Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1916-06-23
BIRTH OF POTASH INDUSTRY
Nearly $3.50, 900 Worth of These Salts
Produced in 1915, According to
Government Figures

NSGIIy PooO,OUO WOftn or IHeS6 S6ls
Produced in 1915, According to
Government Figures
In recent issue the News Budget
published an article on the growth of
the local potash plant. Following is an
interesting story on the birth, the
progress and future of the potash in
dustry in this country; which takes no
account, however, of the production of
potash from ashes:
Potash salts were produced in the
United States in 1915 to the value of
$342, 600, according to the United
States Geological Survey. Though this
figure is of interest as showing small
beginning in the domestic potash indus
try, it becomes of little Importance if
the total needs of the country are con-
sidered, for it represents quantity
consumed in less than week under
normal conditions.
The imports of refined potash salts in
1915 were 76, al long tons, or slightly
more than Is per cent Of those in 1918,
the latest normal year of importation.
Imports of the potash fertilizers, kahn
lite, manure salts, and double manure
salts, amounted to 20, APT long tons, or
about 8 per cent of those in 1918. TAX
ing all the potash salts together, the
imports in 1915 were about one-tenth
of those under normal conditions.
In the Survey report on the subject,
w. c. Phalen states that potash was
recovered within the United States as
by-product from the manufacture of
Portland cement at Riverside, Cal By
product potash from this source has
yielded considerable revenue, owing
to the abnormally high price for these
salts, and in obtaining it two other
purposes have been subserved-fi first,
the saving of additional material to be
converted into cement, and second, the
elimination of the dust nuisance. At
Riverside a discharge of 100 tons of
dust day over the surrounding orange
groves has been prevented.
Potassium sulphate from alunite was
first placed on the market late in Octo-
Der. 1915, by the Mineral Products Cor
poration, at Marysvale, Utah. The
production has not been large so far,
owing to the incidents connected with
a pioneer enterprise of this character.
Though certain foreign deposits of alu-
mite have been worked for potash alum,
this is the first recorded yield of potash
salts as such from alunite. The prod
uct is of high grade.
The plant of the Potash Products Co.,
of Omaha, Neb., was established in the
spring of 1915 at Holland, near ALI
ance, in the northwestern part of the
state. During about half of the year
the company obtained potash salts
from the brine of an alkaline lake in
this region.
In addition to output from the above
sources, potash was marketed in 1915
from kelp obtained along the Pacific
coast.
Experimental work on the production
of potash salts from different sources
was active during the year, and in
places this activity has been succeeded
by the construction of plants. Opera
tons are in progress at Searles Lake
and at Keller, on the shores of Owens
Lake, Cal. 1t is reported that one
company is erecting plant near Great
Salt Lake and that another will soon
be started at the south end of the lake.
The by-product bittern at solar evap-
Grafton plants on San Francisco Bay
has also received some attention.
Another plant has been planned for
the extraction of potash salts and alu-
nina from alunite at Marysvale, Utah.
Manufacturers Of Portland cement,
having had their attention directed to a
possible revenue from by product pot
ash, will not be slow in thoroughly in
vestigating their raw material. AL
ready the Security Cement & Lime Co.,
near Hagerstown, Md, is reported to
be installing a plant for the recovery
Of potash salts.
Great activity has been manifested
in experiments for the recovery Of
potash from the silicate rocks, such as
feldspar and leucite, from the mica
sericite, and from greensand. The ex-
pense involved in obtaining potash
salts from these sources, together with
the uncertainties with which manufac-
turers will be confronted and the keen
German competition likely to be met
at the close of the war in Europe, have
tended to discourage chemical engi-
neers and capitalists. However, in
many laboratories researches have
been in progress, some of which, ac-
cording to reports, offer prospects of
profitable commercial development if
feldspars and other potash-rich rocks
in sufficient quantity and purity can be
found and made available.