Potash: Deposits, Processing, Properties and Uses - Hardcover

Garrett, D.E.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0412990717 ISBN 13: 9780412990717

Publisher: Springer, 1995

Synopsis

Potash is the term generally given to potassium chloride, but it is also loosely applied to the various potassium compounds used in agriculture: po­ tassium sulfate, potassium nitrate or double salts of potassium and magne­ sium sulfate (generally langbeinite, K S0 · 2MgS0 ). Sometimes the var­ 2 4 4 ious compounds are differentiated by the terms muriate of potash, sulfate of potash, etc. When referring to ores, or in geology, all of the naturally­ found potassium salts are called "potash ores". However, originally potash referred only to crude potassium carbonate, since its sole source was the leaching of wood ashes in large pots. This "pot ash" product was generally recovered from near-seacoast plants, such as the saltwort bush, whose ashes were richer in potassium than sodium carbonate. Inland plant's ashes were generally higher in sodium carbonate, giving rise to the word alkali from the Arabic word for soda ash, al kali. The term was then carried over after potassium was discovered to form the latin word for it, kalium. The recovery of potash from ashes became a thriving small cottage industry throughout the world's coastal areas, and developing economies, such as the early set­ tlers in the United States were able to generate some much-needed income from its recovery and sale. This industry rapidly phased out with the advent of the LeBanc process for producing soda ash in 1792, and the discovery about the same time of the massive sodium-potassium nitrate deposits in the Atacama Desert of Chile.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

The book combines a complete background of the industry, offers logical explanations of how potash deposits originated, and the characteristics of all the major deposits. In addition, Potash describes the basic mining and processing methods, and discusses its uses, properties, and statistics. A major feature of this book is the presentation of a totally new explanation of how potash deposits originated. The book then goes on to explain the features of each potash deposit based upon this theory. Potash will be an invaluable resource for the professional staff of potash producers, potash consumers, and those who serve the industry as equipment suppliers or for technical support. This book should also be of interest to sedimentary geologists.

About the Author:

Donald E. Garrett, Ph.D. is President of Saline processors, Inc., in Ojai, California and Adjunct Professor, University of California, Santa Barbara.

About this edition

• Publisher: Springer
• Publication date: 1995
• ISBN 10: 0412990717
• ISBN 13: 9780412990717
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 744