Evening star., 1931-11-06
i. S. CAM FURNISH
NPOTASH NEEDS
Recent Experiments by Bu-
reau of Mines Reveals
Large Ore Supply.
BY LOUIS E. VAN NORMAN.

A display in Philadelphia a few days
ago Of samples of the first potash mined
in the United States in commercial
quantities has directed attention to the
fact that. potentially at least, this coun-
try Is now independent Of foreign
sources of potash.
In commenting On these samples,
which are from the New Mexico fields,
the Geological Survey announces that
there appears to be sufficient potash
available here Gin New Mexico and
Texas to supply the American de-
mands, even with a greatly increased
consumption, for many decades"
The Bureau of Mines has been con-
Quoting an investigation into potash
production for the past few years
through diamond-drill exploration of
the Texas-New Mexico fields and at its
non-metallic minerals experiment sta
ton at New Brunswick, N. j., and has
| developed processes for producing re-
fined potash salts from polyhalite, the
crude form in which much of the Amer
ican potash Is found.
Potash, as Is well known, is essential
for manufacturing agricultural fertil-
izer, as well as in the chemical and
munitions industries. Like fertilizer
phosphates. potash is plant food. It
Is, however, soon exhausted by inten-
sive cultivation and Is not replaced by
nature.
For many years the American supply
came chiefly from Germany and France
From sources now known it is believed
the world can draw potash sufficient to
meet its requirements indefinitely. The
reserves of Germany alone are said to
be enough to supply the world for from
1,500 to 250.000. years-if the present
rate Of consumption continues-nearly
100000 short tons of crude salts a
year. In fact, so large were the known
German reserves, including those Of
Alsace, before the war that it was the
generally accepted view that the Ger
mans had an unbreakable monopoly In
this essential mineral raw material.
Attempts were made to break the mo-
nopoly, and owing to postwar condi.
tlons some were at least partially sue.
cessful
The German and French potash pro.
duction has been operated under q mu-
tual agreement since the war and has
virtually controlled the world market.
Roughly speaking, Germany has been
allocated 70 per cent Of the American
market and France 80. There Is evi-
dence that the American farmer has
heretofore been compelled to pay an
unfairly high price for his potash owing
to the monopoly control Of this essen
tial abroad.
Up to the war the principal supplies
OF potash in the United States were the
brine of several lakes in the Far West.
particularly Searles Lake, California. A
small amount also came from molasses
distillery waste.
After five years Of Investigation the
Geological Survey and the Bureau of
Mines, working in the fields of New
Mexico and Texas, have succeeded in
demonstrating that potash can be pro-
duced In the United States in CONNER
ctally profitable quantities, notwith-
standing the transportation charges.
which are. of course, much higher than
those which must be met by the Ger
man and French producers. According
to Bureau of Mines figures, the con-
sumption OF potash in the United States
IN 1879 was 391 900 tons, IS per cent
OF which came from abroad.
(Copyright, I9S1)