Extraction of potassium from glauconitic sandstone

Abstract

Laboratory studies have been conducted on physico-chemical processing of glauconite sandstone for extraction of potassium. High temperature fuming route has been tried to extract potassium by heating the glauconite sandstone along with calcium chloride and calcium carbonate in the temperature range 1200 C-1300 C. Potassium was obtained in the form of potassium chloride after condensation of the fume. The effect of process variables like heating time, temperature, and mixing proportion, on potassium extraction has been studied. The following conclusions have been drawn (i)percent extraction of potassium increases with fuming time and temperature and (ii) fuming process follows chemical control model and the value of activation energy is 31.6 kJ/mole. An integrated rate equation has been derived.