Potassium chloride production cannot meet market demand and my country has long relied on imports

Potassium chloride is composed of chlorine (Cl) and potassium (K). Its chemical formula is KCl and it is an inorganic compound. Potassium chloride appears as small white crystalline powder, easily soluble in water and glycerol, but insoluble in absolute ethanol. The physical properties of potassium chloride are relatively stable, and it has hygroscopic and moisture-proof properties. The higher the impurity content, the stronger the hygroscopicity of potassium chloride.

There are many methods for producing potassium chloride, including cold decomposition-forward flotation, back flotation-cold crystallization, halogenation method, solvent-non-solvent method, etc. The back flotation-cold crystallization method is the main production method of potassium chloride. This method requires processes such as pulping, reverse flotation, dehalogenation, cold decomposition and crystallization, and filtration. It is currently the most advanced potassium chloride production method in the world. The back flotation-cold crystallization method reduces the number of potassium chloride crystals by controlling the supersaturation of potassium chloride in the solution, thereby ensuring its quality and particle size, and is suitable for large-scale production.

Potassium chloride is mainly used in medicine, agriculture, food processing, chemical industry, dyes and other fields. The agricultural field is the largest demand end for potassium chloride. As a high-solubility, quick-acting potassium fertilizer, potassium chloride can supplement potassium elements for crops, promote their growth and improve their resistance to diseases and pests. Potassium chloride can also prevent land acidification and increase soil moisture, and can be applied directly to farmland. In the medical field, potassium chloride can be used to treat potassium deficiency and hypokalemia caused by various causes. In the field of food processing, potassium chloride can be used as a flavor enhancer, gelling agent and seasoning in food.

my country’s potassium chloride production companies include Salt Lake Co., Ltd., CITIC Guoan, Oriental Tower, Potash International, Tibet Mining, Qingshang Chemical, etc. Salt Lake Co., Ltd. is my country’s leading potassium chloride company. The company is located in the Qarhan Salt Lake area and is my country’s largest potash fertilizer industrial production base. In 2022, the company’s potassium chloride production capacity will exceed 5 million tons. According to the annual report of Salt Lake Co., Ltd., the company achieved revenue of 14.78 billion yuan in 2021, a year-on-year increase of 5.4%.

According to the “2022-2027 Potassium Chloride Industry Development Prospects and Investment Strategic Planning Analysis Report released by the Industrial Research Center, potassium It is the main raw material of potassium chloride. Potassium resources are unevenly distributed around the world, with potassium resource reserves in Canada, Russia and Belarus ranking among the top in the world. my country’s potassium resources are relatively scarce, resulting in a relative shortage of potassium chloride supply and a high reliance on the import market. According to statistics from the General Administration of Customs of China, my country’s potassium chloride imports reached 540,000 tons in May 2022, a year-on-year decrease of 1.2%.

Industry analysts said that as an inorganic compound, potassium chloride has a wide range of applications, especially in the agricultural field, where the demand for potassium fertilizers continues. Growth has brought broad development space for my country’s potassium chloride industry. Affected by factors such as insufficient supply of raw materials, my country’s potassium chloride production cannot meet market demand and needs to be highly dependent on imports. This is the main challenge facing the development of the industry.