Characterization of verdete rock as a potential source of potassium

Revista Ceres

Wedisson Oliveira Santos¹  Edson Marcio Mattiello¹  Liovando Marciano Da Costa¹  Walter Antônio Pereira Abrahão¹ 

关键词: glauconite;    K;    fertilizer;    glauconita;    K;    fertilizante;   

DOI  :  10.1590/0034-737X201562040009

来源: SciELO

【 摘 要 】

Potassium is a nutrient found at low levels in Brazilian soils, requiring large inputs of fertilizers to achieve satisfactory crop yields. Brazil has high external dependence and limited reserves of soluble K mineral, which is traditionally exploited for the production of fertilizers. On the other hand, it is common the occurrence in the country of potassium-rich silicate minerals which are not commercially exploited. This study aimed to characterize mineralogically and chemically samples of verdete rock separated into size fractions and evaluate its potential as potassium fertilizer. The mineral composition of verdete rock is based on glauconite, quartz and feldspar. The total K2O content in verdete rock ranged from 5.18 to 9.0 dag/kg. The K content extracted in water or 2% citric acid was 2.4% below the total of K, indicating low reactivity of verdete rock and limitations for direct use as K source. The processes of physical fractionation and sedimentation in water are inefficient to promote the concentration of K in the different verdete rock fractions. The total K content in some samples are considerable and may enable the use of this rock as raw material for production of more reactive potassium fertilizers.

【 授权许可】

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