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-7
SEIN
and
Processing
S
I X years ago langbeinite was practically unknown in the fertilizer industry. Today it
takes 1% prominent place among the potash and
magnesium base fertilizers. Production of langbeinite in the 1941-42 fiscal year was 28,672 tons,
compared with 85,701 tons during 1945-46.
Langbeinite is a double sulfate of potash and
magnesia, with the formula KzS04.2MgS01, and
is composed of 22.7% KnO, 19.401, MgO, and
57.9% SOs. It has a specific gravity of 2.825
and a hardness of 4.2. It crystallizes in the
isometric system, usually as simple tetrahedrons,
which show a triangular outline on the surface
of the hand specimen or on the walls of the
mine workings. It is more slowly soluble in
cold water than either sylvite or halite, and
much of the langbeinite present in samples
can be recovered by quickly dissolving out the
chloride minerals. It is the hardest of the saline
minerals, and has a conchoidal or irregular fracture with no cleavage.
The geology of the region in which langbeinite
occurs is complex and not fully understood.
Langbeinite is one of numerous salts deposited
during the latter stages of evaporation of a large
Permian sea. In the early part of the Permian
period a shallow sea extended across New Mexico
and western Texas, northward through Oklahoma
and Kansas, and into southeastern Nebraska. The
indications ape that the shore lines of this sea fluctuated over considerable areas. The sea was originally
in open communication with the ocean by way of a
channel extending through Mexico into the gulf.
One theory is that, late in Permian time, the
connections to the sea berame restricted because of the deposition of limestone reefs. The
further growth of these barrier reefs, coupled
with t$e subsidence of certain areas, led to the
formation of large evaporating pans. The area
defining one such pan is generally known as
the Delaware Basin, and it is in the series of
evaporites found in this basin that commercial
deposits of potash salts occur.
43
44
I N D U S T-RI A L A N D E N G I*N E E R I N G C H E M I S T R
MINING
FER
FLED
WATER
SANDS
OVERFLOW
IS' j E T T L l N G CON;
OVERFLOW
I
L--
CENT'RIFUGAL
PUMP
DIAPHRAGM PUMP
TO USE IN
TAILINGS
1
DISPOSAL
FLIGHT CDNVEYOR
PLANT
I
BOT.
STORAGE BIN
January 1947
45
.
'
the ore away from the rib, and leave little or no overhang in the
face. Langbeinite is so hard that i t was drilled with wet jackhammer-type drills a t first. This was unsatisfactory because
of solution of salt in the water used and the attendant danger of
short circuits. Experimental work was done on alloy-tipped bits
used with the Jeffrey auger drill; after nearly a year of work
Carboloy-tipped bits were adopted for all drilling at a substantial
saving in cost.
Much care has to be exercised in spacing and pointing holes,
but after some practice the drillers become proficient. General
practice is for the face boss or shift boss to locate each one of
the holes and the position of the post by actual measurement.
Blasting is done at the end of each shift with primers which
are assembled underground. The shot firer hauls powder and
primer from the underground magazines to the faces in insulated boxes. Holes are fired electrically, and each round is
connected in series. The shooting circuit is 220 volts of alternating current; it is taken off the transformer serving the section
with power, but through a separate blasting line having locked
switch boxes. Both Du Pont and Hercules powders are used;
the DLIPont is extra D, 40% volume strength, and the Hercules
powder is Hercomite 4X, 40% volume strength. Primers are
made up with unperforated sticks of powder, all other powder
being perforated for better tamping in the hole. Blasting caps
are KO. 6, and delays through KO. 4 are used on this,level of
the mine. Powder consumption is 0.6 pound per ton of langbeinite ore.
The ore and waste are loaded by Joy 11-BU caterpillarmounted conveyor-type machines. These machines have universal application, and can load in narrow or wide headings.
46
v)
c5
60
u
z
3
lL
50
-L
40
0.0
2 .o
WASHTIME
4.0
MINUTES
6 .O
REFINING
Cumulative
% Retained
Mesh
Cumulative
% Retained
a L
:E
z-
i
G
T R A V E L THROUGH
SECOND CLASSI-
6.0
T R A V E L THROUGH
0.0
2 .o
WASHTIME
4.0
6 .O
MINUTES
2(K2S04.2MgSO4) f 2KC1
18Hz0 +
3(KsSO,.MgSOb.6H20)
+ MgClt
3(KzSOd.MgSOa.6H20) + 6KC1+
6K2S04+ 3MgCI2 + 18H20
(1)
(2)
January 1947
SYLVITE
T-
JEFFREY
TI
MEASURED
Q.ZffiSO4
--?-
RAYMOND PULVERIZER
LANGBEINITE
K
4 HYDRATION TANKS
WITH TURBO AGITATOR2
SIDRAGE BIN
47
CENTRlFrGAL PUMP
CENTRIFUGAL
BIRD CONTINUOUS
CENTRIFUGALS
60%MUFllATE
TO STORAGE
15.75
10.0
23.75
9.25
1000
LEONITE CAKE
KaS04 * MG S 0 4 . 4 H2D
+-
Per Cent
5.92
4.75
13.97
4.27
71.09
FLIGHT CONVEYOR
The most outstanding of the variables influencing yields in the base exchange is temperature. The solubility of potassium rises
CENTRIFUGAL PU P
rapidly with any increase in operating temperature, and, consequently, yields suffer. The
THICKENER
extent to which temperature influences rem
covery is seen in the fact that an increase in
UNDERFLOW
OVERFLOW
t
t
operating temperature of 25 C., or a change
QLIVER FILTER CFN TRlFUGAl RJMP
from 25 to 50 C., results in a decrease in yield
I
I
ARCANITE CAKE
MOTHER Liauou
of aDproximately 10%.
The optimum operating temperature in the
t
I
base exchange is believed to be 25
Operation below this temperature would not
t
only introduce cooling costs but would also
FINISFED POTASSIUM SULPHATE
00% u2 s 0,
impair reaction rates. The best results thus
far obtained in the base exchange process
Figure 4. Base Exchange Flow Diagram
show a yield of potassium sulfate, equivalent to 7301, of the total input. Available
Reaction 1 (hydration step) will proceed to much higher magsolubility data indicate these results to be approximately 90%
nesium chloride and lower potassium chloride concentrations
of the possible yields in operation at 25 C.
than will the second (reaction step). In this system potassium
sulfate is stable only at relatively low concentrations of magLITERATURE CITED
nesium chloride accompanied by high concentrations of potas(1) dAns, J., Die Losungsgleichgewichte der Systeme der Salze
sium chloride. Reaction 2 therefore furnishes an ideal liquor
ozeanischer Salzablagerungen, Berlin, 1933.
for the hydration of langbeinite.
(2) Hoff, J. H. vant, Zur Bildung der ozeanischen Salaablagerungen, Berlin, 1905.
The extent to which each of the reactions progresses in a sodium-free system is illustrated in a comparison of typical mother
PRESENTED
before t,he Division of Fertilizer Chemistry a t the 110th Meeting
and waste liquors at 25 C.:
of the AXERICANCHEXICAL
SOCIETY,
Chicago, Ill.
3 REACTION TANKS
WITH TURBO AGITAATORS
c.
Mother Liquor
Sohoenite, K~QOP,
KCl
Waste Liquor
Sohoenite
14.82
9.84
5.26
70.08
In the base exchange flow (Figure 4) the reactions progress so slowly that careful selection of equipment is necessary to keep processing time within practical limits. Raymond mills
are used for the reduction of langbeinite. When
the langbeinite is introduced into the hydration
step, i t analyzes 98% -200 mesh. All slurry
tanks are equipped with Turbo agitators for maximum intensity of agitation. Although the sylvite
is more rapidly dissolved than langbeinite, it
must also be kept within certain definite size
limits to prevent interference with the rapidity
of react,ion.
The presence of sodium in the base exchange
system quickly impairs results; beyond certain
definite concentrations of sodium in the reaction step the precipitation of potassium sulfate
Dryer for-Langbeinite