Potassium salts in Ukraine: mining prospects

Potassium salt is a mineral resource that is used to produce the most important fertilizers. Ukraine, as an agricultural country that is one of the main exporters of agricultural products to Europe, has an urgent need for raw materials and at the same time has large deposits of potassium salts. 

Despite this, since its independence, Ukraine has been importing potassium salt from neighboring countries, including Russia and Belarus. With its own reserves, our country could fully cover its own consumption and even work for export. However, as we can see, the artificially created consequences of post-Soviet policies aimed at “suppressing” Ukraine’s potential in the mining industry have taken their toll.

Today, in the context of martial law and active hostilities, Ukraine is facing the problem of its own raw material base, as the existing reserves are not being developed due to outdated mining technology.

Potassium salt production in Ukraine and the production of potassium fertilizers for the agricultural industry remain essential. It is now important to resume the development of domestic deposits of potassium salts that will meet Ukraine’s needs and will eventually be able to export, ensuring budget revenues.

Where are potassium salts extracted in Ukraine?

Potassium salt deposits are concentrated in the Prykarpattya basin (one of the largest potassium-bearing basins in Ukraine, where potassium salts were mined), as well as in the Dnipro-Donetsk depression, part of which is located in the temporarily occupied territory.

*Map of potassium salt deposits in Ukraine. Geological Investment Group 

One of the world’s largest sulfate-type potassium ore provinces is located in the Prykarpattya basin. The state balance of mineral reserves accounts for 13 deposits of potassium-magnesium salts, which are concentrated in two deposits: Stebnytske deposit with K2O reserves of category A+B+C1 (74.3 million tons) and category C2 (62.6 million tons), as well as Kalush-Golynske deposit with K2O reserves of category A+B+C1: 49.3 million tons (according to https://minerals-ua.info/ as of 01.01.2021).

Comparative characteristics of the largest potassium salt deposits in Ukraine according to https://minerals-ua.info/ as of  01.01.2021

The Kalush-Golynske and Stebnytske deposits belong to the Kalush formations of the Stebnytske and Vorotishche Neogene suites. Their deposits are in the form of stratified and lenticular bodies with a thickness of 3 to 120 meters and a potassium oxide content of 9 to 21 percent.

Previously, these two deposits were developed using mine and open-pit methods, but with a large number of tailings dams and dumps.

We are talking about the potassium fertilizers factory of JSC ORIANA, which was established on the basis of the Kalush-Golynske deposit in Ivano-Frankivsk region, and the PRSC “SMCENT “POLYMINERAL”, which was established on the basis of the Stebnytske deposit in Lviv region, which are now in critical condition and are not working.

The development of the deposits was based on outdated technology for processing extracted raw materials and the lack of resources for its renewal led to a decrease in production and loss of salt, and subsequently to the complete shutdown of production activities at the deposits due to environmental pollution.

Potassium salt deposits in Ukraine: geological exploration

According to the publication “Salt Resources of the Precarpathian Region and Prospects for Their Use” by G. Rudko and V. Petryshyn, Ukraine’s potassium salt reserves reach 4.3 billion tons (this figure in terms of K2O is 457 million tons). 

The strip from the North-West to the South-East from Stebnytske to Kalush-Golynske deposits contains smaller deposits and areas that are not currently being developed. However, such deposits are promising for geological exploration, including pilot development and extraction of potassium salts. 

It should be understood that small potassium salt deposits in Ukraine, particularly in the Carpathian region, have not been studied sufficiently. Their reserves were approved in the 60s and 80s of the 20th century.

Potassium salts in Ukraine: application.

Potassium salts in Ukraine are widely used in the agrarian industry and agriculture. For example, of the 40.7 million tons of potassium (in terms of K2O) extracted globally in 2015, 34.9 million (85%) were used to produce potash fertilizers. The main compounds used as fertilizers are potassium sulfate, potassium chloride and potassium magnesium.

It is important to note that potassium salts include a numerous of its compounds with a wide range of applications, which is why potassium salts as a mineral are valuable in many other areas. As an example:

• Metallic potassium is known as a catalyst in the production of certain types of synthetic rubber;
• Potassium compounds, namely potassium hydroxide or potassium permanganate, are used as absorbents. Potassium compounds are used to make glass and explosives;
• Alloys of potassium and sodium are used for cooling in nuclear reactors;
• Potassium can replace lithium in the production of batteries;
• Potassium compounds are included in medicines.

Ukraine’s demand for potassium salt extraction.

According to the 2021 annual edition of the State Research and Development Enterprise “State Informational Geological Fund of Ukraine”, Ukraine’s current demand for potassium fertilizers is about 2.0 million tons of K2O per year. Even before Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine annually imported potash salts worth about $350 million. The main suppliers were Belarus, Poland, Russia and Germany, with a combined share of about 90% of the Ukrainian market. Since the main importers of potassium salts were aggressor countries, these volumes could have been covered by Ukrainian producers. Therefore, there is a great need to develop the domestic potassium industry. 

Taking into account all the conditions and opportunities, there are two ways to solve the significant shortage of potassium fertilizers in Ukraine:

1. Reconstruction and restoration of previously operating enterprises, modernization of the process of extraction and processing of potassium salts in Ukraine on the basis of Kalush-Golynske and Stebnytske deposits; 
2. Geological search and geological exploration, including pilot development of promising potassium salt sites.

Modernization of potassium salt extraction method in Ukraine: international experience.

The methodology of potassium salt extraction in Ukraine has long needed a fresh approach and modernization based on international rather than Soviet experience. 

In particular, it is quite possible to implement a new geotechnological method of developing potassium deposits in Ukraine, which consists of underground leaching (dissolution) through wells. This method has long been used in global potassium extraction. It is the most cost-effective, as it dramatically decreases the cost of solving environmental problems and the loss of geological reserves in the subsoil, which are inevitable with a mine-based extraction system. The geotechnical development method can be used to develop deposits in the Carpathian region that have small reserves, as it will prevent industrial landfills and tailings dumps.

It is important to note that the mineral is extracted in the form of brines, not solid ore. This means that one of the production stages is reduced.

In addition, the key market requirement for its development is the competitiveness of its products, specifically potassium fertilizers. This means that the technological process must ensure their high quality. The low quality of fertilizers produced was one of the reasons why the potassium industry was shut down in the 1990s. Thus, modernization of production lines is needed to produce high quality non-chlorine potassium (and complex) fertilizers that could be competitive on the global market.

There are also other extraction methods used around the world. In particular, potassium salt is extracted by quarrying and mining. After the extraction of raw materials, potassium ores are processed in four stages: 

1. potassium ore is crushed to release potassium minerals from the ore; at this stage, clay minerals in the ore are also removed (i.e., dewatering);
2. potassium minerals are separated from unwanted salts (e.g. halite) by froth flotation; 
3. potassium minerals are dried and sorted by size; 
4. further purification is carried out by dissolving the potassium minerals in hot brine to remove impurities. When cooled, a highly pure residue is formed (crystallization), which can be used in the production of fertilizers and potassium chemicals. In the case of brine extraction, potassium concentration is only the fourth step (Potash Corp 2016).

Prospects for potassium salt extraction in Ukraine

Ukraine is one of the world’s richest countries in terms of mineral resources. This offers significant potential for attracting investment, especially in potassium salt production. It’s worth noting that two potassium salt deposits, Kalush-Golynske and Stebnytske, are included in the list of strategic subsoil areas designated for use under production sharing agreements (PSAs). After the war, these deposits will undoubtedly become attractive investment targets in the mineral fertilizer market, not only in Ukraine but globally.