How is potash fertilizer produced?

Potassium salts and their compounds are widely used in various sectors of the national economy. Potassium is considered one of the most common major elements in the earth’s crust. Along with phosphorus and nitrogen, it is one of the three substances that plants need to ensure their life processes. Although currently active mining of potash salts is carried out in only four countries, in the near future the situation may radically change.

Potassium salt: what is it used for in different industries

Potassium salts and their compounds are necessary for plants for the normal process of photosynthesis. Potassium stimulates enzymatic work in plant tissues, thereby increasing their immunity and resistance to negative environmental influences. Potassium salt is easily soluble in water. In the company of nitrogen and phosphorus, the substance can increase the abundance of flowering and contribute to an increase in the number of ovaries. Potassium salts also significantly affect the shelf life of harvested fruits. Due to the presence of potassium, fructose and sucrose accumulate in plant tissues, which improve the taste of the fruit. There are no analogues of this substance in agriculture that are not inferior to it in properties. Phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen are three key components of mineral fertilizers that are vital for plants. Potassium salts have also found their use in medicine, metallurgy, and the production of pyrotechnics. They are widely used in the chemical industry, where a number of chemicals are produced from them (Berthollet salt, caustic potash, potassium bromide and potassium cyanide). Potassium salts are an important “ingredient” in the manufacturing processes of detergents, glass and some types of paints. The substance is also used in leather tanning.

Where potassium and potassium salts are found in nature

Today, potassium salt is extracted from near-surface rocks of the earth’s crust. Potassium is also present in the World Ocean, although in much lower concentrations. Every year, groundwater and rivers carry this element into it in dissolved form. There are two groups of minerals found in nature that contain potassium. Aluminosilicates do not dissolve at all, and in the best case, the process of dissolving them requires the use of special technologies that require additional costs. Sulfate and halogen potassium containing minerals are characterized by good solubility. They are used as a raw material base for the production of mineral fertilizers, in which potassium is a key element. Salts are formed as a result of the evaporation of water in potassium reservoirs. They lie in layers. The chemical composition of potassium salts includes more than eight components. Almost half the volume of the substance is sylvan. The content of the mineral carnallite in potassium salts can reach 35%. The proportion of schenite, calushite, langbeinite and leonite in the substance is approximately the same. A small percentage is polyhalite and kainite.

Where are the richest reserves of potassium salts?

• Saskatchewan Salt Basin in Canada.
• Starobinskoye field in Belarus.
• German field.

The first two account for 82.2% of world reserves.

Large deposits of potassium salts have been discovered in twenty countries around the world, but only fourteen of them are actively mining this substance. The lion’s share of producers is currently not operating at full capacity, because supply exceeds demand by almost 1/4. The Verkhnekamsk basin ensured Russia’s first place in terms of potassium salt reserves. It is followed by Canada and Belarus. Ten years ago, Germany was at the bottom of this short ranking, but China overtook it. The list of leading countries in the production of potassium salts looks similar.

In the coming years, a number of countries are planning to implement promising projects in this area, so the rating may change in the near future when Brazil, Eritrea, the USA, Britain, Argentina, Tunisia, Thailand or Ethiopia burst into it. In African countries, deposits of potassium salts have not yet been developed, so there is a possibility that one of the countries on the continent will become a “dark horse” in the race for first place.

Metamorphoses of the world market of potassium salts

At the end of the last century, the demand for potash salt sharply decreased. This not only provoked a drop in its prices, but also forced a number of producers to curtail their work or significantly reduce production volumes. The crisis in this market was caused by the collapse of the economies of Eastern Europe and the USSR. A decade later, the situation has returned to normal. The world’s population grew relentlessly, which contributed to an increase in grain production and an increase in demand for mineral fertilizers.

Russia plans to increase the production of potassium salts in the Verkhnekamsk basin in the near future. Also next in line is the development of quite promising fields – Gremyachenskoye and Nepskoye. The key factor in their favor is their favorable geographical location. Both basins are in relative proximity to regions where agriculture (crop production) is well developed. The extraction of potassium salts in these deposits with the subsequent production of fertilizers will reduce the cost of transporting finished products.

By the beginning of the new century, world prices for potash salt were stable. By 2010, there was even a slight jump in value on the market, but it dropped sharply by almost a third in 2013. This price fluctuation was a response to the breakdown of business relations between Russian and Belarusian enterprises, which had previously worked closely together. The share of their joint exports accounted for almost half of the volume of all products on the world market.

In the near future, there may be another strong price fluctuation, as states with big plans for the production of potash salts may join the race for first place. Increased competition will increase costs.

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The consumption of mineral fertilizers based on potassium increases every year – due to the stable growth of the human population, it is necessary to constantly increase the yield of agricultural plants. The production of potash fertilizers in Russia is of significant importance for the global agricultural industry – our country is one of the three largest suppliers of this type of fertilizer. The main share (98%) of domestic potassium-containing fertilizers is potassium chloride, which is mostly exported. The rest of the volume comes from potassium sulfate, potassium magnesium, potassium salt and combined fertilizers consumed in the country’s domestic market.

Potassium is a vital element for plants

Adequate potassium nutrition of agricultural crops is one of the primary farming tasks. Correct and timely fertilizing allows you to increase productivity, as it helps to increase useful biomass and prevents plants from lodging due to diseases, frost, and drought. Potassium oxide (K2O) increases the intensity of photosynthesis, activates oxidative processes and the formation of organic acids, and participates in nitrogen-carbohydrate metabolism. Also, potassium ions provoke increased growth of bast fibers and vascular bundles, which helps strengthen the stem and leaves. Conversely, potassium starvation disrupts the growing season of agricultural crops – plants bear fruit poorly due to general weakening, thinning of stems and reduction in leaf surface area.

Large-scale production of potash fertilizers in Russia completely covers the needs of domestic farms. So, a reduction in yield due to a lack of potassium is possible only as a result of an irresponsible approach to doing business. Using the necessary chemicals (potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen fertilizers and other fertilizers), it is possible to significantly reduce the incidence of diseases in agricultural crops.

Raw materials for potash fertilizers

Feeding plants using natural potassium-containing ores is economically ineffective – due to the high content of ballast (unnecessary) components, such materials are expensive to transport and apply to the soil. In addition, certain ore elements (for example, sodium chloride present in pure sylvinite) are harmful to plants.

The potash industry is successfully solving these problems. Processing of ores makes it possible to extract highly concentrated fertilizers necessary for effective feeding of plants.

In addition to specialized ore processing enterprises, the production of potash fertilizers in Russia is carried out at non-ferrous metallurgy plants. Thus, in the aluminum industry, when processing alumina and bauxite ores, not only aluminum is released, but also potassium sulfate. True, the market share of such fertilizers is very small.

Main types of potash fertilizers

Potassium chloride. This nutritional concentrate is the most effective potassium-containing supplement, as it contains a large amount of useful substances (the proportion of potassium oxide reaches 63%). Granular potassium chloride is most in demand – this form reduces the hygroscopicity (water absorption) of the fertilizer and facilitates transportation and storage of the material.

potassium sulfate. Fertilizer is used to feed plants that do not tolerate the effects of chlorine. The lower content of the useful element (the proportion of potassium oxide is 50%) is compensated by the low hygroscopicity of the material, which eliminates the problems of storage and transportation. The downside of potassium sulfate is its fairly high price.

Calimagnesia. In addition to potassium, this supplement contains magnesium (9% MgO). The beneficial effect of the element is the concentration of starch, sugar and vitamins in tubers, fruits and green mass of plants. In this regard, potassium magnesia is used to feed vegetable and fruit crops, for example, as a fertilizer for potatoes.

In addition to specialized potash fertilizers, complex fertilizers are widely used in agriculture. The most common are substances with a triple set of useful elements (potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus), as well as double nitrogen-potassium and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. Such materials ensure effective growth, development and fruiting of plants.

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