Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1920-12-10
NEW FERTILHNG PROCESS RECENTLY
DISCOVERED BY U. S. Government

An authority Of no lesser stand
ing than the government OF the Uni
ted States makes the announcement
that a process has been discovered
and perfected which may prove 20
be a revolutionary development In
the fertilizer industry oG the world.
Tho bureau OF soiis, Il % announced
has just solved the problem OF ex-
tracing phosphorlc acid from the
phosphate rock. The method Ii that
OF heating mixtures Of the rock.
sand and coke I osmeltsng tempera-
lture in fuel-fed furnace. The new
process has been worked out on an
approximately commercial basis at
the agricultural departments en-
detrimental plant at Arlington. Va.
The phosphate used for fertilizer
In the United States comes largely
from the deposits or rock In Florida.
There are also large deposits In
Tennessee and a number OF beds
In South Carolina, where the rock
was first used for this purpose.
The established method OF produc-
ing soluble phosphate has consisted
IN treating the rock with snlphuric
acid. In practice quantity Of sui
phuric acid equal to the quantity Of
rock 10 used. and the resulting pro-
dust khieh is known as acid phos-
phate, contains only one-hatf the
percentage OF phosphorus acid con-
tanned IN the rock from which IL
was derived. Commercial acid phos-
phate, for example. made from 3 81
per cent rock contains only lie per
cent OF phosphorlc acid. The eiab-
crate washing and screening process
now used In preparing phosphate
rock for treatment with auIphuric
acid often results In the loss Of two
thirds OF the rock; and Il was with
q view OF saving this immense waste
OF phosphate that the new process
was evolved.
The department OF agriculture has
been experimenting for some time
along the lines % freeing the phos-
phoric acid by means OF a high Dc.
gree OF heat. II was the first 10
adopt what Is known as the cottroll
precipitation to the collection Of phos.
phorlc acid. the apparatus having
been previously devised by Or. Cot.
trell TO abate smoke nuIsancss and
TO recover aulphuric acid from amelt.
Ing operations.
The first work was done IN an 81.
actrlc furnace which was thought q
be required TO generate the high
degree of heat neceBsary--abOul
1890 degrees Frahenhslt. AZ thli
temperature mixtures OF phosphate
rock, sand and coke were reduced II
a molten alag, which was tapped OF
At intervals. the phosphoric acld Oa
Gaping IN the form Of fumes. whicl
were afierwaFd collected IN liquid 81
gold forms.
II soon became evident that thii
process would BIO prohlbitlvaly ex
pensiye with an electric furnace, or
eept In localities where electric pow
or could be obtained at q very Low
coat. about s25 per horsepower
year. aud the department. therefore
turned It's attention TO the possible
ties OF using crude oil, the chenpoa
fuel obtainable in the vicinity OF IN
large phosphate rock deposits o
Florida. The efforts recently me
with success. and figures kept d
the experimental runs az Arlington
indicate that phosphorus acid ca
DO extracted more cheaply In III
oil-burning furnace than by tho of
, sniphurle acid process.
/. One problem which department
} scientists have worked out Il that D
! keeping the fuel In direct contao
/ With the rock material until "a
! reaction is well started. Fer mi
! purpose, and for convenience i