Forms in which Potash is Found 



deep rather narrow ravine, so that the mines contain 

 a greater quantity of sea salt (NaCl) than of potash, 

 and for a long time the potassic salts were regarded as 

 the waste product of chlorure of sodium. 



The potassic salts are generally mixed with 

 magnesia. That is why in crude potassic — and even 

 in prepared salts, common salt and magnesia are 

 found as well as potash. The chief crude salts are 

 kainite and carnalite. Kainite is still sold imder the 

 names of Hartsalz and Schoenitc. Kainite is used 

 either crude or burnt to red-heat point to drive out 

 the chlorure of magnesia, and then is distributed in 

 that form to the agriculturist. 



Caniallite is chiefly converted by means of con- 

 centration and crystallisation, or by the reaction of 

 sulphuric acid, into muriate and sulphate of potash, 

 and these again are crude salts. 



In Glasgow potash is obtained from seaweed. 

 Beetroot salins (that is the residue of molasses after 

 distillation — called vinasses, which is evaporated 

 and calcinated and then is called salins) yield it, 

 and also Yolk. Very often a product is sold under 

 the name of sulphate of potash which is nothing 

 more nor less than a mixture of all sorts, but chiefly 

 containing different chlorures. 



At the present time, when the need of potash is 

 being more strongly felt than ever, because the chief 

 source is temporarily barred, other existing sources 

 which are too little known must be tapped instead. 

 Seaweed burning, for instance, can be carried on all 

 along the Atlantic coast (the weed must obviously be 

 burnt because otherwise it would weigh too much), 

 and on a sufficiently large scale. The salines of the 



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