Show POTASH SALTS the present discussion regarding potash gives interest to any available facts and figures concerning potash salts these salts are discussed in a report just published by the united states geological survey as an advance chapter of its volume mineral resources of the united states calendar year 1910 11 according to this report which was prepared by W C phalen of the survey all potash salts of mineral origin now consumed in the united states are imported chiefly from germany the principal source of the german potash is an enormous deposit at stassfurt Stass furt which at the present rate of exploitation will last it has been estimated about years the report describes this deposit in general sketches its probable mode of origin and gives lists of the minerals it contains many kinds of potash salts are imported into the united states from germany where a score or more of mines are in operation era tion these salts are used for many and diverse purposes in gold mining glass making soap making bleaching dyeing photography medicine in making explosives plo in fertilizers and in many other ways the value of the imports of potash in the fiscal year 1910 was more than and the imports have been increasing at a rapid rate from year to year potash in the united states potash is an abundant constituent of many rocks and minerals found in the united states and experiments have latterly been made to devise means of profitably extracting it from the rocks the waters of some western lakes as owens owen and mono lakes california also contain potash and indicate that the beds of evaporated lakes in the desert regions of california and other states may include large amounts of potash potassium nitra nitrate has been found in the desert region northeast of salton cal deposits of rock salt in michigan are also of interest in this connection the red beds of the southwestern united states contain deposits of gypsum and rock salt and may be possible sources of potash salts the report suggests that these beds might profitably be explored in places where conditions favor the accumulation of such salts potash may be derived from organic sources as from wood ashes and sea weed the giant sea weeds of the california coast contain conta in potash salts but no experiments have yet been made to recover them on oil a commercial scale the report covers twenty four pages and is of live interest in connection with the current discussions of the potash industry it may be obtained free by applying to the director united states geological survey washington D C |