Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1911-11-24
IMPORTS OF POTASH
TO UNITED STATES

SeI announcement by the
department of agriculture and
from other sources regardiro
discoveries of large supplies of
potash IN the United States lends
interest to statement prepared
by the bureau of statistics. depart.
ment of commerce and labor,
showing that the importatiuns of
potash salts is now running at the
rate OF over a million dollars a
month and has aggregated an
proximately S75.OOO.OOO since
1900. While these potash salts
enter the country in various forms
and thus under various names.
including muriate of potash,
carbonate Of potash. sulphate Of
potash. kainit, etc, their aggre.
gate import value in the nine
months ending with ScptcnLcr,
1911, was I,jO0, 600. against
about $7.00O,OCO in the CORES
ponding months of 1910, and a
little over $1,000. 900 in the COZ.
responding months of 1909, thus
indicating a steady and rapid
growth IN the importation Of this
class of products. Taking the
figures for fiscal years, the total
for 1911 was $l4. 900, 600 compared
with less than $4,000. 900. in
1910, less than $4,000, 900 in 1900,
and less than 100000 in 1890.
The principal classes of potash
salts imported into the United
States are, in the order of
magnitude Of imports IN the fiscal
year 1911: Kainit, 5000, 900. 600
pounds; muriatc of potash, 49,
100000 pounds; carbonate of
potash. 23,OOO,OnO pounds nitrate
Of potash, or crude saltpctcr g.
100000 pounds; sulphatc Of
potash, lO6. 100000 pounds:
caustic potash, 100000 pounds;
and all other salts Of potash, g.
100000 pounds. Measured by
value the largest impOrtations
during the year occurred in the
muriatc. sec, 800, 900; Kainit, ST.
666, sos; the sulphate nearly 81,
100000 and the carbonate, $780,
600.
American farms absorb a large
proportion of the imported potash
salts most of which are valuable
as fertilizers by reason .of their
large content OF potash. This is
especially true Of kainit. muriatc
Of potash ard the sulphatc of
potash. Nitrate of potash, or
crude saltpetcr, is chiefly used in
the manufacture Of Gunpowdcr
and nitric acid; causric potash, in
the manufacture Of soap; and
carbonate Of potash or "potash, "
AS poDularly called, obtained
/ largely from the ashes Of certain
land ana marine plants, is used in
the manufacture Of soft soap. for
cleansing purposes. in dycing, and
for the emulsifying Of oils; while
the chemical and other industries
utilize the foregoing and other
potash salts in the preparation Of
drugs and medicines and in other
technical processes.
Germany is the chief source Of
KANT and, indeed. Of all the
imported potash salts except crude
salt peter. OF the muriatG import
ed in 1911, 43l,000, 200 pounds.
Germany supplied all except g..
$50, 900 pounds received from
Belgium and 1900, 900 pounds
from the United Kingdom, mos,
OF which was, in each case, pre-
sumably. of German origin.
Practically all the imports Of
sulphatc Of potash are from Ger
many. and of the $4,000, 900
pounds Of carbonate of potash inn
portcd in the last fiscal year, Gee
many is credited with JIG, 600, 600
pounds, compared with less than
half that sum from all other
European countries. In the case
OF nitrate Of potash, or crude
saltpetcr, British India is the chief
source. that country being credited
with over 9,OOO,OO POUNDS out Of
n total importation of 9,25O,OOO
mounds in the fiscal year which
ended June 30 1911.
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