Potash

Potash is a term that refers to a group of potassium compounds and potassium-bearing materials, the most common being potassium chloride (KCl). The term potash comes from the Middle Dutch word potaschen (pot ashes, 1477). All potassium is a chemical element that is essential for life and is found in abundance in nature.

History

The term "potash" comes from the practice of extracting potassium from wood ash in pots, a practice that dates back to ancient times. The chemical symbol for potassium, K, comes from the Latin word kalium, which was taken from the Arabic word al-qalyah, meaning "plant ashes". In 1807, Sir Humphry Davy discovered that potassium was a distinct chemical element.

Production

Potash is produced worldwide in amounts exceeding 90 million tonnes per year, mostly for use in fertilizers. Various types of fertilizer-potash constitute the single largest industrial use of the element potassium in the world. Potassium was first derived by electrolysis of caustic potash, in 1807.

Uses

Potash has been used since antiquity in the manufacture of glass and soap and as a fertilizer. The ancient method of producing it was to evaporate the water from seawater and other mineral-rich brine.

See also

• Potassium chloride
• Potassium carbonate
• Potassium hydroxide
• Potassium nitrate
• Potassium sulfate

References

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External links

• PotashCorp - A major producer of potash
• K+S KALI GmbH - Another major producer of potash

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