When was potash discovered

Canada exports potash to over 40 countries. Potassium is an essential element to life on earth. It fulfils numerous vital processes in plants, animals and humans. For the average adult human, approximately 2 grams of potassium is required per day.

Typical intakes are about 2. There are no health risks associated with over-consumption of this element. Potash can be found world-wide. Alone, Canada has almost 10 billion tonnes of recoverable K2O deposits in Saskatchewan. The next largest reserves are Russia with up to 2.

All major solid potash deposits are of marine origin and were formed due to the evaporation of sea water. Potash deposits have been found dating all the way back to the Cambrian period, approximately million years ago. There are two main ways to mine for potash. Provide Website Feedback. Exports steadily increased towards Production increased to a year peak of Overall potash prices were in decline from until the first half of This line chart shows monthly potassium chloride prices in US dollars per tonne, free on board at Vancouver from to You will not receive a reply.

For enquiries, contact us. Key facts Potash is primarily used to produce fertilizer. Uses Production International context. Trade Prices. World production of potash potassium chloride , by country, p Ranking Country Tonnes thousands Percentage of total 1 Canada 20, Canadian exports of potash potassium chloride , — p Text version This bar chart shows Canadian potash exports from to World exports of potash potassium chloride , — p Text version This bar chart shows world potash exports from to Potassium chloride prices, Vancouver f.

Notes and sources p preliminary f. Production Canadian mine production of potash potassium chloride , p Natural Resources Canada International context World production of potash potassium chloride , by country, p Natural Resources Canada CRU World production of potash potassium chloride , p Natural Resources Canada CRU World reserves of potash potassium oxide equivalent , by country, p Mineral Commodity Summaries , U.

About 85 to 90 percent of potash, however, is consumed for agricultural products. Potash fertilizers include potassium chloride also called sylvite in its naturally occurring form , potassium sulfate and potassium-magnesium sulfate. Potash production and nutrient content are expressed in terms of the potassium oxide content. The majority of world potash resources are found in subsurface bedded salt deposits, which formed when ancient inland oceans evaporated and the contained potassium salts crystallized.

Most potash is recovered by underground mining methods. Beneficiated potash ore is sold as a granular product, in several particle sizes. Deposits that are deeper than about 1, meters are recovered by solution mining, in which heated water is pumped underground and the resultant brine is pumped to the surface for evaporation and processing.

Mining and processing of potash ore began in Germany in , and potash was first mined commercially on a large scale in the United States in in New Mexico. The largest deposits of potash are in Canada Saskatchewan , Russia and Belarus. Potassium is essential for plant growth, although little of it ends up in the edible portion of the plant.