Potash

The term potash (/ˈpɒtæʃ/ POT-ash) includes mined and manufactured salts that contain potassium in water-soluble form.^[1] The term potash derives from pot ash, either plant ashes or wood ashes that were soaked in water in a pot, which was the primary means of manufacturing potash before the Industrial Era; the word potassium derives from the term potash.^[2]

In 2021, the worldwide production of potash exceeded 71.9 million tonnes (~45.4 million tonnes K₂O equivalent)^[5], and Canada is the greatest producer of potash as fertilizer.^[6] Potassium was first derived in 1807 by electrolysis of caustic potash (potassium hydroxide).^[7]

^ Potash Archived 2023-07-28 at the Wayback Machine, USGS 2008 Minerals Yearbook
^ Davy, Humphry (1808). "On Some New Phenomena of Chemical Changes Produced by Electricity, in Particular the Decomposition of the Fixed Alkalies, and the Exhibition of the New Substances that Constitute their Bases; and on the General Nature of Alkaline Bodies". Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. 98: 32. doi:10.1098/rstl.1808.0001.
^ "Production and Use of Potassium Chloride" (PDF). International Potash Institute. p. 17.
^ "Production and Use of Potassium" (PDF). Better Crops. 82 (3): 6. 1998 – via International Plant Nutrition Institute.^{[permanent dead link]}
^ Chemically pure KCl (96% of world potash capacity)^[3] contains 63.17% K₂O equivalent)^[4]
^ "Potash facts". natural-resources.canada.ca. 2018-01-23. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
^ Knight, David (1992). Humphry Davy: Science and Power. Oxford: Blackwell. pp. 66. ISBN 9780631168164.

[usgs2-1] Potash Archived 2023-07-28 at the Wayback Machine, USGS 2008 Minerals Yearbook

[2] Davy, Humphry (1808). "On Some New Phenomena of Chemical Changes Produced by Electricity, in Particular the Decomposition of the Fixed Alkalies, and the Exhibition of the New Substances that Constitute their Bases; and on the General Nature of Alkaline Bodies". Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. 98: 32. doi:10.1098/rstl.1808.0001.

[3] "Production and Use of Potassium Chloride" (PDF). International Potash Institute. p. 17.

[4] "Production and Use of Potassium" (PDF). Better Crops. 82 (3): 6. 1998 – via International Plant Nutrition Institute.^{[permanent dead link]}

[5] Chemically pure KCl (96% of world potash capacity)^[3] contains 63.17% K₂O equivalent)^[4]

[6] "Potash facts". natural-resources.canada.ca. 2018-01-23. Retrieved 2023-09-06.

[7] Knight, David (1992). Humphry Davy: Science and Power. Oxford: Blackwell. pp. 66. ISBN 9780631168164.

[1]

[2]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[3]

[4]