Potash

From WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]


External links[edit | edit source]

Potash Resources

Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD