The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-29
SEA A RICH MINE
YIELDING POTASH
Continued from First Page.

the available sources OF supply. ana
these show that large mineral deposits
like those Of Strassfurt in Germany
do not exist. Maryvale (Utah) and
Chile, Il is true, are able to contribute
a certain amount II, however, advan-
tage is taken OF the marine algae which
abound on the Pacific coast and In the
mid-Atlantic Ocean unlimited quanti-
ties OF potash can be obtained from
the sea. These marine plants yield on
incineration high values in potash, and
as b~y-products bromine. Iodine and other
valuable chemicals derived by destruc-
tive distillation OF dried algR.
The Sargossum bacciberum floats un-
attached on the surface OF the sea and
does not have to be collected after
storms or be cut from rocks. as Is pro-
posed on the Pacific coast, and IL act
ually done in Japan, Brittany and Ire
land, where damp weather makes dry
Ing difficult and rain removes a large
part OF the potassium contents.
As an example of the importance OF
this seaweed derived potash and iodine
industry. japan exports some ST.
O0O. 900 worth annually, besides which
large quantities are consumed in that
country itself. The ash from Japan
seaweeds contain As per cent Of potas-
SUM chloride, besides bromine and To-
dine.
Gale. an authority on the subject. is
OF the opinion that seaweeds are
the only promising source o. potash in
commercial quantities GOA, Paint and
Drug Reporter, February 8, 1850. The
Board OF Agriculture OF Scotland is
taking steps to materially increase the
output OF kelp tdry seaweed) and two
important Scottish firms are engaged
this season in collecting 1t on the north
ern islands.
Scaweed contains on an average s0.44
per cent. of water. 9.25 per cent organic
matter equal to .45 nitrogen) and
1881 per cent. OF ash potassium 1876
per cent, phosphoric acid AZ per cent,
according 10 Macadam).
The giant kelps of the Pacific Ocean
lose SO per cent. OF water in driving
and then contain from 10 to IS per
cent. of potash Is per cent. OF phos-
phoric acid and 1 per cent OF nitro
gem.
Green seaweed is too bulky 10 be
prohtable for fertilizing. but the possi-
BILE resources of the Pacific are esti-
mated TO be $4,000. 900 tons annually.
Balch tJournal Of the Pharmaceutical
: society, 1910 says that one ton OF the
air dried kelp from the Pacific elga yields
900 pounds OF potassium carbonates
and ) pounds of iodine and
|, that 1t be dried until 1t can be com
!, pressed into bales and carbonized to a
|, point where the carbon is rendered In
soluble and lixivated.
n Alge nereocystis and macro-
! q! sits. seaweeds OF the Pacific, absoft
Tar more potash than soda the stems
, yield chiefly potash. and when i'm.
meised in sea water this alga does not
, lose the potassium chloride for q
period OF 1876 hours.
Tr,. 81, tN..
ciberum exists in such dense masses
. between the Azores and the West In.
dies that Its location Is only slightly
, modified by the central whirl OF the
= Gulf Stream. Similar algie are found
Off the coast OF Lower California and
, again between Australia and the Falk.
, land Islands in the Antarctic Ocean, Sc
i that there is no difficulty in o~btaininl
supplies. 1t could easily he swept TO
gether just as mines are now sweep
, on the surface OF the sea by appro,
= pirate appliances. II is said that sail
ing ships become enmeshed in thes,
great masses of algH and in some in,
stances are lost forever. hence mariner,
, avoid these parts OF the ocean: ever
steam vessels avoid going near tn,
> fringe of these enormous collections OF
seaweed.
: Since these alge afford shelter anc
ANNA W ' fuhiAAAAl'S " mar ne NV
I such as crustaceans, mollusks and small
fish. the destructive distillat!on OF tn,
I dried weed would furnish not only
E ammonia but similar pyroligneous prod,
; ucts 10 those obtained from wood anC
3 peat.
0 A properly equipped organization
/. would have tugs, floats on which a stag,
. or drying area could be built smalleI
and incombustible floats and stage
could be arranged for burning the DIR!
!, kelp. While this proposition, so far from
a land. may appear chimerical and i'm
. practical, II is known that storms ar,
rare In the ATTITUDES where the algn ar,
q most plentiful, and arrangements coult
e he made so h a the foats forming tn,
basis OF the dying acreage could h,
easily detached in case of need and coul,
e he reco!lected when weather permitted
I. The tugs would be furnished with hug,
cranes and marine rakes to collect IN,
e alga and dump il on the raft, where col
y ored labor will assist In the drying proc
e ess In the same name as hay Is mad,
n in the fields. II is, OF course. a matte
: of calculation and experiment to deter
mine the exact amount of drying arei
" required TO produce say loo, 900 toni o
y dry alRa. equivalent to at least 800
9 tons of potassium salts worth at leas
!, 81 900, 900 IN peace times. This dry al
: ga can he probably utilized at sea will
or without other fuel for the making o
the commercial potassium salts SUI
r i~iciently pure for fertilization, and even
n to separate the still more valuable bro
mine and iodine II necessary.
The entire industry could be carried or
at sea while protected under the Ameri
can flag IL would be exempt from mucl
taxation, have no rent. and the expense,
would be limited to those concerned IL
the work and maintenance of the neces
sary floats for the RATS, tugs. cranes an,
sea rakcs for collecting the alga. LaboI
could be procured easily and suitable
arrangements made for housing an,
feeding the laborcIs in an ineXpensiv,
manner. This would be far cheaper thar
shore collection, which requires cuttiny
ard much manipulation, and 1t is no
likely hat this alga would pay to brin,
to land, even If compressed. There ap
d pear to be few. obstacles to It's beinI
k dried at sea, the latitude in which thes
operations would be conducted being al
most perpetually calm and safe for RATS
u which. however, can he easily take
" apart in case Of necessity or danger t
the lives of those employed.
:, Since the alga requires no cutting
can be simply lifted from the surfac
~ Of the sea with cranes and AXE com
= binations. The amount of potash whiC
Il can be- thus won from the sea will onl
A depend only on the equipment, and sue
an enterprise might become a very profit
10 able industry.