The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-12-18
POTASH SALTS IN BRINEs.
Possibility Of Developing Potash Salt
Deposits in the Eastern United States.

Possibility OF DeVelOplnR PotaSn Salt
Deposits in the Eastern United States.
The United States geological survey
is issuing another preliminary report on
its potash Investigations under the spe-
cial appropriation made last winter to
aid in the search for an American sup
ply of potash. Special interest attaches
to the statistics contained in this re-
port, for they show phenomenal in
crease in our purchases Of German pot.
ash in 1911. According to the figures
compiled by the bureau of statistics of
the department of commerce and labor,
the imports of potash for the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1911, We're valued at
Sl4,000000. From the figures available
it seems likely that the imports for the
calendar year, 1911, will reach nearly
Sl5,000,OO0, an increase over those of
the preceding year Of almost S3,000,000.
During the year geologist Of the
survey, w. G. Phalen, visited practi-
eally all the salt plants in the eastern
part OF the United States where there
seemed any likelihood of obtaining in
formation that would lead to discoveries
of beds of potash salt. Ordinary rock
salt may overlie soluble potash salts, as
well as underlie them. Both these con-
ditions, says Mr.. Phalen. exist at Stass-
fIrt. This report treats briefly of the
geology of several of the brines and
waste bitterns, or concentrated liquors
after the extraction Of the salt, at some
of the salt works are being carefully
analysed by the bureau Of soils Of the
of agriculture, working in
cooperation with the survey. Some of
these show considerable percentages OF
potash salts
Ohio Bitten Promising.
In connection with the subject of bit.
terms, natural highly concentrated Bit
tern from northern Ohio seems to hold
out sufficient promise TO warrant fur
Their attention This bittern is bug
bear to the salt industry OF this part
OF that state, for If allowed TO get
into the brine from which the salt is
made, it renders the brine bitter and
spoils the salt. As a eontainer Of potash
salts, however, this bittern may prove
to be the richest known in the east
ern states. In working it up for potash
salts. the common salt aud gypsum
will first be separated from it, leaving
a combination OF the salts of potash,
lime, and magnesia in solution Potas-
stun chloride constitutes nearly per
cent. of the total solid residue from
this solution. The extraction of the po-
tassium chloride from this combination
or the suitability Of the combination
az fertilizer, either with or without its
content of lime salts, offers an interest
ing problem for some technologic chem
list to work out.
Possible Eastern Deposits Of Potash.
While the salt producing industry Of
the United States is important and
we'll distributed, little or no attention
has been paid heretofore to the pos
sible occurrence of potash salts in con-
nection with salt There is a possibil
ity, however, that potash deposits may
exist in the eastern portions of the
United States as well as in the arid
region. The German deposits are in
a region subject to comparatively heavy |
rainfall. the potash beds being however,
protected by an everything clay. II
should be noted. too. that the discoy-
cry, of the Stassfurt potash beds was
in the nature of an accident. In fact,
says Mr.. Phalen, the drilling which the
German government prosecuted for five
ears was intended for the development |
Of the salt industry and the drill actual |
" passed through deposit of so-called |
'Abraumsalze,' or refuse salts, consist
ing largely of compounds of potash and
then considered worthless |
r. is therefore possible, he states, that
large potash deposits may exist in con-
nection with any Of the salt mines now
being operated. The report briefly de-
scribes salt-bearing strata in New |
York, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia,
Kansas, and Louisiana. 1t contains q
number of analyses, chiefly Of bitterns
made by the bureau of soils, but owing
to the care necessary in making such I
analyses only few are yet available.
A copy of Mr.. Phalen's report may be
obtained on application to the director
Of the geological survey. Washington,
d. G.