More SOP Carnallite info here. See below... again Allana would need to do a pilot test right Sdomae! :)
The sylvinite process
In North America, the most common form of potassium-bearing salts is sylvinite, which is mined in abundance by Potash Corp of Saskatchewan (TSX:POT) and Mosaic (NYSE:MOS).
For sylvinite deposits, the most common method of potash mining is used: conventional mining. In conventional mining, the potash is dug out and brought to the surface via one of two shafts. From there the ore is crushed, ground and deslimed before it is taken through flotation, sometimes this process is supplemented by heavy media separation. From here the concentrate is brought through centrifuges, separating the potash from the brine. It is then dried, and moved on to the final stages of compaction and crystallization before it is ready to be shipped off.
Potash Processing in Saskatchewan – A Review of Process Technologies, source: Infomine
Conventional potash mining processes, as you can see, are not simple but are well understood and can process a an ore like sylvinite, which is made up of only two salts: potassium chloride (KCl) and sodium chloride (NaCl). When it comes to carnallite, however, the magnesium is treated like a contaminant because conventional potash mining just isn’t rigged to process magnesium.
Another reason conventional potash miners avoid areas carnallite is because of the mineral’s innate deliquescent–highly soluble – properties. As a result, carnallite dissolves faster than sylvinite, which renders conventional mining unstable.
The carnallite process
But what if a company is interested in exploiting carnallite’s three mineral components? In today’s tumultuous potash market, carnallite presents companies with a dual market opportunity. Providing access to a revenue stream completely detached from the agriculture industry.
Given that conventional mining is no good for carnallite, companies need to look at different potash mining methods to exploit deposits. Solution mining a good option when looking to mine a carnallite deposit. With this technology, holes are drilled into the ore body to serve as injection and extraction pipes where heated water – which in Saskatchewan can come from aquifers– is pumped into the ore body and dissolving the carnallite, and brine (dissolved mineral salts in water) is pumped out. Once it reaches the surface, the brine is sent through and evaporation phase where water and MgCl is removed and the KCl and NaCl are supersaturated.
Because salts go in and out of solution at different temperatures, the KCl and NaCl are placed in crystallizers where they are subjected to varying temperatures to separate the salts. From there, they are processed – much like in conventional mining –into their final products.
As for magnesium, because it is the last mineral to leave water, it was removed early in the process and treated separate it.
source: Karnalyte Resources
Advantages of mining carnallite
One of the ways in which carnallite is advantageous to sylvinite is that it responds well to 3D seismic modeling. While it can be argued that 3D seismic modeling does not come cheap, the magnesium makes the deposit easy to identify, resulting in fewer drill holes and cost savings down the road.
Furthermore, underground water formations, like those found in Saskatchewan, can provide companies with a greener way of meeting their water requirements.
Another important advantage of solution mining is that it is extremely low impact on the environment. Though caverns are created when the mineral salts are dissolved, any unnecessary portions of the salts are returned to their original locations, reducing the impact on surrounding lands.
When it comes to marketing the extracted minerals magnesium chloride is one of the most commercially important magnesium compounds. This product can be used anywhere from raw materials for steel refractories, to dust control on roads and even in some medicinal applications. Furthermore, while potash will always remain one of the tried and true fertilizer ingredients, magnesium has expansion potential with new applications being researched.
The bottom line
With the argument of which is better, carnallite or sylvinite, the answer comes down to what you are looking for. If you are targeting a pure potash market with exposure to other markets, then sylvinite it is. But if you are looking for exposure to more than just the potash markets, carnallite can open that door.