Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-07-20

/ industry felt lack Of potash salts
since the PRONUNCIATION by the German
government in January. Of this year
Of an embargo upon the export Of the
salts.
Experts Of the United States Geo
logical survey have secured the coun-
try for a number Of years in search OF
a domestic supply Of potash salts. The
surveys efforts were redoubled upon
the German source becoming inacces-
sible. The work has extended from
New York to California and from
Michigan to Louisiana. Thus far no
sources Of supply in any way ap-
.. preaching the commercial value OF
those at Stassfurt have been uncov-
cred.
Potassium, never free, but In various
compounds, Is present throughout the
world in inexhaustible supply. The
difficulty is that in many Of its forms
1t has hitherto proved unfeasible OF
commercial exploitation. The oceans
are vast reservoirs Of potash salts.
Such common rock forms as feldspar
and mica, distributed around the
world, contain potassium, as do other
rarer occurrences, such as alunite, a
sulphate Of potassium and aluminium.
Kelp, or seaweed, is worked for potash
salts. Stassfurt remains the chief of
world sources, however, as It's salts
are rich and easily worked, while
processes for the production Of the
salts from kelp, alunite, feldspar and
mica have not yet been translated into
successful commercial endeavor.
In search Of salts as rich and as
workable as those Of Germany, the
geological survey has sent its repre-
sentatives throughout the country,
collecting and examining artificial
brines and bitterns at all salt making
establishments in the land; carrying
on deep drilling for saline residues
wherever conditions suggested promise
to the effort deposits Of alunite and
other minerals containing potassium
have been Investigated, and, finally,
considerable laboratory work has
been done in the endeayor to make the
reduction of such potassium bearing
compounds as we have commercially
possible. And still the salt mines Of
Germany are the first and best cources
Of supply.
The Stassfurt region has for many
years been the source Of the worlds
supply Of potash salts. Their produc-
ton has been controlled by a syndicate
to which all Of the firms producing this
commodity belong. Each year, what
proportion of that years production
might be exported and what must be
retained for domestic use. has been de-
termined by the executive Of this syn
dicate. Also, total productions have
been determined and allotted, year by
year, thus effecting conservation OF
Germany's supply. In 1914, the Ger
man Potash syndicate determined up
on a total production Of all kinds Of
potash salts of 1,166,600 metric tons
for the year. OF this amount, 531, 800
tons were allotted for export.
A hampering lack Of potash salts has
been the result of the isolation Of lit
tle unknown Stassfurt There are 9TH
er sources. Deposits in Galicia have
assumed Importance in connection
with the war, potash salts being ne
cessary in the preparation Of ex-
plosives. These deposits were found
near Kalusz, and plans have been
made to work them on a large scale.
Texas, California and New Mexico are
among the most promising fields for
possible potash production in this
country