POTASH FERTILIZERS FROM MICA WASTES

Unique chemical processes have been developed for the conversion of waste micas into potash fertilizers. Using a little understood route, involving dissolution by polymerising phosphoric acid, it is possible to obtain potassium phosphates and silica from muscovite mica (white mica). 

Biotite mica (black mica) which has no commercial utility at present, can be converted to potassium sulphate (a high value fertilizer), ammonium alum and pure silica. The process for producing potash fertilizers from biotite waste was subsequently upgraded to a pilot level.

References :

1. Potash fertilizer from biotite : C. Varadachari : Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research [American Chemical Society] (USA) 36 : 4768-4773 (1997).

2. An  investigation on  the reaction of  phosphoric acid   with  mica  at elevated temperatures : C. Varadachari : Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research [American Chemical Society] (USA) 31 : 357-364 (1992).

 

Patents

Those interested in licensing these technologies for commercialisation may contact  

cv@rcais.res.in

3. A   process  for  the  manufacture  of   potassium  sulphate – ammonium sulphate fertilizer, ammonium alum, ferrous chloride and amorphous silica from biotite mica’ : C. Varadachari [DST]: No. 187084 dated 23.08.93 (1993).

4. A   process  for  the  recovery  of   potassium  chloride,  ammonium alum, ferrous chloride and amorphous silica from biotite mica : C. Varadachari [DST]:  No. 187327 dated 23.08.93 (1993).

5. Process for the manufacture of pure potassium phosphates from white mica : K.Ghosh & C. Varadachari : No. 167695 dated 14.08.87 (1987).

6. Process  for  the manufacture  of  pure  potassium  chloride and simultaneous production of pure silica from black mica ; K. Ghosh & C. Varadachari  No.164859 dated 14.08.87 (1987).

7. Production of fertilizer-grade potassium values and  simultaneous recovery of  alumino-silica values from muscovite mica : C. Varadachari [CSIR]: No. 168022 dated 10.07.86 (1986).

8. Recovery  of  fertilizer-grade potassium values and production of  pure silica from biotite mica : C. Varadachari [CSIR]: No. 167663 dated 10.07.86 (1986).