1.0 Million T/A Potassic Fertilizer Comprehensive Utilization Project Starts Construction in Qinghai

The 1.0 million t/a potassic fertilizer comprehensive utilization project in Qinghai started construction on Sept. 24 in Chahar Salt Lake Zone, the largest soluble potash/magnesite deposit in China.       “Chahar” means “salt world” in the Mongolian language. The lake has a total area of 5 856 km2. There are rich natural resources such as potassium, sodium, magnesium, lithium and bromine. The total reserves amount to 60 billion tons. The potash reserves are 1.65 billion tons, holding the first place in China. The lake has an important strategic position in the coal chemical industry.      China is an agricultural country and has a serious shortage of potassic fertilizer. Qinghai Salt Lake Industry Group Co., Ltd. has fully employed the unique advantage in salt lake resources. It has made an investment of RMB3.2 billion in the first phase to conduct the deep processing of potassium chloride and produce 120 000 tons of potassium hydroxide a year with the ion-membrane electrolytic process. It will make another investment of RMB4.0 billion in the second phase to further extend the industrial chain. Through the execution of the first phase and the second phase of the 1.0 million t/a comprehensive utilization project, a capacity of 2.0 million t/a potassium chloride, 100 000 t/a anhydrous magnesium chloride, 300 000 t/a PVC, 330 000 t/a urea and 400 000 t/a methanol will be developed during the Eleventh Five-year Plan period (2006 - 2010), three industrial clusters will be formed and the largest potassium industry base and the largest magnesium industry base in China will be established.     The project has used salt lake and natural gas in Chahar. Raw materials and byproducts have closed-loop processing and recycled use. The utilization rate of resources is therefore increased, the production cost is reduced, the performance in production and operation is improved and the competitiveness is enhanced.    The 1.0 million t/a potassic fertilizer project was launched on Nov. 17, 2000. (CCR2000 No.35)