (c)  The representations and warranties of each of Holdings and
     each Borrower set forth in the Credit Documents are true and correct on
     and as of the date hereof, except to the extent such representations and
     warranties expressly relate to an earlier date, in which case such
     representations and warranties are true and correct as of such earlier
     date.

          (d)  Immediately prior to and after giving effect to this Amendment,
     no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

          SECTION 11.  AMENDMENT FEE.  In consideration of the agreements of
the Lenders contained in this Amendment, the US Borrower agrees to pay to the
Administrative Agent, for the account of each consenting Lender that delivers
an executed counterpart of this Amendment to the Administrative Agent prior
to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on May 5, 2003, an amendment fee in an
amount equal to 0.175% of such Lender's Revolving Loan Commitments and
outstanding Term Loans (other than Incremental Term Loans) as of such date.

          SECTION 12.  CONDITIONS TO EFFECTIVENESS.  This Amendment shall
become effective as of the date first above written when (a) the
Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts of this Amendment that,
when taken together, bear the signatures of Holdings, each Borrower and the
Required Lenders, and (b) all fees (including the amendment fees contemplated
by Section 11 hereof) and expenses required to be paid or

                                        9
<Page>

     reimbursed by the US Borrower under or in connection with this Amendment
     or the Credit Agreement shall have been paid or reimbursed, as applicable.

          SECTION 13.  CREDIT AGREEMENT.  Except as specifically set forth
herein, this Amendment shall not by implication or otherwise limit, impair,
constitute a waiver of, or otherwise affect the rights and remedies of the
Lenders, any Agent, the Collateral Agent, Holdings or any Borrower under the
Credit Agreement or any other Credit Document, and shall not alter, modify,
amend or in any way affect any of the terms, conditions, obligations,
covenants or agreements contained in the Credit Agreement or any other Credit
Document, all of which are ratified and affirmed in all respects and shall
continue in full force and effect.  Nothing herein shall be deemed to entitle
Holdings or any Borrower to a consent to, or a waiver, amendment,
modification or other change of, any of the terms, conditions, obligations,
covenants or agreements contained in the Credit Agreement or any other Credit
Document in similar or different circumstances.  After the date hereof, any
reference to the Credit Agreement shall mean the Credit Agreement as amended
and waived hereby.  This Amendment shall be a Credit Document for all
purposes.

          SECTION 14.  APPLICABLE LAW.  THIS AMENDMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY,
AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

          SECTION 15.  COUNTERPARTS.  This Amendment may be executed in two
or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original but all of
which when taken together shall constitute but one agreement.  Delivery of an
executed signature page to this Amendment by facsimile or other electronic
transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually signed counterpart
of this Amendment.

          SECTION 16.  EXPENSES.  The US Borrower agrees to reimburse the
Administrative Agent for its out-of-pocket expenses in connection with this
Amendment, including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, counsel for the Administrative Agent.

          SECTION 17.  HEADINGS.  The Section headings used herein are for
convenience of reference only, are not part of this Amendment and are not to
affect the construction of, or to be taken into consideration in
interpreting, this Amendment.

                                       10
<Page>

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be
duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year
first written above.

                                             SALT HOLDINGS CORPORATION,

                                             By____________________________
                                               Name:
                                               Title:

                                             COMPASS MINERALS GROUP, INC.,
                                             as US Borrower,

                                             By____________________________
                                               Name:
                                               Title:

                                             SIFTO CANADA INC., as Canadian
                                             Borrower,

                                             By____________________________
                                               Name:
                                               Title:

                                             SALT UNION LIMITED, as UK
                                             Borrower,

                                             By____________________________
                                               Name:
                                               Title:

                                             JPMORGAN CHASE BANK,
                                             individually and as Administrative
                                             Agent

                                             By____________________________
                                               Name:
                                               Title:

                                       11
<Page>

                                             J.P. MORGAN BANK CANADA, as
                                             resigning Canadian Agent,

                                             By____________________________
                                               Name:
                                               Title:

                                             JPMORGAN CHASE BANK,
                                             TORONTO BRANCH, as successor
                                             Canadian Agent,

                                             By____________________________
                                               Name:
                                               Title:

                                             J.P. MORGAN EUROPE LIMITED,
                                             as UK Agent,

                                             By____________________________
                                               Name:
                                               Title:

                                             CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON,
                                             individually and as Co-
                                             Documentation Agent,

                                             By____________________________
                                               Name:
                                               Title:

                                             CREDIT LYONNAIS NEW YORK
                                             BRANCH, individually and as Co-
                                             Documentation Agent,

                                             By____________________________
                                               Name:
                                               Title:

                                       12
<Page>

                                             SIGNATURE PAGE TO AMENDMENT NO. 2,
                                             DATED AS OF MAY 5, 2003, TO THE
                                             COMPASS MINERALS GROUP, INC.
                                             CREDIT AGREEMENT

To Approve the Amendment:

                                             Name of Institution:

                                             ___________________________________

                                             by_________________________________
                                               Name:
                                               Title:

                                       13

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