Nouryon is a global leader in specialty chemicals and essential solutions. We manufacture mining chemicals, including flotation collectors, depressants, and processing aids. Our products are active in the flotation of calcite, phosphate, iron, silicate, graphite, sulfide ore, and potash.
Potash is a water-soluble salt mineral containing potassium compounds, almost always accompanied by sodium and magnesium chlorides [1]. Potassium is a crucial component of fertilizers for agriculture and can be applied as a single nutrient fertilizer, for example as Muriate of Potash, KCl (MOP) or Sulphate of Potash, K2SO4 (SOP), or it can be part of multi-nutrient fertilizers such as Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium (NPK).
MOP is the most used potash fertilizer, particularly for chloride-loving vegetables such as sugar beets and corn. It also helps to build disease resistance in plants because it is suitable for soils that are low in chloride. MOP is one of the most prevalent fertilizers in the potash family, with over 55 million tons consumed annually around the world [2].
Separation of potash into different components is challenging, considering that most are water soluble. One of the few methods known to tackle this challenge is through flotation and Nouryon leads this industry. Our solutions and experience gained through decades of service to global potash customers have established best practices. Each ore is unique and requires tailor-made solutions to boost performance and reduce costs. The range of Nouryon’s tailored products for potash flotation is presented in Table 1.
The crucial ingredient of a successful flotation is a selective collector that efficiently renders a mineral surface hydrophobic, making it susceptible to separation. Nouryon has developed several collectors designed for diverse potassium-bearing minerals and conditions. Many of them are based on fatty amine technology, one of Nouryon’s core technologies. Our Armeen HT-97, Armeen M, and Amine blends are efficient collectors for the flotation of sylvite (potassium chloride) from sylvinite in the production of MOP. Armeen M can also be used as a booster in mixtures with Armeen HT-97, as depicted in Figure 1.
Figure 1 – Performance of Armeen M/Armeen HT mixtures in sylvite flotation (dashed lines serve as a visual guide).
