Before the war the world’s consumption of potash was practically the measure of the German production, the statistics of which are available in considerable detail. In round numbers, Germany produced about 10,000,000 metric tons of potash salts, averaging about 10 per cent. of K2O, of which she used more than 60 per cent. at home, and exported about 25 per cent. to the United States. For two years a very small production from Alsace had been lumped with the rest. Shortly after the outbreak of the war the German government placed an embargo on the export of potash, presumably in the hope of thereby injuring crop production of the Allies, and possibly because of the small military significance that it has. The production of potash in Germany was continued, however, at practically the same rate as before the war, the portion formerly exported being distributed for fertilizer use at home. This naturally gave a tremendous stimulus to the efforts of other countries to develop sources of potash. Although no huge natural resources comparable to the already known deposits were discovered, the efforts nevertheless had a reasonable amount of success, so that the world has not suffered in any vital way because of deprivation of potash. The cost of potash in the United States and its Allied countries increased to as much as ten times the pre-war price, but the supply was sufficient to meet all of the most pressing needs. Many possibilities for production from various sources have been opened, for which it is still too soon to predict the final outcome. It appears that a number of these new enterprises have entered the field permanently, although there will necessarily be some uncertainty during the period of reconstruction.
The ceding of Alsace to France, which is discussed in a subsequent paragraph, undoubtedly entails the largest and most significant change in the commercial situation as regards the world market for potash. A possibility of production from the deposits in eastern Spain holds similar although more remote significance.
SOURCES OF PRODUCTION
The output of potash during 1917, summarized by countries according to the best available data, is as follows:
Table 65.—World Production of Potash in 1917
| Country | Source of data | Production (short tons) | Average content K2O (per cent.) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | Kalisyndikat statistics. | 9,853,171 | 11.2 | |
| Alsace | (Included under Germany.) | |||
| United States | U. S. Geological Survey. | 126,961 | 25.6 | |
| India | Rec. Geol. Surv. India, vol. 49, part 2, p. 71. | 23,838 | 40.0 | [155] |
| Tunis | Jour. Soc. Chem. Ind., vol. 37, p. 294 T. | 20,000 | 40.0 | |
| Galicia | “Kali,” vol. 7, p. 9. | 10,000 | 10.0 | |
| Russia | War Industrial Comm. of Russia report. | 5,000 | ||
| Abyssinia | Com. Fertilizer, Jan. 18, 1918, p. 44. | 5,000 | ? | |
| Japan | Commerce Rept., Dec. 1, 1916, p. 830. | 4,000 | ? | |
| Chile | U. S. imports potassium nitrate. | 1,750 | 25.0 | [155] |
| China | Commerce Rept., Nov. 27, 1918, p. 790. | 1,000 | ||
| France | Saline-de-Giraud. | 300 | ||
| Mexico | U. S. imports saltpeter. | 115 | 40.0 | [155] |
| England | Kelp and blast furnace recoveries. | ? | ? | |
| Spain | ... | No production | ||
| Total | 10,051,135 | |||
[155] Estimated from data indicated.
POLITICAL AND COMMERCIAL CONTROL
Germany.
—The potash industry in Germany is reported to have represented an investment of M.500,000,000 ($119,000,000). In 1918 there were 209 mines capable of producing, as indicated by the Kalisyndikat list assigning quotas for anticipated production from the individual mines for the year.