Mineral Resources Potential - Geothermal Resources

152 M i d hums P d a l of Ethiopia
4.17 Potash (Fertilizer mw materials)
Potash is an impure form of potassium carbonate (K2C03) mixed
with other potassium salts. Potash is used as a fertilizer, while the
pwe carbonate is used in medicine, in the chemical industry and to
produce decorative colour effects on brass, bronze and nickel.
Production
The worId's largest potash producer is the Potash Corporation of
Saskatchewan (North America). Many other mas, however, have
the resources for potash production. Today, 14 countries produce
the world's supply of potash. The main producers are North
America (mainly Saskatcbewa, with two-thirds of the world's
recoverable potash located there), Russia, Belarus, Germany, Israel
and Jordan, (the later two both using solar mporaPion pans at the
Dad Sea to produce camallite from which potassium chloride is
' produced). In Ethiopia, some 3,578 short tons and 2,500 short tons
were mined by small-scale extraction techniqua in 1917 and 1927
respectively (EGS, 1989).
Potash deposits h Ethiopia
There are large potash resources in Ethiopia in the extremely hot
and arid Danakil depssion near Dallol. The potash deposit is par?
of a Quaternary evaporite sequence that covers an area of about
1,150 km2, of which only a small portion has been explored.
Exploration work by the US-based Ralph M. Pmns Company
included drilling of more than 300 lmreholes, seismic work and
shaft sinking to 100 m depths, as well as approximately 600 m
underground openings (EGS, 1989). The company delineated two
ore bodies in the Dallol area; the Crescent ore body and the Mudey
ore body. In this area the evaporite sequence is greater than 1,000
m thick and includes Iarge potagh reserves. Most of the potassium
salt is in the form of sylvite (KCI), but carnallite and kainite are